by Rod Hughes

We´ll put you out of your misery of suspense quickly. Yesterday’s soccer match between Saprissa and Alajuela to decide the national championship for this season fell victim to the same long, constant rains that turned the village of Parrita into an expensive river yesterday.

It will be played Sunday after the tropical storm has passed over and the natural turf at Morera Soto Stadium in Alajuela has had a chance to dry out. FEDFUT officials, the two coaches and the assigned field officials all trod the gay blades speculatively yesterday but it was clear that the underpinnings were just too soggy.

The fieldkeepers had covered the turf with large expanses of heavy duty plastic for two days in an attempt to encourage persistent downpours off the lush green but all to no avail. Usually in the rainy season, the precipitation ceases for periods to uncover the gress and let it dry but that did not happen this time.

But not only did Tropical Storm Alma postpone the game but it caused discord between the two clubs. At about 9 a.m., Alajuela’s club general manager Jorge Araneda inspected the pitch and pronounced it soft but not puddling. He spoke too soon. An hour later officials braved the downpour and trod the same pitch among the flooded out earthworms, led by referee Walter Quesada, and opined that it was playable and that they had seen worse. That left it up to the two clubs.

Araneda wanted to postpone the match, but Saprissa general manager Mariano Varela wanted the show to go on. The Alajuela reasoned that with a good part of the country under red alert due to the storms that playing at midday made no sense. Finally, the quartet of field officials broke the deadlock. By doing so, they probably avoided drastically reduced attendance and some fans having to catch a passing gondola to get home because the streets were flooded.