Showtime has almost arrived.
Victoria may be the smallest of the six cities hosting the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup -- as sa国际传媒 takes to the world soccer stage for a month -- but the sa国际传媒 capital packs a considerable tartan punch with a sizable ex-pat Scottish community ready to cheer on its homeland.
But not so quick. Scotland head coach Tommy Wilson downplays his side's apparent "home team" advantage in Group F at Royal Athletic Park.
"I've seen a lot more Japanese people around town than Scottish," said Wilson, whose European runner-up side will open Group F against Asian runner-up Japan tomorrow at 2:15 p.m., followed by Nigeria versus Costa Rica at 5 p.m.
"Both [Scotland and Japan] appear as if they will be well supported and the crowd will push both sides," said Wilson.
As of yesterday, fewer than 500 of the 11,400 tickets remained for tomorrow's Group F-opening games at Royal Athletic Park. Nationally, the 2007 U-20 World Cup has sold more than 940,000 tickets to date, the most ever for a single-sport event staged in sa国际传媒.
About 55,000 fans are expected today at Olympic Stadium in Montreal to watch American prodigy Freddy Adu and also Brazil. A sea of 20,000-strong wearing red will urge on Team sa国际传媒 tomorrow in the host squad's opener in Toronto at the new BMO national soccer stadium, which was sold out long ago.
"Victoria's venue is very small but that's not a bad thing," said British broadcaster Gary Bloom, who will call the play-by-play for CBC's live national broadcast of the Scotland-Japan game.
Bloom's call of the games from Victoria will also be picked up by TV networks around the world. With John Helm, Steve Banyard and Dave Woods, he is among several noted British soccer broadcasters brought in by CBC to call the World Cup. Bloom said players don't mind being drawn into the smallest city and smallest venue at a World Cup.
"I've been in 60,000-seat stadiums with 20,000 fans in attendance and it's awful," said Bloom, who has called countless English Premiership games and several U-20 and senior World Cups.
"A fantastic atmosphere is assured in Victoria. And players love an atmosphere."
