It was a good idea

It was a good idea at the time. Tickets for the 3rd place play off game were reasonable. Budget air tickets were available. So lets just pop back to St. Petersburg for the day to see Belgium : England. 18 hours, 6 trains, 2 planes and 2 taxis later,we’re back at our hotel in Moscow! LOL! Was it worth it? Well, of course it was. We’re here to see football and experience Russia. And, now that we’re experts in Russia’s underground system, well it was easy….ish.

But it was more party than football. More than usual, the walk to the stadium through Primorskiy Park, past gut churning roller coasters and refreshing fountains, was a carnival of nations. We met Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Soviet Stan, an old fellar that stopped to talk with us. OK, I don’t know if Stan is his name, but I asked him where he was from. “Leningrad” he answered. I raised a quizzical eyebrow. “I was born in Leningrad. It’s still Leningrad to me.” he smiled

We wound our way into the stadium through security, always present, but discrete, courteous, and past the corporate sponsor booths. Representing the USA; Budweiser. Representing Russia; Gazprom. Representing the Middle East; Qatar Airlines. Globalization trumps politics (pun intended) I thought.

Our seats were on the sunny side of the stadium and it was crazy hot. So we sheltered inside for the hour before the game. I camped out on the floor and realized I was at the Special Access entrance. A young autistic man was having an episode. My antennae rose to the situation and I stood to offer help. I needn’t have. You wonder how other countries deal with intellectual disability. And OK, this was just one incident. But its an issue very dear to my heart and I was impressed by the staff’s compassion to the young man and his caregiver as they calmed the situation. Very well done. While I’m on a Special Olympics theme. During the games, Russian TV aired a commercial featuring a Down Syndrome individual and some football players. I couldn’t understand the language so don’t know what it was promoting. But well done again. I’d be interested if anyone knows what that ad was about?

The carnival atmosphere continued into the match. For once I didn’t complain about folks being more interested in the Mexican wave than in the football. Somehow, today it seemed appropriate. There was so much going on, that despite the marathon trip to get here for the game, I shamefully paid scant attention to the football. But England under Southgate are good. They certainly punched above their weight. Find an upgrade to Henderson as a play maker, and a couple of good center halves and they’ll have a real shot next time. Of course, the difference between the teams was Hazard and Debruyne in midfield. World class. It was good to see them up close. Debruyne is so intelligent with his easy little passes opening up the channels. And Hazard just tucks the ball in his sock and lights the afterburners. So good.

We left a little early to get ahead of the crowd and begin the long haul back to Moscow. Not the game of the tournament. But it was World Cup football. So you have to make a bit of an effort. Right?