MEXICO v ARGENTINA - Story and videos
Story from MVN Soccer,
A record 68,498 packed Qualcomm Stadium Wednesday night, and their exuberance and determination was not to be dampened by a little bit of rain, nor by the traffic headaches or even by the long distances so many of them journeyed to get here in time for the international friendly between MEXICO and ARGENTINA.
The advance sell-out meant that this was to be the largest crowd ever to witness a soccer match at this stadium or anywhere in the San Diego area. This attendance was even higher than just about every home game of the regular tenants of this venue, the NFL's Chargers. For the most part, only recent years' playoffs games with the Chargers beat this attendance.
The occasion was an all-day event for those lucky enough to get tickets and arrive early for the best tailgating spots. Many U.S. states were represented, as well as some who came across the border from Tijuana. The San Diego trolley - an electric tram with several lines - has a line which begins at the international border (separating the two cities). Since one can ride it all the way to Qualcomm Stadium, it was very easy for those who wanted to come from south of the border to actually do so. It was probably even more convenient for them than it was for so many of the suburbanites more to the north who had to drive - preferably to the closest trolley station !
As for the game, it was the expected blowout, a 4-1 win by Argentina, which saw two goals in the first few minutes and a 3-0 halftime lead. Lionel Messi played almost the entire match, and it was clear that he had many supporters in the crowd including some Mexican fans decked out in the colors of El Tri. Even the fans at home watching the Telemundo national telecast voted Messi the player of the game by a huge margin - with 37 percent of the total votes.
Of course, Mexico was considered the home team, but there were numerous Argentina fans, and everyone got along quite well. Several spokespeople - for the stadium as well as for law enforcement - stated no real violence or serious negative incidents of any type, and less disorderly behavior and fan fights than any typical Chargers game.
The new Mexico manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, just hired on the eve of the game, attended the match as a spectator (he won't actually take over until June 22), and was shown numerous times on the national telecast that was co-helmed by the legendary Andres Cantor, the originator of the famous GooooooooooooL ! exclamation. Cantor did have five separate time to voice this, and as one news commentator did say, surely some Mexico fans watching on TV may well have tired of hearing it by the time the fourth Argentina goal came late in the game.
I have chosen some videos for you to check out here if you'd like to see more on what went on in San Diego last night.
Suffice it to say, there is a healthy scene and hungry fan base here; With the international friendlies being so successful - albeit rare - all we need now is our own professional team !
Two YouTube selections from Wednesday night
1. Telemundo's Andres Cantor and all the goals from the live U.S. national telecast
2. Panoramic view of the stadium by a fan, one amongst the 68,498 record crowd
Comments