Another perfect day in Quito, although I'm struggling with the altitude.
This evening saw my first look at football Ecuador-style and I have to admit that I wasn't that impressed. Along with 1,511 others, I turned up at Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa to watch Deportivo Quito play bottom of the table Liga de Loja. Obviously, Deportivo decided that they would help the team from Loja by playing to their opponents level but, despite this, took the lead midway through the first half.
Just before half-time, a nasty collision saw both Deportivo's goalkeeper and a central defender prostrate on the floor and unable to start the second half. This clearly encouraged Liga de Loja, who looked quite dangerous and were rewarded with an equaliser. I'm sure that the four away fans were delighted... Despite an increased sense of urgency, the home team got no closer that hitting the woodwork and the game ended 1-1.
I'd thought that the crowds in Peru and Bolivia last year were disappointing but clearly South American fans only come to the big games, and this clearly wasn't one of them...
