Chris Jones is in Bucharest with Canada's men's soccer team as it continues preparations for next year's FIFA World Cup.
There is more than one way to measure devotion. To members of the Voyageurs, the most ardent supporters of Canadian soccer, it's sometimes measured in miles. On Friday night in Bucharest, it was better measured in fearlessness.
On Friday, about 30 members arrived early at the National Arena to watch Canada's men take on Romania in a supposed friendly. They sat together in a corner of the upper reaches, surrounded by stewards in neon green, and security in black.
In Europe, with its long history of football violence, visiting fans are always segregated from home supporters. But the divide seemed especially conspicuous on Friday, given the tiny number of Canadians, and the thousands of empty seats around them. It felt a little dramatic, like hooligan theatre.
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But the firebreak of vacant sections between the Canadians and the 25,000 Romanians in attendance seemed a little more necessary after the visitors scored in the 11th minute, and then again in the 22nd, and finally claimed a ruthless 3-0 win, the first for the men in Europe since 2011.
Alex Ho, the 56-year-old leader of the Canadian mission, had made the long trip from Ottawa, connecting through Paris. In his history of fandom — he's followed the team since 1984 — he struggled to recall a more exotic destination. Mexico and Honduras have been more reliably fraught. Romania had more mystery to it.
"This is pretty high up there," he said.
The Voyageurs received a special code for buying tickets, and, unusually, shared it with non-members
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