They performed a soccer sport at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
Not that many individuals actually cared.
Mexico gained, beating the Dominican Republic 3-2 within the first sport of the monthlong CONCACAF Gold Cup. But even the staff’s largest followers discovered it exhausting to rejoice given what was happening only a dozen miles away, the place a whole lot of individuals protested in entrance of police, Nationwide Guard troops and U.S. Marines throughout the eighth day of protests over federal immigration raids aimed on the Latino neighborhood.
“When the Mexican staff performs, it’s a celebration, proper? However no, it wasn’t,” mentioned El Coronel, the nom de guerre of the chief of “Pancho Villa’s Military,” the Mexican nationwide staff’s largest supporter group within the U.S. — a bunch began by Sergio Tristan, a Texas lawyer and Nationwide Guard colonel who spent 30 months on the frontlines in Iraq as a U.S. Military infantryman.
Followers cheer for Mexico earlier than its CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer match towards the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Related Press)
They couldn’t rejoice as a result of many in Southern California’s Latino neighborhood — residents and immigrants, documented and never — have been being focused by ICE brokers. So that they stayed away from Saturday’s sport, believing it will be a target-rich surroundings for ICE.
In response, Pancho Villa’s Military confined their band to their barracks and canceled their historically joyful pregame tailgate social gathering Saturday. Cielto Lindo and Patrones de México, the nationwide staff’s two different main supporters’ teams within the U.S., did the identical.
“We don’t really feel proper celebrating with music and meals [when] our brothers and sisters and cousins and moms are all affected by what’s occurring,” mentioned El Coronel, who attended the sport as a civilian, carrying a blue hoodie moderately than a nationwide staff jersey. “Whereas others are struggling, it simply doesn’t appear proper.”
Final week the Division of Homeland Safety introduced on social media that federal brokers would supply safety for the FIFA Membership World Cup, which additionally kicked off Saturday in South Florida, elevating issues that followers attending soccer matches may very well be focused in immigration sweeps. The safety presence at SoFi Stadium was regular, nevertheless, visibly restricted to uniformed law enforcement officials and the ever present yellow-clad employees from Modern Providers Corp., a personal firm.
“Every thing,” El Coronel mentioned, heaving a sigh of reduction, “is calm.”
However fears over what may occur left most of SoFi’s prime deck empty and the decrease bowl simply half-filled. Mexico’s final three video games at SoFi drew a median attendance of greater than 64,000; Saturday’s drew an often-subdued crowd introduced at 54,309.
Carmen Garcia of El Monte got here, however reluctantly. She purchased a $350 VIP ticket a month in the past however had second ideas as soon as the ICE raids started.
“I attempted to get a refund,” she mentioned in Spanish. “They mentioned no. So we’re right here, however we aren’t completely satisfied.”
A kind of who didn’t enter was Daniel Fuentes of Los Angeles, who as a substitute gathered with a bunch of anti-ICE protesters throughout the road from the stadium a few hours earlier than the sport.
“I’m a soccer fan however at the moment we aren’t for soccer,” he mentioned in Spanish. “It isn’t honest what Donald Trump is doing, lifting up our working folks saying they’re criminals and it isn’t so.
“They’re raging towards us Latinos, saying we’re the worst.”
Followers tailgate within the SoFi Stadium car parking zone earlier than a CONCACAF Gold Cup match between Mexico and the Dominican Republic on Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Related Press)
The Mexican soccer federation generates a couple of third of its annual earnings within the U.S. by matchday earnings, TV rights and sponsorship offers pushed by the massive Mexican and Mexican-American fan base within the nation. The staff’s U.S. tour forward of the 2022 World Cup, for instance, reportedly generated $31 million.
However whereas these followers have lengthy backed the staff, given the prospect to return the favor, the staff determined to remain silent. The media have been advised coach Javier Aguirre — the Mexican-born son of Spanish immigrants — and his gamers would solely reply questions on soccer.
Mexico, the reigning Gold Cup champion, began slowly in opening its protection of its title within the biennial 16-team match. The Dominican Republic, ranked 139th on this planet and enjoying within the confederation championship for the primary time, pissed off “El Tri” for many of the first half earlier than an Edson Alvarez header put Mexico forward to remain a minute earlier than the intermission.
Raúl Jiménez introduced the group out of its stupor lower than two minutes into the second half, chasing a by ball from Santiago Giménez into the penalty space, then ending along with his proper foot from the sting of the six-yard field to double the lead.
Peter González halved the deficit for the Dominican Republic within the 51st minute earlier than Mexico’s César Montes and the Dominican’s Edison Azcona traded scores 14 minutes aside.
Montes’ objective got here first, on a header that ricocheted off a few gamers earlier than one-hopping its method simply contained in the left goalpost within the 53rd minute.
Azcona answered with a right-footed shot from the left wing that bounced off a pair of Mexican defenders and over goalkeeper Luis Malagon.
The groups transfer on to Arlington, Texas, for his or her second group-play video games Wednesday, with Mexico dealing with Suriname and the Dominican Republic enjoying Costa Rica. The U.S. opened its Gold Cup schedule Sunday in San José towards Trinidad and Tobago.
Employees author Eduard Cauich contributed to this story.
