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SUZHOU: Fans of Wuhan Zall, the Chinese soccer club from the epicenter of the coronavirus, will be attending their first match since the lockdown on Sunday (September 6), and they were so excited they couldn’t sleep.
For some, like Gao Yajun, it is the first time they have left the central Chinese city of Wuhan since the coronavirus emerged late last year.
READ: China’s soccer begins with a minute of silence for the victims of COVID-19
The 42-year-old is a Wuhan Zall fan who has her nails painted in the club’s orange colors, an orange streak in her hair, and a mask with the team’s fire emblem.
“I don’t think I can fall asleep tonight, we couldn’t even sleep last night because we were so excited,” Gao said on the eve of the Chinese Super League (CSL) clash against title contenders Beijing Guoan in Suzhou. , near Shanghai.
“I saw that everyone else was also awake, chatting in the group (online), and they all said they couldn’t sleep.
“And then at 4 in the morning, someone said, ‘Forget it, don’t sleep, get up and see you.’
Gao, a drummer for Wuhan fans, was among an advance group of about 50 enthusiastic fans who arrived in Suzhou on a high-speed train on Saturday with flags and banners, including one that read, “Defend Wuhan.”
“We have hearts of absolute sincerity and we stick together through the wind and waves,” they chanted in unison after boarding a bus to their hotel.
Along with Dalian, Suzhou will host games this season in the CSL, which has been reformatted and started five months late due to the virus.
The CSL has been slowly opening up to a very limited number of viewers in recent weeks, having started the season behind closed doors in July.
WUHAN SPIRIT
It’s further proof of China’s recovery from the coronavirus: The number of new infections has plummeted since the country closed in February.
However, the return of Wuhan Zall fans, nine months after they last saw his team in person at CSL, is especially significant.
At the end of January, Wuhan and its 11 million inhabitants became the first city in the world to enter a coronavirus lockdown. It went on for 76 days and it was especially tough.
“The whole city pressed the pause button,” Gao said, describing how the streets were deserted.
“But now, after the restart (of life) and our return to the stadium, we can show the spirit of the people of Wuhan and our fans to other fans across the country, and even to the whole world.”
Some 300 Zall supporters are expected to make the 750-kilometer (450-mile) journey east to Suzhou for the Beijing game. The club is giving away free tickets.
Among them was Shi Anshi, 74, a native of Wuhan who has supported the team since it was founded in 2009.
It is also the first time he has left the city since the coronavirus.
“From last year until now, I have been frustrated and yearn for football,” Shi said, sporting an orange jersey with the players’ signatures scrawled on it.
“I don’t care about the result against Beijing, I just want to feel the fighting spirit of the team.”
“ANIME WITH US”
Zall’s coach José González, whose team was stranded in Spain during the preseason due to the virus, said at a pre-game press conference that having the fans back was “special.”
“I am very grateful to them and they can bring a lot of help to the team,” said the Spaniard, who has overseen five wins in eight games this season.
Zall will jump Beijing to second place in Suzhou’s group of eight teams with the victory.
Shi, who has had “several” tests for coronavirus, and the others are aware that his city is surrounded by a stigma.
He has a message: “Wuhan is definitely safe now, I hope everyone comes to Wuhan for sightseeing.
“And if you are a football fan, come cheer on the team with us.”
