Ecuador vs. Argentina

Yesterday was a big day for Ecuador. In a qualifying match for the World Cup, they faced up against a big powerhouse, Argentina. The game was do or die for Ecuador, and at 4 o'clock the whole country was watching. It was kind of a bittersweet game for me, because it would be cool if Argentina won, but I've also been living in Ecuador and rooting for them for 9 months. Since they're the underdog and needed to win, it would be better for morale if they stayed alive. And, if Ecuador won, I most likely wouldn't have my night class. It was a tough call.

I went to a bar with a couple other guys to watch the game, and from the start you could see that Ecuador was playing harder, as usual. It seems like Ecuador is always in a must-win situation. With a couple of close calls here and there, they were getting by, but not producing in the first half. You could see how easily Argentina was working, and just how talented their players are. The game was in Quito, so the altitude could have affected the Argentinians, because eventually, they lost control of the game.

Somewhere in the 2nd half, I don't remember where, Ecuador scored the first goal. The bar, the streets, probably the entire country went nuts. Getting a goal against Argentina is a victory in itself. People were ecstatic. There were only a few minutes left when Ecuador scored the second goal, securing the victory, and again the city went nuts. Cars were honking and people were running through the streets.

I was happy but a little upset too, but since I realized I probably wouldn't have class, I was dealing with it. I rushed home to inhale my dinner, then rushed back out to the university. Even though it's expected that no one shows up to classes after a victory, the teachers still need to sign in. Luckily I'm only a 15 minute walk from the university. I signed in, waited in an empty classroom for 15 minutes, and left to meet up with some friends.

So for the time being, Ecuador is still alive in the race to get to the World Cup. And this is a long weekend due to elections. 2-0 so far.