Not much happened this week. The highlight of my week came on Valentine's Day. I have to say that it was the best Valentine's Day I've had in recent memory.
On the 14th, the hometown soccer team, Olympique Lyonnais took on APOEL Nicosie in the round of 16 in the Champions League. It was the first time that a team from Cyprus (APOEL) had made it into the knockout rounds. It also happened to be my first professional soccer game.
The air was electric Tuesday. Even before the game, APOEL fans were everywhere in the city, showing their team pride. As I walked down Rue Victor Hugo, I could hear them chanting. I finally saw them, and they were carrying a sign that said, "South Side Crew." I find it funny that fans from Cyprus were carrying around a sign in English. Thug life I guess.
As of Tuesday, I didn't even have a ticket for the game. I ended up buying one down at the stadium before the match started. I wasn't able to buy a ticket in the same section as some other people I knew who were going, but I did get one in the section next to it.
It ended up not mattering where my seat was. I found a group of friends, and we were all in seats that weren't ours. I don't think they really care about sitting in your specific seat/row here.
Right off the bat, I could tell there was a high amount of energy in the stadium. I have to confess that american football fans have nothing on their crazed European counterparts.
I was in what I would call the "student section" of the stadium, behind one of the goals. It was definitely the place to be. We never sat down, except at half, and they even had a guy on a microphone leading our chants. The people in the "good seats" sat down during the game.
Before the game, as I looked across the field to the opposing team's fan section, I noticed that there were about 20 security guards lining their section. There was also an empty section of bleachers separating the OL fans from the APOEL fans.
Finally, the two teams took the field. APOEL wore yellow, and Olympique Lyon wore their Champions League jerseys, which are a pinkish color. The color seemed vary appropriate on Valentine's Day.
As APOEL took to the field, their fans lit flares. I was shocked to see that, and that no security guards were doing anything about it. It must be a common thing. If someone tried to do that in a football game back home, they would definitely get kicked out.
The game started, and I stood there in my Olympique Lyonnais jersey and shouted and clapped with the rest of them. I didn't always understand most of the chants. Most were just a play on the word "Lyonnais," but I was able to learn one of the chants. "Qui ne sauté pas, n'est pas Lyonnais," which translated to "He who does not jump is not from Lyon," during which everyone jumps up and down.
I watched the first half as OL dominated APOEL. They held the ball 63% of the time and APOEL never mounted an offensive attack. They didn't even have a shot on goal. Lyon was able to get a couple of shots on goal, but they couldn't net anything, and the two teams went into half at 0-0.
Finally, in the second half, Alexandre Lacazette netted the first goal of the game in the 58 minute. That ended up being the one and only score of the game as Olympique Lyon beat APOEL 1-0.
It wasn't the most exciting of games, but I had a great intro into soccer. Plus, it was during a Champions Leauge game. It was a great way to spend Valentine's Day, with one of my loves ....sports. I can't wait to go to the Paris St. Germain game in a couple of weeks.
GAME STATS
Shots (on goal)- Lyon: 18(5) APOEL: 1(1)
Fouls- Lyon: 15 APOEL 12
Corner Kicks- Lyon: 7 APOEL: 4
Offsides- Lyon: 1 APOEL: 2
Time of Posses.- Lyon: 64% APOEL: 36%
Yellow Cards- Lyon: 0 APOEL: 2
Red Cards- Lyon: 0 APOEL: 0
Saves- Lyon: 1 APOEL: 4
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