Zurich

The Race

By Where Is Football

It's often said that the journey is more enriching than the final destination, but in the heat of the moment, that can be a difficult truth to accept.

The circuit was London to Zurich to catch an international friendly between the United States and Switzerland, but the route, well, that was a bit more complicated.

Originally, the plan had been a direct flight between the two cornerstones, the type of straight-forward jaunt where pre-flight jitters are focused on sneaking on a second carry-on and picking an in-flight film.

From the outset, the itinerary went sideways.

First there was the inclement weather that manhandled the plane and forced an early diversion.

Then there was the bomb scare.

Then there was the unexpected need for a train as time began to tick towards kick off.

Then there was the misunderstanding and a train line headed in the opposition direction with no stops for centuries.

Then there was the confusion at the gate as the match carried on, with the sounds of a raucous crowd erupting from a stadium just yards away.

And then there was the game, and the realization that all for the nerves, panic and emotional trauma that had developed over the previous hours, that it had been worth it.