CHAPECO, Brazil -- On a rainy Saturday that only accentuated the grief, 20,000 people filled a tiny stadium under umbrellas and plastic ponchos to say goodbye to members of the Chapecoense soccer club who died in a plane crash.The accident Monday in the Colombian Andes claimed most of the teams players and staff as it headed to the finals of one of Latin Americas most important club tournaments. Seventy-one of the 77 people on board died, including 19 players on the team.Rain-soaked mourners jammed the modest stadium with four or five times that many outside to pay homage to a modest club that nearly reached the pinnacle of Latin American soccer. In total, about half the population of the southern Brazilian city of 210,000 gathered.Thousands also lined the roads as the coffins were driven in a procession from the airport to the stadium memorial.Ive been here since early morning, said 19-year-old Chaiane Lorenzetti, who said she worked at a local supermarket frequented by club players and officials. Ill never see some of my clients again. Its a devastating day that will last forever.Soldiers wearing berets carried the coffins into the stadium on their shoulders, sloshing through standing water and mud on a field filled with funeral wreaths, club and national flags, and other tributes.A tent, with the coffins placed underneath, stretched across the width of the soccer field. On top of the white tent, a sentence from the clubs anthem was written for all to read.In happiness and in the most difficult hours, it said. You are always a winner.Family members and friends wept under the tents. Many hunched over the coffins with photos of the deceased placed on top or alongside as almost everything got splattered by the non-stop rain.Brazilian President Michel Temer, who had not planned to visit the stadium for fear of being jeered, showed up after greeting the arrival of the bodies at the airport. He was treated respectfully and was joined by Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA -- the world governing body of soccer.This is a time for pain and suffering, not for talking, Infantino said. No words can diminish the suffering.Marco Polo Del Nero, the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation, was mildly applauded but also had insults shouted his way.Del Nero has been indicted by U.S. officials on corruption charges, although he has not been extradited.You only came here because its inside Brazil, one fan shouted, referring to the fact that Del Nero is likely to be arrested on a warrant if he leaves Brazil.Del Neros predecessor, Jose Maria Marin, is under house arrest in the United States awaiting a trial.He was among top soccer officials arrested 18 months in raids in Switzerland.The loudest applause was probably for Brazils new national team coach Adenor Leonardo Bacchi -- known universally as Tite (pronounced Chi-Chi). He has led Brazil to six straight victories since taking over, quickly becoming a national hero.Ivan Tozzo, the acting president of the club, told fans the club would continue on, and reminded them that it was here on this field where this club fought the good fight.This team taught us that everything is possible, he added, recalling the team rose in less than a decade from the depths of Brazilian club soccer to the final of the No. 2 tournament on the soccer-crazed continent.In closing he added, We are all Chapecoense.Chapeco Mayor Luciano Buligon, like several speakers, praised the aid Colombia provided -- along with the club Atletico Nactional, the team Chapecoense was to play in the two-game final.Atletico Nacional summed it all up on its website, the mayor said. Atletico said Chapecoense came to Medellin with a dream, and it leaves a legend. Legends dont die.The stadium memorial came after a heart-wrenching week for residents and family members stunned by the crash.Hundreds of banners, flags and handwritten messages hung around the stadium -- in Portuguese, Spanish and English.One sign in Spanish was aimed at Colombian officials who helped with the rescue. Six people survived, including three players.Colombia, Thanks For Everything it read.They deserve a farewell of champions, said Tatiana Bruno, who stood inside the stadium in the rain, wearing a plastic poncho to stay dry.It wasnt clear exactly how many coffins were brought into the stadium, though television reports put a rough count at 50. Most of the people who died, including the 19 players, were not from Chapeco and were to be buried elsewhere.The rain let up at the end of the two-hour memorial, lifting some of the gloom. It also allowed family members and friends to circle the field, many with photos raised high of the deceased.Ahead of the memorial, the bodies arrived in Chapeco on overnight flights from Colombia.The caskets were received by soldiers waiting in formation on the tarmac. Under heavy rain, they removed one at a time, wheeling them through standing puddles to vehicles to transport them to the stadium.Staff at the Jardim do Eden cemetery, where some victims will be buried, said on Friday they were used to the business of death, but not a tragedy of this size.We bury two people every day. Ive done this job for a long time, but this is different, said Dirceu Correa, caretaker of the cemetery. It is a tragedy for the families, for the club, and also for us because we are a part of the city.---Savarese reported from Chapeco, and Wade from Rio de Janeiro.---Mauricio Savarese on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MSavarese .His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/mauricio-savareseStephen Wade on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephenWade . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/stephen-wade Cheap Athletics Jerseys China . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Cheap Mark McGwire Jersey . 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Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. NEW YORK -- Brandon Pirri scored two goals in the New York Rangers 3-1 exhibition victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.John Gilmour added a power-play goal for New York. Antti Raanta and Mackenzie Skapski split time in goal, with Raanta starting and making 15 saves, and Skapski stopping all 13 shots he faced.Miles Wood scored for New Jersey, and Scott Wedgewood made 31 saves.The game marked Jimmy Veseys NHL exhibition debut. Vesey, the Hobey Baker winner last season for Harvard, signed a free-agent contract with the Rangers on Aug. 19. Skating on a line with Kevin Hayes and Rick Nash, Vesey had three shots on goal in 16:33 of ice time.DUBINSKY LIFTS BLUE JACKETS PAST PREDATORSIn Columbus, Ohio, Brandon Dubinsky scored at 2:49 of overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.Dubinsky also had the primary assist on Paul Bittners tying goal with 4:04 left in regulation. Ryan Craig also scored for the Blue Jackets.Curtis McElhinney made 15 saves for the victory. Starter Joonas Korpisalo stopped all 10 shots he faced in 27:57 of game action.Anthony Bitetto and Yannick Weber scored for the Predators. Nashvilles Juuse Saros allowed two goals on 25 shots and took the loss. Starter Marek Mazanec made 14 saves.SABRES MOULSON SCORES SHOOTOUT WINNERAt St. Catherines, Ontario, Matt Moulson scored the only goal in a shootout in the Buffalo Sabres 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Meridian Centre.Moulson was Buffalos fourth shooter and the eighth overall. 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Matt OConnor stopped all 19 shots he faced in relief.Michael McCarron, Brendan Gallagher and Zach Redmond scored for Montreal, and Condon made 16 saves.GUDLEVSKIS, LIGHTNING BLANK PANTHERSIn Tampa, Florida, Kristers Gudlevskis made 21 saves in the Tampa Bay Lightnings 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.Jeremy Morin had a goal and helped set up Brayden Points goal.James Reimer took the loss for Florida, making 18 saves in the first two periods. Reto Berra allowed a goal on nine shots in the third.PERREAULT HELPS JETS BEAT WILDAt Winnipeg, Manitoba, Mathieu Perreault scored on the power play and added an assist to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1.Perreault left the game midway through the third period after a hit by Wild winger Kurtis Gabriel put him to the ice.Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrew Copp also scored for Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves. Matt Dumba scored for Minnesota, and Darcy Kuemper stopped 24 shots. ' ' '
