This weekend sees World Cup qualifying action around the globe in the race to be at the big stage in South Africa 2010. Plenty of matches, promising lots of goals, excitement & drama.
Among the list of qualifying matches are 2 intriguing ties: Cuba v USA, & Armenia v Turkey. Intriguing because the matches had meaning beyond just a sporting contest - the nations involved in the respective ties have a deep history with each other, off the field. In the lead up to the matches, internet articles have been talking about all the history. It seems that it can be difficult to separate football & politics.
This weekend will be the first time in over 60 years that the US soccer team play in the Cuban capital. America still has a trade embargo on Cuba (which has been running for about 50 years), which means that there will be no American fans in Havana to cheer their team on. So that will be a new experience for the US squad. One could say the US team will face hostility from the Cuban fans, given the (non-football related) history between both nations. But then again, another viewpoint is that any hostility from the Cuban fans simply represent normal behaviour of home fans wanting their team to win - it's normal that they would be against the visiting team. Some of the Cuban footballers downplay the political aspect of the fixture, saying that their rivalry has nothing to do with politics & that Cuba doesn't like losing to USA in any sport. The US coach, meanwhile, says he is aware of the extra attention the game is bringing, & wants his team to take the opportunity to show what it can do.
As for Armenia & Turkey, their history run all the way back to era of the Ottoman Empire, & alleged atrocities committed by it against the Armenians. Both neighbours have been at odds over the extent to which the Ottoman troops were responsible for the deaths of Armenians during the Ottoman period. (I'm not taking any sides, by the way). That aside, there have also been various regional & territorial disputes between the nations. I won't go into the details. But anyway, the Armenian president has invited his Turkish counterpart to attend the football match in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. The invitation has been accepted, as both nations look to establish relations. Unlike the US team in Havana, the Turkish team will enjoy support in Yerevan. About 5,000 Turkish fans are expected, after Armenia relaxed the normal visa restrictions for the match as a goodwill gesture. This has raised concerns of possible violence between both sets of supporters. Turkey's coach, Fatih Terim, tried to diffuse such concerns by appealing for calm, saying: "This is only a football game, not a war. We cannot carry the weight of history on our shoulders".
Well, all I would like to say is that I hope all the World Cup qualifying matches (including the above 2) go ahead without trouble. Hope the fans enjoy the action on the field, & not think too much about the political stuff off the field.
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