Joga bonita

Six weeks without playing football, or doing any exercise for that matter, is far too long. We played in a 6 a side floodlit outdoor pitch, with artificial grass and sand. It makes for suffering from seriously heavy legs pretty quickly. There was about 18 of us, so we split into teams of 6, 10 minute games with the winner staying on. Azul vs vermelho. I played about 4 games I think. Won the first two, 1-0 and 2-1. Lost the next one 2-0, and won the last one 1-0. I'm glad Hugo found this group, since it's a decent level to play at; ie it's the usual crowd: 1) a few guys who are much better than the rest, good at dribbling, holding the ball, extremely fit, quick, etc. 2) a few beer bellies and oldies 3) one guy who shouts at the referee a lot, and his teammates, and who just isn't very good. Everyone was pretty nice, given that I didn't know what the fuck half of them were saying most of the time. I was known variously as Jarrrrrraaapappgpgpggp........Geraldo, Geraldinho, and finally Gringo which seemed to stick. Played ok, set up the first goal of the game on the right wing beating my man and crossing to the back post for a first time volley. That settled me in nicely. Had a few decent shots saved, set up one other, and had a goal unfairly disallowed for handball. The ref bowed to pressure from their goalkeeper. I was seriously knackered by the third game in a row though. Plus we had to wear our bibs over our tops, so it was hot as fuck. It was hot already before the second bib. Christ. Overall it was pretty brilliant. It was class to play as the sun set and hear the crickets chirping beside the pitch. They've said I can play every week, and I can get a bus to the pitch from here,and a lift back. I wouldn't want to walk round there after dark. I'd totally get jarfnapped.