However, the Brazilian football great Ronaldo has criticised the
return of football in his homeland as the country grapples with the biggest
coronavirus outbreak in Latin America.
In a sign of the
times, the first professional soccer
match in South America in nearly three months was staged in a stadium only
meters away from a field hospital for hundreds of Covid-19 patients.
Copa Libertadores champion Flamengo beat Bangu 3-0 in a local league game that was witnessed by fewer than 200 people in Brazil's historic 78,000-seat Maracan Stadium on Thursday night.
More than 47,700
people have died because of the Covid-19 in Brazil, and nearly 1 million have
been infected. Rio de Janeiro state accounts for about 8,000 deaths, but
authorities agreed to let soccer return this week after the number of available
intensive-care unit beds showed slight improvement. Health experts predict
Brazil's Covid-19
crisis will peak in August.
Goals by Giorgian
de Arrascaeta in the 18th minute, Bruno Henrique, in the 66th, and Pedro Rocha
in the 88th were celebrated with fist bumps.
Near the Maracan's
gate 2, a field hospital with 400 beds for coronavirus patients reminded the
small group of people at the stadium why many health experts think it is too
soon for soccer competition to resume.
A minute of
silence was observed before kick off in a sign of respect to victims of
Covid-19.
Rio soccer
authorities did not allow mixed zone interviews with players after the match,
also following health recommendations. But Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus spoke via
video after the match.
Our society will
have to adapt until we have a vaccine. What is important is to know how to
live, respect the virus, but have no fear of it, the Flemengo coach said.
No comments:
Post a Comment