Around 61,000 fans were stuck quite literally watching paint dry before last night’s MLS Eastern Conference Final between Toronto FC and Montreal Impact.
This was because, just before kick-off, it was noted that the penalty areas at Montreal’s Stade Olympique had been marked out three yards too narrow…
Update: The lines of the 18 yard boxes have been removed. #TFCLive pic.twitter.com/Ijz4dXCUIL
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) November 23, 2016
After the players left the pitch following their warm-up, the groundstaff emerged from the tunnel and began taping up the lines, spraying the old 18-yard box green and repainting the entire thing.
This from CBC Sports:
Seventeen minutes after the scheduled kickoff, the capacity crowd of 61,004 cheered as a worker came out to patiently paint the line with a push-machine.
He was followed by a man equipped with what looked like a leaf-blower to dry the freshly laid paint.
Dear oh dear.
61004 people are watching paint dry at the Big-O right now… #IMFC #TFC #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/S6Dl0hdYuV
— Douglas Gelevan (@DGelevan) November 23, 2016
Thankfully, a little later than first billed, the match did eventually get underway with the areas freshly widened – Impact winning 3-2 on the night.