Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2012 11:56:08 GMT
I'd heard about the trip to Belgium v Scotland in Brussels but had never imagined I might be on it. But after leaving Sheffield at 11am on Monday - and calling at Chatham Town v Harrow Borough on the way - we comfortably made the midnight ferry to Dunkirk and kipped in a hotel for a few hours. Left again at 9am; detour to the Belgian coast for coffee and buns; arrived at the second hotel at Grimbergen (north of Brussels) early afternoon. Then it was a case of parking near the stadium and heading into town to meet up with a rather eclectic Anglo-German group who all knew each other through regularly watching Scotland. By contrast I'd not seen them play since the 1980s.
Unfortunately we left the city centre later than planned and found that the official "advice" was to get off the metro slightly before the stadium. This entailed taking a circuitous route whereby the Atomium was on the left when it should have been on the right. Consequently it became a rush and we made the game with just a few minutes to spare.
You'll know the details of the game: Belgium were good - bloody good - but couldn't score; Scotland appeared to set out for a goalless draw. To me it didn't seem unlike Torquay United defending in depth away to a much bigger team in the FA Cup. No disrespect to Jamie Mackie - who I think has done well - but, as a half-time substitute, he didn't quite match up to Eden Hazard who came on at the same time. The Belgians, of course, eventually scored. And again. Game over for the night and, perhaps, for Craig Levein even though you wonder how much difference a new manager will make. Meanwhile the Belgians know they're on to something good.
The Tartan Army were nae bother and I've now reacquainted myself with the words of "Do-Re-Mi". There was actually a ten minute spell in the second-half when there was a rare old singsong as the possibility of a "result" began to enter imaginations.
Then it went quiet. Very quiet.
Pictures taken at night on a camera phone so of variable quality.
Unfortunately we left the city centre later than planned and found that the official "advice" was to get off the metro slightly before the stadium. This entailed taking a circuitous route whereby the Atomium was on the left when it should have been on the right. Consequently it became a rush and we made the game with just a few minutes to spare.
You'll know the details of the game: Belgium were good - bloody good - but couldn't score; Scotland appeared to set out for a goalless draw. To me it didn't seem unlike Torquay United defending in depth away to a much bigger team in the FA Cup. No disrespect to Jamie Mackie - who I think has done well - but, as a half-time substitute, he didn't quite match up to Eden Hazard who came on at the same time. The Belgians, of course, eventually scored. And again. Game over for the night and, perhaps, for Craig Levein even though you wonder how much difference a new manager will make. Meanwhile the Belgians know they're on to something good.
The Tartan Army were nae bother and I've now reacquainted myself with the words of "Do-Re-Mi". There was actually a ten minute spell in the second-half when there was a rare old singsong as the possibility of a "result" began to enter imaginations.
Then it went quiet. Very quiet.
Pictures taken at night on a camera phone so of variable quality.