Would love to hear reports and stories of atmosphere, impressions, etc. from those in Houston for the game.
Well I was in the media box so I didn't get the full atmosphere but I was also at Reliant in 2003 but sitting as a fan. I was shocked that the crowd was 90%-10% Mexico fans. It legitimately was 60-40 in 2003. Regardless, post game there was a shooting apparently between two Mexico fans outside Reliant which made for a bad scene. (search Houston local news or the Chronicle). Pregame the atmosphere was great. The game was much more exciting than the 0-0 tie in 2003 obviously. It got quiet instantly after Gooch's goal and quiet also after Altidore's which was fun to see. I also want to say generally I heard very little booing or hissing during the US national anthem which is great, other than a little when they had Landon Donovan on the screen. Pregame, LD got the biggest boos also which is what I guess he gets for peeing on their field and scoring so many important goals against them. Regardless, it was a fun event.
I was very surprised by the 90-10 split as well. Local media didn't mention the game much; I guess they figure the Dynamo is the only real soccer to cover in this city. We had more security in the USA section at Reliant, where we can't bring any flag poles, etc. than at Robertson, where we've had flares & smoke bombs! Reliant security is ass. They hassled us all night about being in our assigned seats elsewhere in the section. The Nike pregame thing was cool. Several TVs setup showing US highlights, and there was a lot of beer flowing. Got a couple of free shirts which look pretty sweet. I didn't think the US section was very well organized for songs. There wasn't a chant leader so at times there were several different songs going on. Atmosphere was great in the stadium. Haven't watched it on TV yet. Although we were greatly outnumbered, I had no issues with any Mexican fans.
Tailgate rocked! Nike hulled in some hottie models to paste DTOM tats on people. Great to be drinking as much as you can with hot ass walking around in U.S.A. gear. Just makes a guy all warm and fuzzy inside don't it. Sam's Army die hards cheers were solid. Our Texans FO and their security suck giant rhino cock. It was great to witness the cross in to Jozy and that header, we went nuts! I would like to see more of Edu and Clark in a box midfield with Donovan able to roam more right to center than out on the wing. This allows Duece to stay central and link up better with Jozy. Perhaps then Freddy can roam out center to left. We scored 3 goals and got credit for 2. On the way out and in the parking lots the Mexicans were celebrating like a kid on Christmas, man were they so joyed to have come back to earn the draw. Times have changed. I recall a May of '96 match between our Iron Eagles and el Tri that ended 2-2 and the Mexicans back then were in utter shock and horror to witness a 2-2 draw on U.S. soil. I look forward to the next decade of this rivalry. Dos a Cero is what was chanted on the way out by my gang of Houston die hards.
I drove down for the game from Austin and met up with about 10 friends who are Mexican fans. I think I was the only US fan in my section, but I yelled the whole game and never had a problem with anyone. I thought it was a real cool experience. I've been to US and Mexican games in the past, but never US v. Mexico, the crowd passion at this game was definitely at a different level.
I drove from Dallas and met up with five of my friends. It was my second USA v. Mexico match (Cotton Bowl a few years ago) and the first for my friends. We all loved it. The atmoshpere was incredible. My friends kept commenting on how much fun they were having. If only we could have pulled out the win. It would've made for a perfect night. I was proud of the US fans and their enthusiasm. We were greatly outnumbered, but individually and at times collectively, we were very loud. I had no problems with any Mexican fans. They were all having fun and the shouting and booing at US players was, for the most part, good-natured ribbing. Of course, when you're in a stadium with 70K fans, there will always be a few bad apples. I saw pushing and shoving after the game, and sadly, one guy with a bloodied face walked by our group seeking security. Other than that, there were a lot of U-S-A and Mex-heco chants after the game. Cheers, JC
Overall, very good. Giovanni coming on was the loudest of the game. If you saw the fouls and offsides at the game on US, it was a bunch crap. esp. the foul for the first mex goal! EVERYBODY! We have to get more chants! Me and my bud started singing the Team America song: AMERICA! F*CK YEA!!! & Where's your green card? clap clap clapclapclap (we didn't do this one but heard it) Oh btw, Stand Up Sam's Army. My spanish friend was close to you'll and was disappointed some were sitting. We celebrated Dempsey's GOAL for 2 minutes and ranted about it for the rest of the game.
Very nice atmosphere at the game. I guess I shouldn't have been shocked that my section, which had been tagged as a "US" section was 80% Mexico supporters. It was pretty cool though. When the Mexican National Anthem was played just about everyone around me sang along...and then when our National Anthem was played those same fans were singing along! Other than a few "Culero! Culero!" chants most of the fans were just there to cheer their teams on, not act like fools. Lots of kids in the crowd as well, so there was a family vibe going on as well.
Was in the club section 340--very nice stadium--club area fantastic--but it was 90-10 Mexican in our "US" section. Never felt intimidated and we had a group that cheered loudly. Saw some good things---parents in Mexico shirts taking their kids in US shirts to the game. A few half-and-half Mexico--US shirts. But lets get real---it felt like a road game in a friendly country. Had one fight in the section--a Mexico fan (female) went nuts after we scored and started cussing anyone around her---security removed her from the section but let her watch the game from the club. Heard police describing the incident and they seemed to have trouble understanding why she was so upset--obviously their first game! Other than that a great occasion in a great venue. One more thing--was at the Galleria this morning before heading out of town and ran into Tim Howard going into a jewelry store. Told him he had a good game and he seemed genuinly shocked that someone recognized him. I guess these guys fly out around 5 PM to go back to Europe.
The tailgate was fun, but my day started round 2ish at a bar down the street with a few dozen Americans from Houston, LA, DC, Dallas and elsewhere. After that, rolled on down to Reliant and DRANK! Beer was flowing, and flowing fast. Totally trashed before we went in, I agree with just about everything Nobius said. I personally had no problems with any fans. In fact, during the tailgate, we had a big group of Mexicans tailgating next to us. We had a "chant-off" a couple of times with everyone shaking hands and hugging after words, good natured ribbing, etc. Some of our brothers in EB (rooting for Mexico... ) stopped by the tailgate and we had a blast. Saw lots of TA/EB faces that I hadn't seen in a while. Drank more. Once inside, the game started good but security tried to force everyone into the seats that their tickets had, causing all sorts of disruption, POed people, and some getting tossed outright. What's to say about the game? We played like a bunch of school girls (nothing wrong with school girls, though). Definitely not our best played game. Haven't seen the replay on Dempsey but from out POV, it looked good. On the way out of the stadium (slightly sobered up...I'll be damned if I pay $8.25 for a beer), ran into lots of Mexican fans who wanted to greet us and take lots of pics. Shook lots of hands, talked about the game, good-natured ribbing, etc. Saw the ambulances and wondered what they were for, but I didn't hear the shooting, even though I was just down the road. Oh, and the inside of the stadium was ridiculously loud. Outside wasn't much better. Went back to the bar and partied with US and Mexico fans till 2 (cut-off time) and loved the cheap beer they were selling to anyone who went to the game God Bless Houston.
Oh, and the best, most creative sign in the stadium was this one: Did upset quite a few people, but got laughs from plenty others as well (and lots of pics, too).
Thanks for those reports. I was at the Gold Cup final at Soldier Field, me and my son in a group of Mexican fans, and I have to say, they were great. We cheered, they cheered, we got some beer doused on us and everyone else around us, when Castillo scored (hey, I have no problem with that), mutual cell phone pictures taken... All in all, the Mexican fans were just fine. This is a good strong rivalry I think. While I think there were always be some bad incidents from time to time, I think generally what we see is intense soccer fans having a good time and enjoying and appreciating that the rivalry is what a rivalry should be.
Well everyone seemed to have better experiences with mexican fans than the SCB did. Walking into the stadium the mexican fans were throwing beer, and tried to start at least two fights that I saw. After the game I watched two mexican fans fight each other, and almost every large group of El Tri fans walking past us would run into you and hope you would react, so we just kept walking. It was very trashy IMO. back to the game : the atmosphere in the stadium was crazy, and the section tried for the first half, but the noise leve made it hard to keep any song going. The mexicans in the SA section were annoying, and the security in houston is just as stupid as everywhere else. Fun trip. We played like shite, but at least we didnt lose I guess. yes its just a friendly, but I am stil glad we didnt lose.
Apparently our antics caused an impression: Promoters hope verve surrounding U.S.-Mexico helps candidacy to host World Cup games
The US Nats team alone wont bring this many people unless its a game against Mexico. That be cool to play the rivalry game here for a qualifier.
Maybe, but it's not like they've tried, either. Just two trips down here in 5 years, both against Mexico. Hard to say.