Dinesh had heard from a friend about the matches and it was agreed that Dinesh and I would take the older boys (Amrit, Dhiraj and Babit) to the match. After Dinesh told the boys, it took me back to hearing my father say we were going to Disney World. Their faces lit up with excitement. It was everyone’s first trip to the local stadium for a football match. We arrived well before game time to get seats in the shade. Ranjit, a Kopila House Board member, had reserved several plastic chairs for us. The boys looked at Dinesh and I a bit puzzled then asked Dinesh when we would be taking the field in Nepali. I guess Dinesh and I never explained that we would not be playing with the national team against Pakistan's national team, only watching. They were not dissappointed as the stadium quickly filled and without a seat in site it was time for kickoff.
The snacks for the game in included a local favorite dalmouth (corn flakes, dried soy beans, peas, peanuts and chili powder) and dry low mein packets. Amrit decided to use the sauce packet from his low mein package, quickly making a sticky mess. The rest of us decided to save our sweet and sour sauce and the mess for a later time.
The deciding goal was scored by Pakistan in the 46th minute of the 2nd half. It was an exciting match and an afternoon the boys will remember for a long time.
Amrit with Dinesh and Ranjit in the background. He is normally all over getting his picture taken but a more important event was getting all of his attention.
The Nepalese and Pakistan national teams poise before game time. Pokhara is trying to establish its self as a center for football in Nepal. The national team plays outside of Katmandu on a extremely limited basis for matches in Nepal. By the show of support for the city, football should be coming back to Pokhara soon.
Amrit, Babit and Dhiraj before game time.
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