Vitesse football Game 2-2

I went to my first football (soccer game) since moving abroad. The excitement is far greater when you can call the home team your own. Vitesse (from Arnhem) played their biggest rivals, Nec (from Nigmigen). Wietse's mom Marianne hooked us up with business class tickets. Business class is like riding first class in the airplane. Food and drinks are served before and after with a DJ. I am getting used to my new First Class life.

The game was very exciting with constant chanting and singing by 17,000 spectators. It was also great to view the "hooligans"from the opposing team in the fish bowl. The fish bowl is for the visitors and is surrounded by glass, nets and policemen. The fish within the bowl come in and out of the stadium with no contact of the home team. I witnessed the reason for this barrier after our team scored the 2nd goal. Beers were flying and there was screaming and banging on the walls in attempt to reach the home team's "hooligans". Vitesse was in control of the game (on the field) until the last 8 minutes. Nec scored 2 goals to tie the game up. It was a major upset, but either way, win loss or draw, there would be drinking after the game.

Wietse, Marianne and her friend and I began talking with others. There was 2 hours of "Open Bar" preceding the game. When those 2 hours were up, we traveled up another flight of stairs to a box. This box was unlike I have ever seen. It looked like a small pub. This is by invitation only and we were lucky to be invited. After this bar closed 1 hour later and I had chatted it up with the trainer of Vitesse, we were invited to the next box. The more stairs you climb, the nicer the box is. This next box looked like a club. On my way I saw some of the players. At this last box, we drank and spoke with the trainer and President of the team. Marianne reminded me the next morning that I was giving the trainer advice on how to increase the game! Sometimes I think its good I dont speak Dutch yet.... It keeps my mouth shut! lol. Either way, I will be remembered. I look forward to the next game.