DAY 8: 5 August 2009

Hello Iowa!

With a 10:00 am game, there was little time to rest before getting back in the saddle.  The boys played very well and came away with a 2-1 victory.  All smiles from the sidelines, as the opponent while quality was not at the level of the previous day.

The balance of the day included a lunch and rest and relaxation. A tactical walk-through at 3:00 broke up the afternoon prior to an early dinner.

We boarded the bus for the professional game at about 6:30.  We were treated very well, with a direct delivery to our gate.

The game was an experience most of us had not anticipated. Complete with armed military police and dogs guarding the field.  A very secure environment for the players, coaches and officials with a mote surrounding the infield completed the stage.

The Cruzeiro Club has not been winning and the 15-20,000 fans made a very small dent in the 90,000+ arena.  They did however cheer, sing, wave flags, and boo the officials like champions.

The game included 3 red cards (2 for the home squad) and a 0-2 loss for our hosts.  One interesting note; we were told that the various sections had attempted to utilize assigned seats in the past but have since given up on trying to maintain control of the fans.  They do not however sell alcohol at games any longer, as there have historically been some problems with fans getting out of control.

We sat with the Colorado College Soccer team that was arriving for a weeks training session at Cruzeiro. 

After capturing the moment with some closing photos it was off to the bus and back to the international hotel at Cruzerio.  A good day as the boys got back on the winning track and had a tremendous experience within the culture of Brazilian soccer.

- Submitted by Brian Bergstrom