It's a little-known fact that, at university, I was the mascot for the St. John's College women's football team. I wasn't allowed to dress up but I spent many rainy Saturday afternoons running up and down a touchline, supporting Hannah and chanting things like "there's only one Sharon Moughtin" and "say oo-ah, Sally Johnson." Happy days...until a nasty girl from St. Mary's broke Hannah's ankle and we said goodbye to her promising football career and our nascent ballroom dancing partnership. It still hurts (my feelings, not her ankle).
The German team has been staying at the hotel across the road and earlier in the week I spotted them all wandering down to the waterfront for group photos. I was too chicken to go and ask for my photo with them. If it hadn't been past Pete's bedtime I might have taken him down and deployed the cuteness, but I never learned how to say "would you like to hold my baby?" in the one year of German I took.
After being Hannah's team's lone supporter it was nice to find 15,000 other people at this match. It started out as a cagey affair with no one taking charge in midfield and the Germans playing mostly in Canada's half, leading to an inevitable goal for the visitors. Luckily Canada had a number 8 called Diana Matheson. At 5ft she was the shortest player on the pitch by quite a way, and is also the fastest person I've ever seen! Her speed set up Canada's reply, although the striker on the end of her cross totally fluffed the shot and the ball sort of looped over the keeper and bobbled into the net. But, as they say, the sheet doesn't record how you score them, only that you did.
As they also say, football is a game of 90 minutes and then Germany wins, and this proved to be the case with a penalty in the 65th. 2-1 was a respectable loss, and with the 2015 World Cup happening in Canada, and nine games including the final in Vancouver, I'll be having discussions with Pete's mother about how old you should be to attend your first football international. I need to start teaching him the chants.
Outside.
Inside.
The ref checks her watch and...
...we're off!
The keeper, as usual the best dressed player on the field, wearing those two-colour boots that some players in Brazil are.
Heading towards the German goal.
But it's the visitors who score first.
Stout defense from the reds.
Plenty of support for the home side.
That's Matheson, the fastest person in the world!
The penalty, clinically slotted away by Simone Laudehr.
Jonelle Filigno tussles with Lena Goeßling.
During an injury stoppage, Team Canada plans for one final assault.
Shoot!
The team thanks the supporters. You're very welcome!
