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Leaving the residence, I see some Mexican fans, and this will be a constant throughout the day: of the countries not involved today, Mexico will be the most represented. I ask the porter the way to the metro station (1.8km away, according to the app): he suggests I take Uber, but I answer that I prefer to explore the area. I also have to shop and withdraw cash (and then I don't even have the Uber app). There are few people around, and nobody seems to be here for the World Cup.
Arriving at the metro after a tortuous path, I mostly meet Welsh fans, but the Iranians will make themselves heard more. We also see some from other countries, especially the USA. After one stop you have to change, even if it's the same line: for the last stop there are different trains (the stops are much more distant than in most undergrounds: it reminds the Moscow one). On my way to the stadium, I meet a Welsh family with two very young children (the elder was two years oldor so, the younger a few months) and also an Iranian family with a baby in a cot.
I arrive in front of the gates around 12.15. I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out where the queue to get in starts, I end up in the crowd of Iranian fans, with some jostling. In the queue snake I see many Iranian women, almost all without a headscarf (but there are also some with) and I think that what for me is a normal gesture, one I've been used to since I was a child, going to the stadium to watch my team, for them it is something revolutionary. The queue then lasts about twenty minutes: I arrive at the checkpoints at 12.40 and I begin to fear to miss the start of the match. My biggest fear, though, is: will they let me carry my backpack inside? The official instructions say that backpacks over ... 75 sq. cm are prohibited. 75 sq. cm!!! If this were really the case, not even a doll's backpack could enter, a cube of 5 cm per side would already be outlawed. Instead, they don't make a fuss about the backpack, but they don't let me bring in two sweet rolls (very good, by the way), the rest of my breakfast. One I eat at the moment, one I throw away. The checks are long and rather confusing, sometimes giving contradictory indications. You have to pass everything through a metal detector, like in airports: I also have to take off my watches (I have two, one for the time and one for the steps).
Shortly after the entrance, there is a stand where they promise the flags of the two teams for free, but they have run out. The first gate you come across is 25 and mine is 15, so I have to do almost half a lap of the stadium. At the gate I don't get the slot where to scan the ticket right on the first try, but they help me. I get to my row as the anthems are about to play, a particularly important event in this match. Seeing many empty seats, I decide to sit in the first free one. Given the lengthy checks, people will continue to arrive even after the match has started, so much so that I'm afraid they will claim my place, but that won't happen. At the end the third deck will be almost entirely full, while in the first two you will see some more empty places.
The Welsh anthem is played first, and is heard sung loud. Then, the Iranian anthem is mostly booed, even if there is someone singing it. On the screen you can see the players moving their mouths. Welsh supporters are many more, but Iranian fans will be heard more. You also see many with jerseys of the other two teams in the group, England and the USA: it is assumed that they will also be in tonight's match and therefore could have bought tickets for two matches on the same day, which they didn't let me do (now but I succeeded).
They start: Wales keeps the ball, but Iran presses and in the 15th minute find themselves with only two men in the area and scores. It seems offside, but the referee initially validates. then after the VAR it is disallowed: half of the player's chest was offside. It continues with Wales attacking, but they will have only one chance. In the 45th minute, as usual, they stop the clock: I was right to start mine. I always wonder what's the point of announcing additional time and then not allowing the attendance to check it.
At halftime, I don't think about going to get anything: I'm too high up and I don't feel like going back up. Instead, I take the opportunity to go to my real seat. Compared to the other one, I will feel the air conditioning behind me more (nothing terrible, anyway). It starts again, the same way as the first half: Wales attacks more, but Iran is more dangerous on fastbreak. Over time, however, the Asians get further and further forward, even taking two poles in the same action and it ends up being a real siege. Now I'm definitely rooting for Iran, which it deserves. In the 86th minute an Iranian counter-attacks and is knocked down by the goalkeeper, who initially gets away with a yellow card. We wonder: if thio is not a clear goal opportunity, what is one? Fortunately after the VAR it becomes a red one. However, Iran seems to be confused and in additional time it is Wales who have two chances, as they have never had before. In the 98th minute (out of 99), however, Iran finally gets a shot from outside, after many were bounced back, if it slips into the corner. Great celebration by the Iranians, who at this point seem to be the only ones in the stadium, and I too rejoice. In the addition to additional time, the Persians conter-attack 2 against 1: one wonders if they will try to score or keep the ball. They score. It ends with Iranians celebrating by posing with flags. I also see two women with the "Freedom Women" pin.
Upon leaving, a large part of the public, myself included, pours into the nearby shopping center, to eat (it will take me more than an hour, there was a queue everywhere) and to watch the Qatar-Senegal match (with commentary in Arabic). The locals are enthusiastic about each of their attacks, they will get excited above all for the 2-1 goal, which will make them hope for a comeback, but the 3-1 will arrive shortly after. I meet two Irish girls in a T-shirt about an Ireland-Iran twinship. They explain that the friendship with Iran stems from the fact that Tehran has dedicated a street to Bobby Sands.
My day ends with a short visit to the Fan Zone. other checks, where they confiscate a pen, saying it is not allowed (when I leave, I double check: it is not on the list of prohibited items). I didn't see much, but at first glance I expected more. At the exit I meet people who are going to see England-USA. That's enough for me, Saudi Arabia-Poland awaits me tomorrow.
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