Bolivian Fútbol

Last night I watch the most painful game of soccer. This is the first time that I’ve ever thought that the MLS looks like a prestigious league. At one point in last night's game, the away team had a handball in the box (smart move, right?). The home team’s coach had such little confidence in his strikers (the guys paid to score goals) that he had his own goalie trot across the field to take the penalty kick. The rest of the game was more of the same. On an open net breakaway, the shooter couldn’t even put the ball on the empty net. Even teams trying to throw a game wouldn’t be this recklessly obvious. A few times while in the box, defenders failed attempts to pass the ball across their own goal, once having it land directly at the feet of a wide-open away player with no home jerseys anywhere near. It was that sad to watch. Showoffs repeatedly ignored open teammates and literally waited at midfield for defenders to attack, trying to show the crowd how well they could dribble around other players (which they obviously couldn’t accomplish). I know watching a home team lose is discouraging, but this wasn’t just losing. This was embarrassing. I’ve seen good teams lose good games and I’ve seen bad teams play sloppy games. But this was the worst amateur hour known to fútbol. Although this wasn’t quite as bad as the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship (which not to be sexist, but when the two best teams the country can produce struggle to put the ball in the hoop, you start to question the legitimacy of the league), last night was a very close second. I hoped watching Oriente play would help get me psyched for the World Cup (less than a month away), but last night’s showing had no resemblance to the sport that’ll be played in South Africa. This really was the most pitiful game I’ve ever watched in person.

Bolivian Fútbol