Well it's the morning after the night before and life has to go on doesn't it? Today I'm going back 7 years to 12th July 2014 and the MLS game between Vancouver Whitecaps and Chivas USA played at BC Place, Vancouver, Canada.
Last night's experience at Wembley was one that I won't forget for as long as I live. England in a major tournament Final. England taking an early lead and looking like worthy winners for the entire first half. Then the Italians came back, got an equaliser and were the better team throughout the second half. Suddenly England looked tame and lacking in creative ideas. Extra time arrived and the first 15 minutes of that were uneventful. The final 15 minutes burst back into life with chances and excitement but still no goals and there was an inevitability about penalties long before the Final whistle. For England to score only two of their five penalties is extremely disappointing but, win or lose, I was proud of the team's performances at Euro 2020 and will back them all the way in the future. But England won't come closer than this without winning it.
Behind the scenes there was much to criticise. Scenes outside Wembley that I've never seen before and hope not to have to experience again. Access to the stadium perimeter was supposed to be via a Covid19 check at the foot of the stairs on Wembley Way but it became pretty obvious that the Covid19 check couldn't be carried out because the NHS app wasn't working for anyone. Then we could see people jumping the line and climbing past the supposed security up ahead. The staff could do nothing about it and there was an apparent lack of police. When we got to the gates it was obvious that there were ticketless louts there who were attempting to tailgate genuine supporters with tickets as they went through the turnstiles. Elsewhere they were attempting to break in through the gates. The staff were struggling to contain this incursion but the staff weren't big strapping security types but were mainly young girls and boys in hi viz jackets who clearly hadn't been trained or been paid to deal with this kind of thing. I'm convinced that many many ticketless louts made it inside. I thought of Hillsborough and the way in which the fans got blamed for the problems outside the stadium. Well I'm sorry, this was different. But they weren't fans. They were chancers and free loaders. People who thought nothing of taking whatever they wanted without a thought for anyone but themselves.
The other thing about last night for me was that it marked the formal end of season 2020/21. Another season blighted by Covid19 and a season where I eventually managed to attend 45 matches made up of 7 internationals and 38 games at the lower levels of English football (mainly Non-League). I enjoyed the football that I did see but I am looking forward to a full season without disruption next time around. For me, next season will begin in August but I'll be going to Canada if we're permitted to travel as I've been away too long.
Canada was where today's programme memory match took place for me. If you're interested to learn more about BC Place then search on Vancouver in my blog and you'll find my review of another Whitecaps game that I attended there. This game was also an MLS game against Club Deportivo Chivas USA. The Chivas side, based in Los Angeles, were considered to be the little brother of the Mexican club CD Guadalajara and shared common ownership and branding. In Latin American Spanish a Chiva is a goat so for little brother perhaps that should read kid brother! However, at the end of the 2014 regular season, Chivas USA ceased operations and their franchise was bought out by owners of a new MLS side: Los Angeles FC.
In front of an attendance of 19,383, Vancouver were ahead in the first half an hour with a header from Trinidad & Tobago international Carlyle Mitchell. Chivas were level straight after the restart with a set piece header from a corner by the Argentinian Agustin Pelletiri. Whitecaps responded to this setback by creating another one, this time having full back Jordan Harvey sent off for a reckless two footed studs up challenge. It was about to get even worse for the Whitecaps. With 10 minutes remaining Chivas took the lead through another header, this time from Mexican international Erick Torres. Into injury time and, with the Whitecaps keeper up for a corner kick, Chivas' Argentinian substitute Leandro Barrera scored a breakaway goal from the halfway line to finish the game. Another player of note in this game was Vancouver's journeyman pro Nigel Reo-Coker who, in addition to playing for Wimbledon, West Ham United, Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, was traded from Vancouver Whitecaps to Chivas USA later in this same season!
CRB Match No. 1987
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