I was lucky enough tonight to secure seats in the company’s corporate box to see the Qld Roar vs Perth Glory soccer game. Now anyone who knows me knows I am not a sports fan, but there is something about a live game from the comfort of a box that is very exciting.
I am not going to go into how the Roar midfield played a very strong game and how the Glory players were weak in defence. I will let the guy who was sitting next to me and trying to explain this to the room tell that story.
The game started for me when the massive tv screens flashed up pictures of the players for both teams. Roar were dressed in a very bright orange that looked like they should have been directing planes with those light saber things and driving around a tarmac in little golf carts. Glory wore a really nice shade of purple. I admit to considering not barracking for my QLD home state because the purple was prettier than the orange.
I wouldn’t be me if I hadn’t checked out the attractiveness of each team and decided on how good a player they were by how gorgeous their eyes were and how nicely they smiled. Needless to say, I picked my favourites before they even came onto the field.
When they did come out, there was a collective awww from the 20,606 people watching. They each had in tow a child in soccer uniform. Both sides led these kids out to shake hands with the opposition. It warmed the cockles of my girly heart to see the future of soccer (even if they did torture the children by making them wear orange).
The game began and I have to admit the first half was pretty boring. There were no goals scored and the ball stayed mid field most of the time. Ok, that sounded like I listened too much to the guy next to me again. I was explaining to the women in front of me that Noah had played soccer when he was six and that he used to run for the ball and then fake a dramatic fall just as he went to kick it, so I decided to put him in drama the next year, when a perth player faked this amazing oscar deserving fall. I turned to Noah and said “His mum should have put him in drama too”. That was the highlight of the first half.
The second half however was just amazing. Both teams came back on the field after their Gatorade and orange quarters with a new determination. The ball was played closer to the goalies, which pleased me to no end as I have always had a “thing” for goalies. Don’t ask me to explain it. It could have something to do with the fact that I played goalie when I was little and remember the adrenalin rush of stopping a ball coming through (and the fun of swinging off the goals pretending I was a monkey when the ball was down the other end) or it could be that they are the last chance to stop the other team from scoring. The saviours if you like. Or it could just be that the one’s I like look pretty. Whatever it is, it is very exciting to watch.
What made it even more exciting was when Roar started scoring goals. It wasn’t until around the 80th minute that the first goal was scored, and I found myself jumping up and punching the air like Tom Cruise, doing the Mexican wave and fighting the urge to put my shirt over my head and run around in circles. Goals are thrilling. Watching them get closer and closer and then finally getting through. I found myself following the ball repeating yes.. yes .. that’s it… yes Yes YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! After the third goal, I almost needed a cigarette.
The three goals were in fairly quick succession of each other and watching the reaction of the players was priceless. You would swear they had cured cancer, solved the problem of world poverty and created world peace with each goal.
The final score was 3 – nil. It made me proud to be a Queenslander and barracking for the winning team for a change.
Highlights for me are individual players.
Sasa Ognenovski aka caveman aka headball dude who managed to head butt the ball more than he kicked it. This guy must really have a hard head. I saw him headbutt the ball almost halfway down the field!
Hyuk-Su Seo aka Shaolin soccer dude had the most amazing high spin and kick moves that left Noah and I with mouth’s agape until he tried an extra high 360 spin with a back kick and missed the ball completely but I was still impressed.
Liam Reddy aka you can block my goals any day stopped some very close calls and did it with style.
Massimo Murdocca aka I want to have your babies , all I can remember about him is that he was hot and played soccer. But he looked damn fine doing it!
So that was my night. Now I only have two questions.
1/ Does the player of the match get a Mcdonald’s Happy Meal?
and
2/ Do their mum’s still have a roster to see who cuts up the oranges into quarters for half time?
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