Lake Placid, every game

I think you would have to go back to the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid to find a moment quite like this in the United States: the entire country rallying around a group of athletes competing for something much greater than a win or a loss.

Offices close. People won’t answer their phones. Everything stops for the game. It grips the entire nation.

In 1980, it was democracy v. communism, on ice.

In Latin America, it happens each time the national soccer team plays a meaningful game.

Whether or not a country qualifies for the World Cup changes the psyche for that country.

And entering my site visit, Ecuador had a legitimate chance of reaching the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. They were in the middle of the qualification table and had two winnable home games against teams at the top the standings.

On my first day at my site, Ecuador hosted Brazil. Now, I know you—the uninformed soccer fan and hearyoni reader—might think I’m crazy to write that the five-time world champions could lose to one of the smallest countries in South America. But, trust me, they could (issues with the coach, the team not playing together, injuries to one of their best player, etc).

Anticipation was high that Seleccion (that’s what they call the national team here) could pull off the upset.

Ecuador maintained pressure on Brazil for the entire game and probably had 25 scoring chances to Brazil’s one.

Two issues.

1. Brazil converted on its one attempt. Ecuador, well...
2. I don’t know if my favorite hockey phrase—the goalie stood on his head"—works for soccer, but if it does, it aptly describes how Brazil’s goalie played. He stopped two shots at point-blank range and only allowed a goal in the waning minutes (that was more a result of the defense letting him down for the whole game).

So, they settled for a draw. Over the next three days of my site visit, I was able to talk a little bit about what I was going to do over the next two years, but most of the conversation revolved around the Brazil game and the fast-approaching Paraguay match.

The national mood was general disappointment but all could be forgotten with a win against table-topping Paraguay (see definition #1).

The game against Paraguay had a similar feel at the start. Ecuador had so many more scoring chances, but they always seem to be just a few centimeters away. Ecuador has a striker with a Mohawk and his number, eleven, shaved in the back of his head. He probably missed eleven chances for a goal.

Well, Paraguay scored in the middle of the second half and Ecuador tallied in the final minutes to salvage a point.

Walking through the streets of my community after the game, you could feel everybody’s mood was deflated. And it continued like this for a few days.

Earning just two of a possible six points leaves Ecuador seventh in the standings (the top four automatically qualify while the fifth-place team faces a playoff). There are eight games left in the qualifier but it would require a miracle for Ecuador to reach South Africa.

If the Seleccion can, somehow, make it to South Africa, the entire country will be elated. If not, depression will set in. I like to compare it to Ann Arbor — the last five years. But this is on a national scale.

Everybody, from the costa to the oriente, is 100 percent behind the Seleccion.

In the United States, this doesn’t happen. The national team is expected to reach the World Cup. And no matter how well or poorly the team performs, it doesn’t change anything.

Now, a few tidbits from my watching the game:

• If you think announcers in the United States are homers (#4) you don’t know anything. The guys announcing the national game down here cheer the team on during their commentary. It’s normal for them to yell “vamos, Ecuador” when they are bringing the ball up the field.
• Unlike the United States where major sporting events are broadcast by just one channel, several different channels will air the national team soccer games.
• The next two World Cup qualifiers are at the beginning of June. They will be on the road, but if Ecuador can get at least four points out of those games, this should keep their hopes alive.
• This will probably be covered in subsequent blog posts, but I have to start thinking about my rooting interests in the 2010 World Cup in case Ecuador doesn’t advance. Obviously, I will cheer for the United States but I have connections to many national teams.
• If I could have one team succeed in soccer, it would be Israel. But after a 65th-minute goal that gave Greece a 2-1 lead two weeks ago, Israel’s chances of reaching the World Cup are slim. I don’t know what it is about that team but they can’t win the big match at home.

Beyond that, well, we’ll talk about that when the time comes. I’m just excited to be in a country that cares about soccer during the World Cup. I was in Israel for the 2006 World Cup and it was awesome. Every single game was a reason to go out or not work. It is unclear whether that will be the case in Ecuador, but I imagine the Mundial will be a big deal.