The USA-Mexico game at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., was distinguished by a Mexican presence that dwarfed that of the home side, writes Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald. Little more than 100 miles from the border, Mexican fans, many of them U.S. immigrants, swarmed the stadium, outnumbering the support for the home side by nearly four to one
“That’s just part of life for U.S. soccer fans,” noted one fan, who traveled from North Carolina. “It would be ideal if we could have a sellout crowd of American fans, but that’s not the reality now. Maybe some day, but not yet.”
The situation Wednesday night wasn’t unique, either. In 2001, when Honduras traveled to RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. for a World Cup qualifier, the Hondurans outnumbered U.S. fans by more than two to one.
Does that bother U.S. players? A little, sure, but it hasn’t adversely affected performances against Mexico recently. Said national team goalkeeper Tim Howard: “Our job as a national team is to keep getting better so that more fans want to see us and root for us.” Dominating Mexico at home is certainly a step in the right direction.