How’s Chile doing in the World Cup?

First, a photo I took while standing across from the Moneda (Chilean Presidential Palace) in front of a pantalla gigante (huge screen) when first the crowd went quiet, and then a buzz started, followed by a collective intake of breath and a subsequent shout when the ball went in the goal and Chile scored its first (and ultimately only) goal against Honduras.

Chile scores a goal against Honduras in the FIFA 2010 World Cup

As you can see, we were pleased as punch. It was a pretty giant payoff for the Chile’s first appearance in the World Cup since 1998, and as the city had set up several screens where people could watch, everyone who had to go to work pretty much gravitated towards their closest downtown spot for the 7:30 AM start. At halftime people filtered into and out of work, already pleased with Chile’s score, though not so much their performance. Complaints abounded about ball-handling with several missed opportunities for increased goals. Commentary on the game also focused on Honduras’ disconnection, discombobulation and apparent running away from the ball. “Is it on fire,” commentators wondered.

In the end, Chile emerged victorious, in this, the first of its three games to get out of Group H and ino the next round, which coach Bielsa has exhorted his players to do. Next up, Switzerland, which surprisingly recently beat Spain, which we had thought was our biggest problem to getting out of Group H.

So we’re all sitting tight until Monday, when the whole thing (hopefully including the victory) repeats itself in the match against Switzerland. To switch things up a bit, I’m going to catch the game at The Vega, (the big, central fruit and vegetable market not to be confused with El Mercado Central, though this is close by). Thankfully this time the game is at the relatively more decent hour of 10:00 AM, and you can be sure that the chants of Chi-Chi-Chi-le-le-le will saturate the airwaves.

And as tradition dictates, win or lose, everyone will stream into Plaza Italia (Baquedano on the red and green lines, but you won’t be able to take the metro as all nearby entrances will be blocked) for post-partido (post-game) melee. Catch it from a distance, but don’t get caught in the fray. The tank-like vehicles you see are called guanacos and if things get out of hand, they’ll launch teargas into the crowd.

Post World Cup at Plaza Italia in Santiago

And I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of this car again. Now that’s dedication.