3 quick takeaways from USA vs. Pananama CONCACAF Gold Cup Match
(Jaime Cardenas, The Tennessean, 07.09.17)
1. Attendance: 47,622 — a state record
With MLS commissioner Don Garber in attendance, those who support the MLS to Nashville bid were hoping for a big crowd — and a big crowd they got: 47,622. The CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA and Panama in Nashville is now the most-attended soccer game in state history.
2. Dom Dwyer is en fuego
Sporting KC attacker Dom Dwyer scored his second goal with the U.S. Men’s National Team in as many games. Dwyer, who is married to U.S. Women’s National Team forward Sydney Leroux Dwyer, also found the back of the net last week when he made his international debut against Ghana. The goal, which came five minutes after a scoreless first half, gave the U.S. a short-lived lead.
3. The result: Not pretty, but not the end of the world
The game ended 1-1. Panama’s Miguel Camargo scored the equalizer in the 60th minute. A draw was not the desired result, but Panama is the toughest of the three opponents the U.S. will face in the Gold Cup group stage. The Panamanians are a World Cup contender and sit one point behind the Americans in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying standings. The U.S. should get results needed against Nicaragua and Martinique to advance to the elimination round.
Fans help Nashville get closer to more goals
(Colton Pouncy, The Tennessean, 07.09.17)
NASHVILLE — Waves of diehard soccer fans dressed in red, white and blue slowly made their way from the crowded sidewalks of lower Broadway and headed for Nissan Stadium.
They marched over John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge with little shoulder space along the way. As the fans made their way Saturday afternoon to the entrance gates, just across from the stadium, police had to direct entire groups of people like they were cars stuck in traffic.
The anticipation of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup in Nashville, an event seven months in the making, had reached its peak. Following a 1-1 draw between the United States Men’s National Team and Panama, the answer on how did Nashville do could be found among the crowd of 47,622, the largest for a soccer match in Tennessee.
“It’s a crazy environment for sure,” said Knoxville native Josh Davis, who explored the events set up around the stadium prior to the start of the match. “I think it builds up hype. Before you get to the stadium it just builds excitement. Stuff like this really helps the city look good.”
Lila Ashani and her husband, Marcus Cranston, came from Portland, Ore., to see the match. Prior to the weekend, they’d never been to Nashville but this trip was a long time coming. When Nashville was announced as one of 14 Gold Cup host cities in December, the couple bought plane tickets and made plans to be here.
“Nashville’s a really nice spot because I think people are so welcoming,” said Ashani. “It’s a great city to host because people are so friendly and there are so many things to do here. Nashville is like a win-win situation.”
The couple has a bit of a cult following for their costumes. Ashani typically dresses in a USA-themed Wonder Woman outfit, the one she wore Saturday. Cranston sports a bald eagle suit and mask combo.
They try to attend every international and continental match Team USA is involved in. On Saturday, they couldn’t go two minutes without being approached for pictures by media and other fans.
Ashani and Cranston were in their element.
“For Gold Cup games, this is awesome. This is like the top of the tier,” Cranston said. “Everything here has been great.”
Eric Messa and Rex Moran live in the small town of Chalmette, La. Having attended U.S. games in the past, the two made a promise during a game in Houston to go to the next closest match to them.
The choice was Nashville.
They left late Thursday afternoon and embarked on an eight-hour drive to Nashville, Messa’s second time in the city and Moran’s first. The past few days, they walked the streets of Broadway, tried Nashville’s hot chicken and got themselves ready for Saturday’s game, attending every fan event the city had to offer.
They liked what they saw.
“New Orleans doesn’t have a big soccer culture,” Messa said, wearing a USA top hat and striped tube socks. “But there are so many local people and people coming from out of town for this. The support is crazy.”
No matter the outcome of the game, Nashville continued to make a case to be an MLS expansion city. Saturday was the best-attended Gold Cup game since the competition moved to a 12-team format.
“I think the soccer movement is building, and Nashville seems like a natural fit for a soccer team,” Ashani said.
“As long as they don’t have a team that can beat the Portland Timbers (of the MLS),” her husband chimed in, “I’m all for it.”
Hopes to strike MLS gold boosted
(Jason Gonzalez, The Tennessean, 07.09.17)
NASHVILLE — Under the north side Jumbotron of Nissan Stadium, MLS2Nashville co-founder Will Alexander stood looking at 47,622 boisterous soccer fans mostly clad in red, white and blue.
Saturday’s attendance for U.S. men’s soccer’s opening match against Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup set the Tennessee record for fans at a soccer game.
While the attendance record won’t solidify Nashville’s chances of Major League Soccer granting a franchise expansion here, the goal for Alexander was always to put the city’s best foot forward. Mission accomplished, he said.
“There is only one city in the United States that gets to host the U.S. opening-round game, and to have them training here for the last two weeks, it looks like Nashville rose to the occasion,” Alexander said. “It’s a massive opportunity, and I am glad that Nashville turned out for this.”
Void of a pro soccer team at any level to showcase Nashville’s fanbase, investors looking to court one of four MLS expansion teams have needed to rely heavily on national soccer games to highlight the city’s love for the sport.
U.S. men’s soccer great and retired MLS player Landon Donovan said the atmosphere Nashville has produced hosting games such as Saturday’s Gold Cup makes him believe the city has what it takes to be the next great MLS city.
“I think this would be a fantastic market,” Donovan said during Friday’s USMNT practice. “Sometimes, your gut just says, ‘This just seems like a great MLS market.’
“That’s what Nashville is.”
Nashville shows up for soccer, and sports
Earlier this week, city leaders speculated crowd size could help tip the scales in Nashville’s favor.
“You have to seize these opportunities when they come up,” Alexander said.
Along with Saturday’s game, Nashville has a history of showing up for soccer games.
In 2015, a friendly match between the U.S. and Guatemala drew 44,835 fans — setting the state record until Saturday.
Last October, 40,287 attended a match at Nissan Stadium between Mexico and New Zealand.
That history has Alexander excited for Nashville’s chances, especially because Music City has a history of loving its sports teams.
MLS decision-makers have only to look to June, when Nashville drew national praise for its fans’ intensity during the Stanley Cup Final between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins while also hosting the CMA Music Festival.
“It was a big deal and the timing couldn’t be better and (MLS) commissioner (Don) Garber emphasized that,” Alexander said. “It showed the passion, the city and the community and it was all very positive in the middle of a hunt to get an MLS team.”
Fans agree.
Wearing a Team USA soccer jersey and a flag around his shoulders, Josh Davis, from Knoxville, said the type of atmosphere Nashville displays around its sports makes the city look good. Nashville is absolutely deserving of an MLS team, he said.
“I think with the Preds here and the Titans here, you could definitely put a soccer team here.”
And an MLS team is on the wish list for some fans who attended Saturday’s game that ended in a 1-1 draw with Panama.
“I want it to happen,” said Ben Manning, who came from Miami to watch Team USA play. “Just look at the Predators. They brought a college football atmosphere to a professional hockey team. I think they can do the same for an MLS team.”
Nashville high on list for expansion team
A day before the game, Garber raved about the city and said it is high on the list for an expansion team.
“Nashville is very much like Major League Soccer: It’s a city on the rise,” Garber said.
Other cities in play for the four MLS expansion spots are San Antonio, San Diego, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Raleigh/Durham, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., Sacramento, Calif., Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla., Phoenix and Indianapolis.
Garber has said the league looks to announce its 25th and 26th teams in December. It’s unclear when the next two cities would be announced.
What each of the cities have on Nashville, however, is a pro soccer team to display a fan base. Nashville will get that next year through a United Soccer League team, said Court Jeski, Nashville Soccer Club CEO.
“The movement is building,” Jeske said on Saturday. “All things are pointing toward March 2018 when the team will arrive.”
“We are proud to build the platform to showcase Nashville.”
Nashville also will need a soccer-specific stadium.
One could eventually be in the plans for the city. Metro is exploring the feasibility of The Fairgrounds Nashville in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, but any proposal is a long way from getting a green light.
Garber made clear on Friday that any expansion site needs a stadium.
“If a very promising market can’t have a stadium, they’re not going to be an MLS expansion team,” Garber said on Friday. “If Nashville’s able to achieve that, it’s going to be a very positive aspect for their bid.”
SCORING SUMMARY
USA — Dom Dwyer (Kelyn Rowe) 50′
PAN — Miguel Camargo 60′
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
UNITED STATES LINEUP
Manager: Bruce Arena
Brad Guzan
Graham Zusi
Omar Gonzalez
Matt Besler
Jorge Villfaña
Dax McCarty
Kellyn Acosta
Alejandro Bedoya (Jordan Morris 85′)
Kelyn Rowe (Gyasi Zardes 69′)
Dom Dwyer
PANAMA LINEUP
Manager: Hernán Darío Gómez
José Calderón
Michael Amir Murillo
Jan Carlos Vargas
Roberto Chen
Luis Ovalle
Édgar Yoel Bárcenas
Gabriel Gómez (Josiel Núñez 70′)
Aníbal Godoy
Miguel Camargo (Armando Cooper 71′)
Gabriel Torres
Ismael Díaz