Yauca Sports Bar

Yauca Sports Bar, on Dundas in the heart of Little Portugal, is likely the only Angolan sports bar in Toronto. Today it was packed with what seemed to be the whole Angolan community of the GTA, out to support their country in its inaugural World Cup match. Angola was playing Portugal, the southern African nation’s former colonizers. The Portuguese community in Toronto is perhaps the largest of all the nations vying in the world cup, and they are particularly well represented among the sports bars on Dundas and College. Every half block on Dundas seemed to have its own Portuguese bar, filled to the brim with supporters sporting Portuguese jerseys and waving flags.

Over at Yauca, the Angolans were equally enthusiastically adorned in their country’s colours of black, red and gold. The Angolans cheered every time one of their own crossed the halfline with the ball, or made a save off a Portuguese shot. The Portuguese team, having scored in the fourth minute, seemed content to sit back and let the Angolans take the initiative. Portugal was only half trying, but the Angolans were running at full speed, so the faithful in Yauca had plenty to cheer about. Although Angola had many chances, it was not able to deliver a goal, and the Portuguese held on for the 1-0 victory.

This did not seem to bother the Angolan supporters, who streamed into the street after the game, celebrating as if Angola had won. The bar blasted Angolan music from the outside speakers, and the people danced in the middle of the road. The Portuguese supporters, leaving bars adjacent and across the street, milled alongside the Angolans, and several of them joined the dancing. The dancing and flag waving continued for over an hour, interrupted intermittently to allow cars filled with Portuguese supporters to pass. The revelry was still going on when I left after 6:00.