Football is a time-honored, widely and wildly loved sport with enthusiastic, passionate fans. It takes immense strength and training to launch a ball across the field while also finding a teammate open to retrieve said ball so the opposing team doesn’t take hold. Defense, offense, cleats, coaches, and coordinators all for a little black-and-white ball. Oh, you thought this was about American football? No way. We’re talking about the sport from across the pond: soccer.
Over the weekend, I was able to go to a friendly match between Minnesota United FC and CF Montréal at FC Tucson’s home, Kino Sports Complex. As both teams are from places with temperatures so low Arizonans couldn’t comprehend, the Northerners train during the off-season in places like Tucson and have inconsequential matches like the one I attended. It’s a way to get excited about the upcoming summer season and gauge what the teams are looking like this year. The energy and excitement of the friendly were contagious and got you pumped despite the cold desert night. Set against the beautiful backdrop of mountains and a clear sky, the game captured your attention all 90 minutes. With a media credential (courtesy of KAMP radio!), I had access to just about anywhere I wanted to go, resulting in me mainly being on the field just behind the ref’s table. After meeting and even befriending some team personnel and fellow journalists, I had a plethora of people to discuss the match with. Although not everyone was a soccer fan, the overwhelming opinion was clear: everyone had fun. And, during the off-season, that’s the most you can ask for at a soccer match.
Two goals were scored across the duration of the match, one from each team, ending the game in a tie. Both points were gained in the second half of the game, with multiple scoring attempts ricocheting off the goalposts or going over the net. Since this was a scrimmage, no overtime or stoppage time was added. Despite the distance between the two states, Arizona was home to a few devoted Minnesota FC fans who made themselves known throughout the stands. If there were any Montréal fans among them, they were drowned out by cheers of “Sota, sota, sota, let’s go sota!”. From a vantage point in the press box above the stands, I was able to see fans old and young, all infected with the vigor of a soccer enthusiast on a chilly winter night enjoying a low-stakes game. It reminded me of my own time playing the sport: friends and family gathered on a Saturday morning out of love and respect for the players and the game, although the players in my time were 8-year-old girls. The men on the FC teams I was watching were far more advanced and interesting to watch. Coordinated, speedy movements let the game run smoothly, with only one substitution due to injury occurring. It was impressive to watch them fly across the pitch, always looking for a way to score or snag the ball from under another player’s feet. What always makes me happy are those humanizing moments when opposing team players give each other a pat on the back and a “you good?” after going a bit too hard when stealing the ball. I appreciate that thoughtless kindness that doesn’t always occur during a quantitative match, or even in other sports. Both teams and spectators ended the night in high spirits after a lively match that is hopefully an indicator of an equally exciting season.
The MLS (Major League Soccer) season begins February 21st and you can support our own FC Tucson during their USL League 2 season later this year by attending home games at Kino Sports Complex or following @fctucson on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.