Slovan Liberec 2-3 Astra Giurgiu, Romania (Europa League 3rd qualifying round, 2nd leg), att: 2,500
 |
| Liberec Town Hall (I think) |
I'd travelled on an overnight train for this, a Europa League 3rd qualifying round 2nd leg affair with the home side 3 goals to the deficit from the 1st leg. An impossible task, and so it proved.
I quite liked Liberec (the place). Plenty of pubs and bars, cheap beer...and a lovely stroll to the stadium. Get yourself a map, orientate yourself, find the river and follow it till you get to the Stadion u Nisy. Should take you about 20 minutes.
 |
| The stadium approach (river on left) |
Although I'd been in Liberec for the whole day, I still had no idea of the currency conversion rate so when faced with a choice of tickets costing 100 CZK or 150, I plumped for the former...to be offered the latter. Turned out I was in a stand which overhung the river behind. I even took up my exact seat - there were plenty to choose from - if only cos I was in the back row. Excellent. It wasn't the tallest of stands though, sixteen rows to be precise. (I was in row 16, I never actually counted them. What do you think I am, sad?)
 |
| I think it's the bottom one which concerns me most... |
On the far side was one of your stranger stands in football. Built into a sandy bank it narrowed at either side towards the back. Was it to be extended? Or were the sandy corners to be left as is? It was like, but not quite, Braga. Certainly less grand. The other three sides wrapped around the pitch as one C-shaped stand.
 |
| If I had a better camera, I'd have got the corners too... |
Pre-match (and during, and at half time) we had a cheerleading troupe who looked and performed better than any I'd previously seen, including a couple managing the splits while a couple of others were lifted in the air. Mind, they work 'em hard at LIberec, as during the match they were on the balcony in the 'posh' stand performing, mainly shaking their pom-poms.
 |
| If I had a better camera... |
At half time we also had an amazing performance of keepy-ups by a group of 'freestyle footballers'. I think they were showcasing some of their skills for a show they were part of, which I'd seen on the (local?) TV news.
 |
| Football juggler cutely attired in Slovan strip |
The match?
0-1 Liberec are caught on the counter and with Astra 2 on 1, the ball is laid to the right for the forward to bang home into the opposite corner. Slovan now need five or are out. They're out.
1-1 44 mins, a deadball is lifted over everyone towards the big lad sneaking in for an easy header. My tip for the top: always keep an eye on the big lad on set pieces. Can Slovan do the impossible?
2-1 First half injury time, a ball runs loose on the edge of the box and a midfielder hammers it low to the keeper's left. The ref blows for half time, a remarkable turnaround at the end of the first half.
 |
| More half time entertainment |
So, from no hope to a positive, buzzing, crowd. If Slovan can score 2 in 2 minutes, what chance 3 in the next 45? I retired to the refreshment kiosk for beer and the kind of strange red sausage, Frankfurter-like in texture, which oozed juice once I'd pierced it. With a couple of slices of brown bread and mustard, it was quite the meal.
Second half, I sat further down the stand so I could have an unimpeded view of that stand opposite (the roof being quite low). Our stand had become quite busy and if the attendance was given as 2,500, I'd say over 2000 were on this side. The main 'ultras' were in the corner to my left. They had a most excellent banner covering the whole corner before KO, which gave the impression there were several hundred underneath. Only upon the banner being furled was the truth forthcoming; half a dozen teenagers. Bless 'em!
 |
| The ultras in the far corner |
Another 'ultra' group stood on their lonesome amongst the seats opposite, to my right, all twenty of them. It was a bizarre sight, them standing miles from anyone else chanting to themselves. Their 'Chaotix' name couldn't have been more apt.
 |
| Chaotix: Do what it says on the tin |
But where were the away fans? Emigrating to England probably (N. Farage, UKIP). I'd seen some earlier, having a drink off the main square. Come to think, with their 'Astra' training tops, they were possibly the players, coaches and hangers-on of the team. No, at 7:05pm they arrived en masse (about 20). Since the match kicked off at 6, it's a little careless to arrive in the 2nd half, given you've travelled all the way from Romania to see the game. Even I would check the KO time if it was MY team! With two drums, the ratio of drum to fan was a little high as well. But they livened proceedings.
 |
| 2nd half...the away fans arrive! |
So, for small crowd, the atmosphere was quite good. Three pockets of constant noise with the main cohort joining in occasionally or clapping rhythmically at every home free kick or corner.
Astra shored up their defence though and frustrated Slovan. Or was it the other way around? An Astra player went nuts at a Slovan for the cardinal sin of kicking the ball out for an ASTRA throw (after an injury) rather than hoofing it to the keeper. Was he serious, or was it gamesmanship? He looked serious enough to me...
 |
| One can never be too comfrotable |
As Slovan's participation in petered out, the final nails were driven into their European coffin. On 84 minutes, a couple of quick passes in the box left Astra clean through and the player dinked it over the keeper. Then, in the last minute, a similar move brought Astra clean through again and with the keeper going down far too early, the striker simply lifted it over him. 2-3 (2-6 on aggregate). Goodnight Slovan.
 |
| Club offices an restaurant |
Afterwards, there was time to wander around the stadium. Behind the home end was the club shop, a restaurant and several open-air bars ready to show Viktoria Plzen. However, I headed back to the centre to catch most of the Viktoria game in another bar. Coincidentally, they too were taken apart at home by a Romanian side. A new low fro Czech football? After the game, a player was interviewed by a female Czech reporter, Ms 'Cunelova'. I kid you not. I must write to the James Bond franchise and suggest this one.
The Damage: (all CZK)
150 ent
40 sausage
25 beer (Gambrinus)
50 badge
= 265 (about 8 quid. Crazy.)
The tunes:
Plumb (Field Music)
Post (Bjork)
Waltz for Koop (Koop)
Trans-Europe Express (Kraftwerk)
 |
| Bars outside home end |
 |
| The cameraman |
 |
| The concourse 'neath the 'Riverside Stand' |
 |
| The view from the back row |
 |
| The left bank... |
 |
| the right bank... |
 |
| ticket booths at the home end |
