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CHAPECO, Brazil -- For the players on the humble Brazilian club from an out-of-the-way city known for its agribusiness plants, these were going to be the games of their lives.Chapecoense was having the best season in its 43-year history, heading to the first of two matches in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the continents No. 2 club tournament. The once-downtrodden club and its itinerant players were enjoying the heights of soccer glory.It all ended suddenly late Monday night on a muddy Colombian hillside. Their chartered aircraft crashed south of Medellin, killing 71 of the 77 people aboard, including most of the team. Three players were among the survivors.The tragedy stunned the southern city of Chapeco and its 200,000 residents, and fans gathered in silence Tuesday to mourn outside the teams small green-and-white concrete stadium.The city is very quiet, businessman Cecilio Hans said. People will only believe once the bodies start to arrive.On social media, haunting last photos showed the smiling players boarding the flight to Colombia for the first of two matches against Atletico Nacional.In one photo, the team celebrated a last-minute save by goalkeeper Danilo only a week ago against Argentine club San Lorenzo. The save guaranteed Chapecoense a spot in the final -- and ultimately cost Danilo his life in the crash.Now I wish he would have conceded that goal, said 17-year-old fan Rubens Vieira.The club, known as Chape, was in the midst of a remarkable run. As recently as 2009, the club was playing in Brazils fourth division, but it won promotion to the top league in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s.Victories over San Lorenzo and Independente -- two of Argentinas fiercest squads -- as well as Colombian club Junior took the team to the Copa Sudamericana finals, the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League tournament.On Sunday, Chapecoense nearly defeated famed Sao Paulo club Palmeiras, which won 1-0 to claim its first Brazilian league title in decades. Chape had gained admirers for its stout play against Palmeiras, and everything was set for Wednesdays showdown in Colombia. The second match was to be a week later in Brazil.Hans remembered that about a decade ago, this club nearly disappeared. Then businessmen started to help.Few of the players had an international profile, and none had any appearances with Brazils glitzy national team or time with top European clubs. Most had played all over Brazil and Latin America. A few like Cleber Santana had reached Europe, playing with Atletico Madrid from 2007-10.Chape strikers Bruno Rangel and Kempes, both 34, were among the top scorers in the Brazilian league, with 10 and nine goals, respectively.The only players to survive were goalkeeper Jakson Follmann, defender H?lio Zampier, commonly known as Neto, and defender-midfielder Alan Ruschel.Part of Chapes recent rise was due to coach Caio Junior, who joined the club this year after guiding teams in the Middle East. Born Luiz Carlos Saroli, he coached numerous Brazilian teams, including Palmeiras, Flamengo and Botafogo.He was among the dead. But his son, Matheus Saroli, survived, saying in a Facebook post that he missed the flight because I forgot my passport.An Argentine player on the club, Alejandro Martinuccio, also missed the flight because of an injury during a game, he told Argentinas La Red radio.I feel deep sadness. The only thing I can ask is prayers for the companions who were on the flight, he said.Psychologist Sonia Smaniotto said she came to the stadium in Chapeco at 7 a.m. to help counsel bereaved fans.This is horrible for the city, but it will be even worse for the families, she said. Each burial will be the burial of a hero because those families of footballers are built around their careers. These families were hoping to be on the top of the world. Now theyve lost the center of their lives.Also among the dead were 20 sports journalists, including Mario Sergio Pontes de Paiva, a former player who worked as a commentator for Fox Sports. He played briefly for Brazils national team in the early 1980s and had a long career as a midfielder and coach with many Brazilian clubs. He last coached Brazilian club Internacional in 2009 and Ceara in 2010.This is a very, very sad day for football, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends.Brazilian President Michel Temer is declaring three days of official mourning, soccer great Pele called it a tragic loss, and Brazilian champion Palmeiras asked the countrys football confederation for permission to wear Chapecoenses jersey in its last match of the season.Around the world, the sport paused to remember the victims.Barcelona and Real Madrid have held a minute of silence before their practice sessions. Frances top two leagues said there would be a minutes silence at Tuesday nights games, and defending League One champion Paris Saint-Germain also tweeted a photo of its players and staff standing in silent tribute.Medellin-based Atletico Nacional said it was asking the South American soccer confederation to give the Copa Sudamericana title to Chape as a tribute to the players who died.In addition, some of Brazils top clubs said they want to give players to Chape on a free loan for the 2017 season. They also say the club should not be relegated to the second division for three years as it recovers from the disaster.The dream is not over. We will fight back when its time, said Chapes acting club president Gelson Della Costa.Now its time to take care of the families, he said.---Wade reported from Rio de Janeiro. Wholesale Air Max 2018 .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Air Max 2018 Clearance . 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SYDNEY -- It was more than two hours before the start of Saturdays U.S. college season opener between California and Hawaii, and Anthony Goodluck and his son were already milling outside Sydneys Olympic stadium, soaking up the early atmosphere.The rental company manager, dressed in a Cal Bears jersey, and son Jaiden, with a long Cal scarf wrapped around his neck, came 950 kilometers (590 miles) south from Brisbane for the big game.The weather was cooperating, with sunny skies and light winds on a late winter day and high temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) expected. Despite nearly 75 millimeters (three inches) of rain in the past week, the stadium turf was firmI actually coach some gridiron in Brisbane, and Id take college football over the NFL any day, said Goodluck. Im a big Miami fan -- go Hurricanes -- but after that I love Cal State. Were really looking forward to seeing our first game.Its the first time college football has been played in Sydney. The last American football of any kind was an NFL preseason game at the Olympic stadium that attracted 73,000 spectators in 1999.Organizers said two weeks ago they hoped for a crowd in excess of 65,000, but on Friday said only 45,000 tickets had been sold.Early arrivals Saturday had a chance to try their luck throwing an American football through a hole in a net in a radio station promotion. Foot-long hot dogs weere big sellers at the outdoor booths, but in keeping with the multicultural nature of western Sydney where the stadium is located, Asian and middle Eastern goods also featured prominently on the menus.ddddddddddddMichelle Hubbard of Melbourne was an early arrival for another reason -- her son, Ben Scruton, is a walk-on player for Hawaii and will travel back with the team when the Rainbow Warriors leave for Honolulu right after the game.I had to get him his visa, Hubbard said. And I have four tickets if anyone needs them. Ben bought them nearly a year ago for him and his mates. Now hes in the stadium as an official member of the team.Scruton was offered a spot after Hawaii conducted a scouting camp in Melbourne earlier this year. Hes like many other Australian Rules players who have earned spots on college teams and in the NFL, mostly as punters.Another set of parents were dressed in Cal uniforms -- Greg and Cynthia Madden -- who travelled from southern California to support their son, Cal defensive end DeVante Wilson.We cant wait to get in there, to get this thing started, Greg Madden said as a marching band warmed up inside the stadium.Both teams brought cheerleading squads to Australia, and Hawaii has 30 members of its marching band for Saturdays game. ' ' '