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Downtown Chicago was an absolute mess. In addition to the Gold Cup final, there was a gay pride rally, and a US Navy basic training graduation ceremony. Soldier Field is located at the south end of downtown,
on the lakeshore.
I was seated in the second deck of the south end of Soldier Field, above Sam's Army. This was the goal the USA was defending in the second half.
The scene around Soldier Field before the game was actually a very good party. Several Chicago area Latino radio stations were on hand doing live broadcasts.
Soldier Field has a capacity of 61,000. The game was sold out. About 50,000 of those fans were Mexican.
When Mexico scored its first goal just before halftime, things started to turn ugly.
The Mexican fans were throwing drinks, and one smoke bomb, into Sam's
Army. Luckily, things started to cool down a bit at half time.
Waiting in line to the mens room, a Mexican fan asked me if the lines to the mens room was always this bad for Chicago Bears games. "No," I said
"Bears fans **************** wherever they want."
There was an argument at the door to the mens room between some Americans and some Mexicans. They broke up without any further incident.
When USA scored its first goal, a full tilt fight broke out in the next section. There was one USA fan involved, and I saw a Mexican taking a
swing at him with a plastic horn. Women and small children were moving up towards where I was. Stadium security couldn't contain the fight, and uniformed Chicago police were called in.
They led four people away. One of the Mexicans had a nasty cut under his eye.
After the second goal, the barrage of drinks kept flying in the direction of
Sam's Army.
After the game the usual Mexican display continued.
on the field and in the stands. Outside, there was a fight between two groups of Mexicans, totalling about a dozen people. Chicago police had to use their truncheons to break them up.
on the lakeshore.
I was seated in the second deck of the south end of Soldier Field, above Sam's Army. This was the goal the USA was defending in the second half.
The scene around Soldier Field before the game was actually a very good party. Several Chicago area Latino radio stations were on hand doing live broadcasts.
Soldier Field has a capacity of 61,000. The game was sold out. About 50,000 of those fans were Mexican.
When Mexico scored its first goal just before halftime, things started to turn ugly.
The Mexican fans were throwing drinks, and one smoke bomb, into Sam's
Army. Luckily, things started to cool down a bit at half time.
Waiting in line to the mens room, a Mexican fan asked me if the lines to the mens room was always this bad for Chicago Bears games. "No," I said
"Bears fans **************** wherever they want."
There was an argument at the door to the mens room between some Americans and some Mexicans. They broke up without any further incident.
When USA scored its first goal, a full tilt fight broke out in the next section. There was one USA fan involved, and I saw a Mexican taking a
swing at him with a plastic horn. Women and small children were moving up towards where I was. Stadium security couldn't contain the fight, and uniformed Chicago police were called in.
They led four people away. One of the Mexicans had a nasty cut under his eye.After the second goal, the barrage of drinks kept flying in the direction of
Sam's Army.
After the game the usual Mexican display continued.
on the field and in the stands. Outside, there was a fight between two groups of Mexicans, totalling about a dozen people. Chicago police had to use their truncheons to break them up.
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