Italian soccer fans rewarded late for vigil
JAKARTA (JP): Many local fans of the Italian soccer team went to sleep early Wednesday morning wondering whether their side's 1-1 draw with Mexico had effectively eliminated Italy from the 1994 World Cup.
"I realize that Italy is not safe yet, we may not be able to hold these late-night parties anymore if they are out of the Cup," said Paolo Randone, the manager of Il Punto restaurant in Jakarta which has been offering cheap, late night beer and pizza specials.
"I'm still waiting anxiously," Randone told The Jakarta Post.
He didn't have to wait long, because his favorite side earned a spot in the knockout round a few hours later when Russia bundled Cameroon out of the Cup with a 6-0 shellacking.
Italy's disappointingly mediocre performance resulted in a 1-1 draw with Mexico, and likely the unenviable task of facing a revitalized Argentine team.
Randone's reaction was somewhat anticlimactic as he and about 10 other Italian fans were ecstatically shouting Forza Italia! non-stop around midnight at Il Punto.
Of course, the stuffy, air-condition-free atmosphere inside the restaurant would not tolerate the uptightness that one might feel during Il Punto's normal hours.
Randone, who is usually decked out in slick double-breasted Italian suits, was spotted wearing shorts, t-shirt (with the Italian team logo) and tennis shoes without socks.
It should be noted, however, that at various points in the night he glamorously draped the Italian flag around him.
The other patrons of the emergency sports bar were mostly Italians and Frenchmen, confirming the stereotype that the most effective male-bonding ritual must be performed with sacraments of beer before a sporting event. There were also about six French-speaking Africans who appeared hypnotized by the 20-inch TV set.
As expected, these men, fueled by liters of espresso and beer, were sometimes caught up in emotional critiques of coach Arrigo Sacchi's strategy.
When Daniele Massaro drove home a goal for the Italians in the 49th minute, these men went wild and immediately hugged each other amid intense screaming and shouting.
However, Mexico struck back 10 minutes later. Charles Hermosillo crossed, Giuseppe Signori missed a tackle on Marcelino Bernal and the midfielder rifled a shot past Luca Marchegiani from just outside the penalty area.
Several murmurs of Mama mia! were heard at that point.
The Italian fans were already looking forward to facing the Diego Maradona-led Argentines.
"That means that a real serious party must be held here for that match," Randone said.
Meanwhile, another Italian fan, 75-year-old Toesminah Jajadisastra, who lives in Bandung, West Java, told the Post that she would have kept burning the midnight oil even if her favorite team had been eliminated from the Cup.
"Sure, I love the Italians, but there are still many other teams which are fun to watch," she said.
"Those people can play soccer beautifully, unlike us," she added. (hdj/brd)