"Yellow Tigers" cheer on Belgium.
Bari, Italy, September 28, 2014 - A large group of Asian supporters along with a few Azeri, Cuban and Puerto Rican fans have been starring at the Palaflorio venue so far, while the most impressive scene on Saturday was the “Invasion” of the “Yellow Tigers”. They are over 150 Belgian fans who reached Bari both by airplane and by car on last Tuesday and attended all the matches of their side with an incredible fervent support. A very loud and vivid cheering was expressed with incessant rolling drums, bang bangs, inevitable yellow-black-and-red T-shirts, caps and scarfs. A relentless echo exalting the motto “Yellow Tigers: We have a Mission”. They are a passionate miscellany: mothers and fathers, boyfriends and husbands, close friends or just ‘aficionados’ cheering on Belgium. They have really made their mark while participating in the match against Azerbaijan Saturday morning. And the team lived up to their expectations with a stunning 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan, much more sensed thanks to a persistent encouragement, and closed the gap from the Phase 2. At the end of the match, Belgian captain Charlotte Leys’ husband made himself the spokesman of the “Yellow Tigers”: “We have come here in order to support our team and we would cheer them on all over the world if necessary. We are very happy about today’s victory, they have been great. Cheering on them this way is typical of our culture. We are costumed to live sports events like that. It is part of our DNA”, he said. “Bari is incredible warm. We have been welcomed in such an amazing way. We sense its embracing soul. It is a big town, full of colors and beautiful people and good food as well.” The “Yellow Tigers” will stay on if Belgium claim victory in Sunday’s decisive match against Puerto Rico to secure qualification to the second round. “It does not matter how long we are expected to be staying here. We stay, if they stay. We will keep on supporting them”, he said. A very touched Charlotte Leys has concluded this nice entr’acte by thanking her excited audience. “All this support is very heartening and is cheering us abundantly. I am very happy to have all my family here with me, my husband above all. He is very special to me”, she said. A warm supporting, a huge outgoing attitude, a great fair play. That is Belgium. That is volleyball.