Supporting the Warriors in El Salvador
By June Solomon (socawarriors.net/Warrior Nation)During my three day stay in El Salvador, I stayed with a Salvadorian friend, Jose and his mom in San Vicente, forty minutes from the capital, San Salvador. They were very accommodating and treated me like family. I checked out the local street market - saw familiar fruits like governor plum and tamarind and discovered new foods, like pupusas.
I met Jose’s friends and family who were very interested in hearing about the diversity of the T&T population and culture. I wore my Trini colours (official team jersey, wrist band, and bandana) as we cruised around town. The locals were very pleasant and would banter back and forth with me about whose team would win. I definitely stood out as a tall, black woman with blond hair, especially wearing red instead of blue.
On game day, many locals were wearing their team colours and as we drove around a round-about I yelled T&T to some Salvadorian fans standing at a corner. My friends thought it was so funny to see the expression on their countrymen’s faces so we drove around again, and I yelled T&T and everyone laughed as we drove away. As we arrived in San Salvador, the streets were jam packed with cars filled with fans wearing blue. As we got closer to the stadium, the reality of where I was and the chaotic scene was very exhilarating. I arrived at Cuscatlán stadium around 6pm with my friend Jose, his mom and his uncle. I received many stares from a sea of Salvadorians in blue. As we walked from the parking lot to inside the stadium… my stomach was in knots with nervous tension. I had never been to El Salvador before and having this experience as being the only Trini fan (outside the stadium) was definitely nerve racking.
Upon arriving inside the stadium, our seats were centrally located in the upper tier of the stadium but it wasn’t in an enclosed area. I looked around to see if there were any Trini fans and noticed approximately 15 of them a few in an enclosed area in front of the players training box. I quickly walked down to that area and inquired over the fence if we could sit with them, because I wanted to enjoy this experience with my fellow Trinis as well as my friends. There were also other Salvadorian fans seated in this area, so it was a great mix of fans.
After verifying that I was a Trini-even though I was wearing a TnT team jersey, hearing my Trini accent was the key. We were lead onto the field through a guarded gate and were escorted to the enclosed area to watch the game. Interestingly, I was asked by the Salvadorian representative who was in charge of the Trini contigent if I was a Trini, then I was asked again on the field by a T&T representative- I was speaking Spanish with my Salvadorian friends and maybe this caused the confusion, but once they heard my Trini accent all was good. I felt elated to be around other Trinis and quickly made introductions. I felt euphoric being able to see Russell Latapy and the team warming up right in front of us.
The Salvadorian fans around us were warm and gracious and some even took pictures with us. I felt happy to meet friendly Salvadorian fans who also came from the States to support their team. I can’t say the same of some of the other fans seated in other areas. My stomach was still in knots before the start of the game, and I then realized I had food poisoning and had to visit the bathroom. It turned out that Jose, his uncle and I drank a rice drink called horchata and they also had stomach issues.
Before the match, the air was filled with excited, nervous tension. There wasn’t any noticeable adverse behavior from opposing fans, but this changed noticeably as the game progressed, especially the fans seated above our section. Even my friend’s mom noticed that police were lining up around the enclosed section where we were seated. Water was thrown at us, and more police started surrounding our area. There was a bit of taunting by fans, and it looked like some Salvadorian fans wanted to jump over the fence and confront the Trinis…one Trini fan was waving our flag like a matador, which didn’t help the situation.
In the second half, after T&T missed the penalty kick, there seemed to be a resurgence of support from the Salvadorian fans, but the small contingent of Trini fans kept waving our flags and singing in support. The second half of the match seemed to fly by, with everything going in favour of El Salvador. We were all huddled together hoping that the referee would soon blow the whistle. After the El Salvador team scored their second goal, I stood in shock and I think most of the Trini supporters felt the same. There were a lot of opinions from Trini fans about the two fouls that led to the free kicks that scored. Prior to El Salvador taking their last-minute free kick, one Trini fan stated that the position of the free kick was in a worrying spot for the T&T team, and as soon as that was said the El Salvador team scored their second goal.
I cannot tell you how saddened the Trini fans felt but we showed our support for the team by cheering them as they walked off the field. Then we had to think about leaving the stadium and was told that we all needed to stay together and wait for the crowd outside to disperse. We waited approximately 45 minutes with police surrounding us, and even though I did not arrive with the Trini fans, my friends and I left with them. We were escorted from our section onto the field and through another part of the stadium. As we walked outside, we were again advised to stay close together, there were still many Salvadorian fans outside who yelled at us and made threatening advances towards us, but the police blocked their way as we walked quickly to the waiting bus.
While we waited for the T&T press crew, the atmosphere inside the bus was very contemplative and there were heated discussions about the match. As we drove to the Radisson Hotel, the mood was somber and some people tried to uplift the spirits of the fans by saying that we should be happy that we secured a point in an away game. I even recalled my experience at the 2006 FIFA World Cup match in Germany, walking with my fellow Trinis after we lost to England – we were singing and chipping on our way out. The British fans were surprised at our reaction to a loss. Win-lose or draw, I will always be a fan of the Soca Warriors. I feel that all the Trini fans on that bus in El Salvador felt the same way…100%.
It was definitely a roller-coaster ride and one of the most exciting, nerve-racking games I’ve attended. My experience in El Salvador was eye-opening, fun, and unforgettable. I felt that I was fortunate to have friends from that country and I even made new friends. As a world traveler, I believe it is always best to keep an open mind, make friends, be aware of your surroundings and always have fun.
¡Vaya a guerreros de soca!!!
June Solomon is the President of RollerSoccer International Federation
