After taking in a top-tier match in Amsterdam, we decided to walk 10 minutes to the local stadium to take in a game of R.A.E.C. Mons. The top Belgian domestic league is sponsored by Jupiler, the Budweiser of Belgium, and the Mons team has been playing in the Jupiler League for a couple years after winning promotion from the lower league. The Jupiler League seems odd since some of the teams play in 30,000+ seat stadiums, while others play in stadiums with a total capacity in the 10,000-15,000 range.
Mons officially seats under 10,000 but total capacity is boosted by standing room only seating behind one of the goals. The night was cool and crisp and we wandered down through a residential neighborhood and past a couple local pubs to the tiny stadium. I successfully procured tickets and we found our seats next to the team's fan club, complete with a bass drum and a song coordinator who spent the entire game in front of the fan section, leading the group in chants and songs through a bullhorn.
All in all, a good night. The home team won 2-0 and we had a great view of the first goal, a diving header off a corner kick. In all, it was a nice counterpoint to the size and scope of the top-flight Dutch game.
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