My USA Soccer Experience

I'm going to open with this: If you have never been to a United States soccer game, you need to. 

I went to my first USA soccer game on June 7, 2014. Some friends and I made a weekend trip to Jacksonville, Florida to watch the Yanks beat Nigeria 2-1 in their final exhibition game before the World Cup in Brazil. Tim Howard made his 100th appearance that day, days before becoming the most popular man in the country due to his near superhero performance at the tournament. After cheering on our boys along with 52,000 people, I was hooked on the US soccer experience ever since that early summer day. 

The next summer I spent most of my disposable income on going to USA soccer matches. I got to spend the 4th of July weekend in Nashville watching us smack Guatemala 4-0, another friendly. The next step was to attend a competitive match.

A few days later, I got the chance to attend a CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage match against Haiti in Boston, Massachusetts with my father. 

The next match I attended was the real deal. The US was coming to my hometown, Atlanta, to play Jamaica in the semifinals of the Gold Cup in the sold out Georgia Dome. Even though we inexcusably lost, it was an amazing atmosphere and easily the best sporting event I had ever been to (so far). I will never forget seeing the thousands of people rise to their feet as DeAndre Yedlin made a run down the sideline to my right. It was like seeing a wake rippling through a calm body of water. Absolutely breathtaking.

After going to three matches in less than a month, I considered myself a true fan. I wanted to go to literally every match possible, but was not able to until September 2016. The United States were returning to Jacksonville to play Trinidad & Tobago, however this time it was a World Cup Qualifying match. I was able to convince some of my friends to skip class on a Tuesday and make the 6 hour drive to Florida and come back to school immediately after. Needless to say, it was worth it as we handily beat them 4-0 and my buddies were now hooked on the experience, asking when can we go to another game. 

After the game against T&T my eyes were set on the next round of World Cup qualifying, the Hex. When the schedule was released the first date grabbed my attention: November 11 against none other than Mexico. 

I had to go. We knew the game was going to be in Columbus, Ohio as was tradition. 2-0. Dos a cero. A sort of mythical scoreline in a magical stadium. How was I going to get there? The long drive would have been worth it, but I got a text from my dad asking if I had any interest in going to the the match.

Are you kidding? USA vs. Mexico? Is the pope Catholic? Yes, I want to go to the game!

I looked at the ticket process and there was a lottery to simply have the chance to buy a ticket. 56,270 tickets were requested, more than double the capacity of MAPFRE Stadium. I submitted a request for three tickets and waited. 

And waited.

And the deadline for ticket distribution came and I waited.

Finally almost 48 hours after the US Soccer Federation had promised, the emails were sent, and I got three tickets. From then on, it was all I could think about. November 11 in Columbus, Ohio.

We got to Columbus on Thursday the 10th, the day before the game and really dove into the USA vs. Mexico experience. The whole city was decorated with banners and posters for the game. There were lifesize cut outs of players all across the city. 

We ate dinner at the official USSF night before party and had the chance to meet Julian Greene, DeAndre Yedlin and good ole Alexi Lalas.

After dinner, we went to the American Outlaws party at a bar near Ohio State. Keep in mind, I go to UGA and this place was legitimately the most crowded bar I have ever been to, everyone just as excited as me about the game to take place 24 hours later. 

GAME DAY

It was finally here. The most anticipated event of my 22 years on Earth was only hours away. After a day of wandering around the city and a visiting Seventh Son Brewing (highly recommended), we made our way to the stadium. We walked in the cold, the freezing cold actually, to the stadium, my heart beating a little faster every step. That night was actually the first time I have ever worn a scarf for it's intended purpose of maintaining warmth. 

8:00 finally struck. It was time for soccer. 

Now this match game just days after the presidential election. Just the night before I watched as protesters marched the streets outside of the restaurant at which we ate. The night before that, I followed protests through Atlanta after a Hawks game.Never before had I seen an event that so divided our country, an election so controversial, a winning candidate so hated.  But for 90 minutes, MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus was not in a red state or a blue state. We were all in a red, white, and blue state. More than that, as rival countries, the United States of America and Mexico were united through the game of soccer. 

The game was intense and as chippy as any game I have ever seen. Despite a mutual respect, these teams hate each other. The crowd was absolutely insane. I was sitting in the end where this happened and the place when bonkers. 

Now, I don't know if it was luck, skill, divine intervention or poetic justice based on what had taken place in our nation that week, but Mexico stunned us with a 89th minute header to win the match 2-1. 

I was furious. I was cold. I didn't eat anything until lunch the next day because I felt sick to my stomach.

A month has passed since this game, and I can look back and say it was the most fun i have ever had going to a sporting event, despite the loss.. I have been to some good rivalry games like Red Sox vs. Yankees, UGA vs. Auburn and Georgia Tech, and Falcons vs. Saints but this one takes the cake. There is nothing like supporting your country in athletics. The sense of patriotism was incredible. I cannot wait to go to the next Mexico game. It was on my bucket list and if it isn't on yours, put it on there whether you like soccer or not. 

Soccer

National Team

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Written by

ConnorJones

We Like Sports and We Don't Care Who Knows

Covering everything from the NBA to Australian Rules Football

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