I’ve posted twice on this blog, here and here, about my second favourite team in the world, US Latina Calcio. Latina is a very small football club based in a small Southern Lazio city, South of Rome, near where my father was born.
When I was there in 2007, I wanted to take in some Italian lower league football, so I went along to a Latina game, a dour and dire 0-0 draw at lo Stadio Domenico Francioni in an amateur regional league called Eccellenza. Eccellenza is effectively the sixth tier of Italian football, below Serie A, Serie B, Lega Pro 1, Lega Pro 2, and Serie D.
I fell in love with Latina that day. I was impressed with their full stadium, passionate supporters, and singing, dancing ultras. It was amazing to see such passion for the game at such a low level. I have followed their progress closely from afar ever since.
And now, Latina are lowly no more. In the early hours of this morning, New Zealand time, they defeated Pisa 3-1 in extra time to win promotion to Serie B – the highest the Nerazzurri have ever flown.
I have scoured the internet, and the Facebook pages of my cousins who were there, to bring you some images of the day to give you a bit of an idea what it means.
Looking towards the Curva Nord, the home fans, prior to kick off
The visitors
One of the outdoor screens set up for those who couldn’t get tickets
GOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!
Top of the world!
Street party 1
Street party 2
The main town square
Forza Latina per sempre
UPDATE: Extended highlights of the first 90 minutes…
…and extra time, followed by the all important pitch invasion!
Categories: Roma/Italian Calcio
Enzo Giordani
A grassroots football enthusiast based in Auckland, New Zealand, and a fan of the most magnificent club on earth - A.S. Roma. More info (including e-mail address) can be found here: http://in-the-back-of-the.net/about/