World Soccer: Real Madrid comes to America
The Guinness International Cup Champions took place this past weekend at Dodger Stadium. The event was the semifinals doubleheader featuring the match between Real Madrid and Everton, and Juventus against the Galaxy.
(Photo by Angelica Orozco)
It was a great event not only because many soccer fans had the opportunity to see Real Madrid, Everton and Juventus live, but they also the chance to see European football in Dodgers Field.
Official attendance was 40,681 people in total. The loge level tickets costing $ 198 before tax.
As for the games, Real Madrid beat Everton 2-1. Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal at 17 minutes set up Mesut Özil’s goal 14 minutes later, giving Real Madrid a 2-0 lead in the 31st minute.
Tim Howard, Everton’s American goalie, made some incredible saves, giving rise to chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!.” Nikica Jelavic scored one (without looking it seemed) at 61 minutes but Everton could not beat the speed of Madrid.
In the second game featuring the Los Angeles Galaxy and Italy’s Juventus had a 1-1 tie at half time, with goals from Omar Gonzalez (Galaxy) in 36 minutes and Alessandro Matri (Juventus) in the 39 minutes.
(Claudia Gestro)
Although Juventus made changes after halftime, Landon Donovan scored the tie-breaking goal in the 60th minute and sealed the match for the Galaxy. Robbie Keane, who had been out for a thigh injury, took advantage of a bad move by Juventus for another goal at 89 minutes.
“I think it’s reductive to say that this loss is caused by the fact that we’re in preseason and it’s just a friendly game,” Juventus coach Antonio Conte said. “We’re here in L.A., it’s a fancy place, we have parties. Everything is very fun. But everywhere you go to play, all over the world, if you don’t show the determination on the pitch, you’re going to have big problems and, as happened tonight, you’re going to lose the game. That’s the rule of soccer.”
The Guinness International Cup ended Wednesday with matches in Miami, FL. Real Madrid defeated Chelsea to win first place and Milan beat the Galaxy for third place.
World soccer — football in the rest of the world — is coming to America. The rousing, chanting crowds that make “futbol” the number one sport in the world will be here when all the big teams from Europe and South America start making cities in the U.S a regular stop in their schedules.
While in Los Angeles, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told the Associated Press, ”To be in this stadium with such fantastic history is a great thing for us …”
A stadium that has hosted a Papal Mass, the Beatles and eight World Series, Dodgers Stadium in Chavez Ravine — or the Gulch as locals call it — can now say it has hosted some of the best teams in world soccer. We can look for more of the same in the years ahead.
Claudia is of Peruvian and Italian descent, having been born in a small town, in the North of Peru, South America. She was raised by her grandmother from an early age, living in poverty until Claudia’s mother brought her to America. She landed in Miami, FL and started her new life, playing high school basketball and eventually becoming a United States citizen. Claudia completed her education at Florida International University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and became a model to supplement her income. Since graduating from FIU Claudia has worked with many of the Spanish Language broadcasting companies, including Telemundo, Univision and most recently Spanish Language channels on SiriusXM satellite radio and 93.9 FM Exitos in Los Angeles. Just so you know where her loyalty lies: Go Lakers!