Referees around the world are a universally disliked breed. Apart from in Japan. Where they are respected. Until that is, I went to see Albirex Niigata take on the Urawa Red Diamonds. Albirex is a "peoples club" and Niigatas main top flight team (There is a Niigata Albirex basketball team. But who cares!). They regularly top the average attendance charts without the team matching! Now I know a little bit about how City fans feel! Urawa on the other hand is run by a corporation, and the guy heading the corporation is a big fan of Manchester United. So it is no surprise that the club colours are red, white, and black! Also, their first sponsor was Vodafone!
Urawa is a major power team that has recently enjoyed a lot of success. Niigata however, has not! It is unfortunate. But you have to give them a lot of credit! Every game, the go into battle more orangey than the most die-hard Dutchman!
So, off I trot to the Big Swan stadium to see Niigata take on Urawa, and things start well with the Niigata fans in excellent voice (Inspired by the fact Urawa are in town!). And the Urawa fans not so sparky!
They had been on a run of 5 straight losses and the fans where not happy! The big banner they unfurled during the warmup basically spells out to the team that they are not happy with the current form, and the team had better shape up!
And so the game kicked off, and Niigata definately had the edge through the game, and the better of the chances. And where unlucky not to bag the odd goal. However, the referee was truly appalling! And his moment of glory came when A Niigata player had the ball near the box, and turned away to try to break free from the defender. As he did so, the defender ploughed through him. The Niigata players where, rightly, angry, and only made more angry when the referee in all his wisdom awarded Urawa a free-kick! From which they went on to score! Final score 1-0. So, for the first time ever that I have seen in Japan, the ref got booed off!
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