World Cup: Montreal Fans Cheer Algeria

Montrealers celebrate Algeria's 1-0 win over Egypt Nov. 18, 2009. The match qualified Algeria for the 2010 World Cup. Photograph by: Marie-France Coallier, Montreal Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

MONTREAL – Jubilant crowds flooded onto Jean Talon St. E. in the city’s Little Algeria district Wednesday afternoon to mark Algeria’s soccer victory. Banners, flags and people leaping for joy marked the 1-0 victory. There was scant police presence. Two patrol officers stood quietly at the corner of 13th Ave., surveying the crowd.

Authorities had blocked Jean Talon between St. Michel Blvd. and 17th Ave. as the game was winding down. Bus service along that main artery was stopped for the occasion.

Read more ....

My Comment: So much for work and school today.

Bordeaux Wins French Champions Trophy in Montreal

Bordeaux’s Yohann Gourcuff held up the French league trophy during a parade in Bordeaux, France, in May. Nicolas Tucat/Associated Press

From The New York Times:

On Saturday afternoon in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, F.C. Girondins de Bordeaux, the champion of France’s Ligue 1, defeated En Avant Guingamp, the first team from the second division to win the French Cup in several decades, by 2-0 in their face-off (figuratively in the capital of Canadian ice hockey) in a meaningful match far from home — the French Champions Trophy.

Bordeaux’s Argentine striker Fernando Cavenaghi scored 38 minutes into the match and Fernando, a midfielder from Brazil, slotted home a free kick by Yoann Gourcuff near the end.

Read more ....

Big Montreal Crowd Expected To Take In French Championship

Montreal Olympic Stadium

From The Edmonton Journal:

MONTREAL — More than 30,000 spectators are expected Saturday afternoon at Olympic Stadium to watch FC Girondins de Bordeaux and En Avant de Guingamp — French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 Cup winners, respectively — meet in the 14th edition of the Champions Trophy.

It marks the first time in French soccer history that one of the country’s major championships will be played on foreign soil.

“We’re just above 28,000 tickets sold, and 30,000 is doable because in the past few days we’ve seen interest in the game on the rise,” Montreal Impact executive vice-president Richard Legendre said earlier this week. “Being closer to the game, it will continue to increase with the arrival of the teams and people seeing the players around the city.

Read more ....