The Dynamo pulled off a historic 1-0 win over Santos but the celebration is short lived as the club now will try to make further history by advancing to the semi-finals of the Concacaf Champions League. Win the Concacaf Champions League and you have the possibility of playing against the winner of the European Champions league in the World Club Championships.
This is a huge opportunity for the Dynamo and it won’t be easy as Mexican clubs become something “different” in their own environments.
Santos is a difficult team at home and the environment will be something the Dynamo will have to deal with.
We often talk about pressure in the NBA and NFL but what about the pressure of playing soccer in countries where security is an issue? Where teams do everything in their power to make you uncomfortable.
Go back to the recent U.S./Honduras match in one of the most dangerous cities in the world San Pedro Sula.
Torreon, Mexico was once seen as a model of progress for manufacturing but now is one of the most dangerous cities due to drug wars, police corruption and on.
The Dynamo and Santos will battle a turf war of football but the same goes on sadly in the drug business.
Former Santos striker Chucho Benetiz now at Club America moved from Santos and Torreon due to the fact that his wife could not come out of the house.
One can’t forget the shootout that occurred during a Santos/Morelia game in 2012 that had fans and players scrambling.
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This post makes me nervous for the safety of our players.
That was just last year.
If we win bad things could happen.
I, for one, do not understand the mentality of intimidation as legit part of the game. It should be abolished by sanctions/shame/anything. I want good sportsmanship, not thuggery, violence, really bad “manners” to prevail. The “in your face”, chest thumping thugs who try and play a mental game with the other team leave me with a very bad taste. The fans will act like the team and vice versa. I will not watch that type of team. Many Mexican teams seem to be that way when playing US teams. They seem to think that THEY only have the right to win and that the US teams are puny upstarts. I may be wrong but that is how it seems to be when the 2 countries teams play. Must be bad feelings. I suppose the US teams may be doing the same thing!
Security always and issue especially in crime laden places like Torreon.
That is on Concacaf and I hope they live up to it.
If countries, government, etc. can’t control the situation then they shouldn’t be allowed to participate.
Then you might not have a Concacaf Champions League.
That incident was between rival gangs outside (blocks away) the stadium no one at the stadium was hurt on intended. As far as I know not one person has been killed at a stadium there is the violence like any sporting event fan vs. fan just like any NFL game here in the US.
I am surprised that you are taking this angle when in this country you can send your kids to school or to the movies never to see them again because gun violence.