Instead of going to second day of the salsa festival, I met up with another Northern Ireland traveler and we went to a soccer match between Bogota Santa Fe and Atletico Huile from another city. I have been to NBA, NHL, MLS games, but never to a soccer game. The fans piled in, dressed in the white and red colors of the team. We got seats near high up near one end of the field where all the other Bogota Santa Fe fans were. The atmosphere was pretty incredible as fans stood on handrails holding a long stretch of team-colored cloth that hung from the top of the stadium to the bottom.
I got a full pat down search by the police, including taking off my socks to make sure I wasn’t bringing in anything illegal. Apparently everyone at the game that Dave the Northern Irishman went to in Medellin just a week ago, everyone were smoking and snorting. This would be a different game though.
We stood for the entire 90 minutes of the match among crazed fans. They sang various team songs and chants for the entire game, never missing a beat. The only lyrics I caught were “Vamos Santa Fe”, but I bounced and chanted along too. The entire side of the stadium was moving at one point. The speaker mounted on the roof was shaking; I thought it was going to fall off. The atmosphere was more moving and energetic than the Miami Heat playoff game I went to and the stadium was only half full. Dave told me later that in away games back home, the fans stick around for at least half an hour after the game and keep chanting and singing. They stay even longer for home games. I can only imagine.
The Bogota game didn’t have long fancy half time shows; after fifteen minutes, the players were back on the field. Still no scores on the board. Santa Fe players continued their attack and finally put a header into the back of the net with less than 10 minutes to play. The fans went totally nuts. Literally everyone on one end of the stadium rushed to the bottom row. I don’t know how people didn’t get trampled over – maybe some did. The 30 riot police in full gear stood their ground just behind the goal. I have never seen crazier fans.