What better thing to do on the 4th of July than to watch an American team clash with a foreign country. It’s sounds as traditional as eating hot dogs and drinking beer.
A record-setting crowd at the National Sports Center was enthralled Friday as Minnesota United F.C. and its fans got as close to the World Cup as they could by welcoming the Mexico Under-21 National Team to Blaine, Minn.
With its first-ever sold-out crowd of 8,059, United exhibited a local soccer body already reaping the benefits of the 2014 World Cup and the awe-inspiring display from the United States Men’s National Team before it left Brazil.
“One of many, hopefully,” said Minnesota United F.C. owner Bill McGuire, whose team will open its fall season on July 12.
United had a stunning spring campaign. Forward Christian Ramirez led the North American Soccer League in scoring and the Loons won the Spring Season Title, an honor they celebrated before the game.
United head coach Manny Lagos said he enjoyed the packed stadium and the atmosphere that followed. He said Minnesota is a soccer-loving community at its core and doesn’t need FIFA’s marquee tournament to inspire fans in the area.
“I don’t always like to be a contrarian but I don’t think it’s the World Cup that’s doing that. I think it’s already here,” Lagos said. “It just comes out of people a little bit more [during the tournament].”
Lagos has been coaching professional soccer in Minnesota since 2010, so his opinion carries weight. Still, the fact remains about Minnesota United sell-outs:
Before the 2014 World Cup: 0/4.
After the 2014 World Cup: 1/1.
Both teams were well aware of the global matters taking place on this day across FIFA as the World Cup quarterfinals got underway. Germany suffocated France 1-0 while Brazil staved off an inspired Colombia 2-1 later in the day. A delightful triple-header of soccer was completed when United outlasted Mexico to win 2-1 on penalty kicks.
Ramirez, a Colombian-American, said he and his teammates watched the earlier games closely. “I was a little heart broken before our game and some of the guys that are Brazilian gave me a hard time,” he said, “but it’s all fun and games.”
Ramirez was feeling better quickly, as he scored the opening goal for United within the first minute of play.
Mexico would equalize with a picturesque free kick from its No. 10 Jorge Espericueta, who plays for Villareal’s second team in Spain.
From there the game was appealing throughout with numerous attacking streams from both sides, although neither team could find a breakthrough.
It was impressive that Minnesota United was able to hang with this talented crop of Mexicans, as they possess pros based in Europe and many of them featured for the Mexico U-17 National Team that won the 2011 U-17 World Cup.
“It’s good because some of these players are on the verge of being called up to the [senior] team or they’re going to be future stars of the next World Cup,” Ramirez said, “so it’s good for everybody to see them.”
For United to defeat a team with such global talent speaks volumes to the quality of soccer that’s played on Saturday night’s at the National Sports Center and throughout the NASL.
The question is was tonight's enthusiastic holiday crowd here in droves because the state whole-heartedly accepts soccer or did a salient World Cup galvanize the masses?
It's important because as a business model, United, which almost folded in 2012, can only depend on the former.
“As someone who’s from here, I believe in this market so much,” Lagos said. “With soccer it won’t happen overnight, but it’s slowly creating a niche that is really impressive and on a global scale. I think tonight is an example of that.”
| Nicolas Hallett is a staff writer for 105 The Ticket. He recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and has written for the Murphy News Service, the Minnesota Daily and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Follow him on Twitter @NicolasHallett |