Jon Arnold - @ArnoldcommaJon
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Every soccer fan knows Wembley. Every soccer fan knows La Bombonera. Every soccer fan knows Columbus.
The way that American city, the 32nd largest metro area in the country by population, became internationally recognized thanks to its status in the soccer world, was something of a coincidence. Home to the country’s first soccer-specific stadium and situated in the American Midwest, Columbus was a logical choice to host World Cup qualification matches ahead of the 2002 World Cup.
It first played host to a game against Costa Rica, but then was the site of a February 28, 2001 game in the final round against Mexico. The U.S. won that game 2-0 in frigid temperatures, so, the Stars and Stripes opted to return to Columbus for the next four World Cup cycles. They won the first four games by that 2-0 scoreline, making it tradition for the U.S. to play its top rival in Columbus.
As that tradition changes, Columbus is starting a new chapter in its international soccer history, with Columbus Crew SC winning its Leagues Cup group thanks to a 4-1 victory over Liga MX giant Club América on Monday.
Columbus hasn’t hosted a U.S.-Mexico World Cup qualification match since November 2016. Ahead of that contest, players from both North American teams intermingled for a joint pre-match photo ahead of that contest, sending a message of unity, just as teams have done during the Leagues Cup.
Miguel Layún scored the first goal and assisted the second that day. He and some of his teammates enjoyed the atmosphere fostered by U.S. Soccer, which worked to ensure a home-field advantage by selling tickets first to its most dedicated supporters and then to locals of Columbus and the surrounding area, whose Mexican and Mexican-American population makes up a smaller percentage of the population than in many other U.S. markets.
“They’re special memories because we came in with a streak of not being able to win matches here in Columbus. The American fans had the famous dos a cero chant, and we entered with a lot of hope to be able win the game away from home and have a better qualification cycle than we had in 2014,” Layún told LeaguesCup.com this week. “I’ve always been one of those players who enjoys an intense atmosphere, even when it’s against you.”
“That’s what it means to experience a soccer match. You don’t always have the fans with you, but it’s good to be in a stadium with those vibes and those feelings.”
The feelings were always going to be different when Crew SC welcomed Club América, captained by Layún, for a club game rather than a national team showdown, but there were still plenty of good vibes.
A World Cup veteran who played two U.S.-Mexico qualifiers in Columbus and now works in the Crew's front office, Frankie Hejduk heard echoes of the past Monday night.
“I just love the rivalry. I was so pumped up before every game. It’s hard to get that back as an ex-player now. No one understands the emotion that goes into those games, and I’m starting to get those emotions back here in Columbus,” he said. “Just watching U.S.-Mexico, even if they’re club teams playing against each other, it’s a pretty cool feeling.”
Unlike qualifiers during days gone by, there were no ticket tricks needed for the Leagues Cup clash. Club América fans flocked to the stadium from cities nearby, like Dayton and Chicago, and far-flung like Houston and Las Vegas to support their team. Yet, the Columbus Crew supporters also were clearly hyped for the international meeting, filling the supporters’ section and yelling loud hometown cheers after each of the home goals scored in a 4-1 victory that pushed them to the top of the Central 1 group with a perfect record.
”There were a lot of América fans, and I think that motivated us a bit. The atmosphere is what soccer is about. We love it and experience it in a positive way,” said Columbus forward Cucho Hernández, who scored twice. “The América fans were singing, our fans were singing. We enjoyed it, and we hope our fans enjoyed it.”
The win didn’t hurt the experience for Crew fans. While Columbus will forever have its place on the international soccer map, it wasn’t long ago that Crew supporters had to launch a campaign to keep a first-division team in their city. With a new ownership group at the helm, a new venue in the city’s arena district, and a commitment to signing top players like Hernández, U.S. international Julian Gressel and departing playmaker Lucas Zelarayán, who led the Crew to the 2020 MLS Cup, the city’s love of soccer is flourishing.
“The enthusiasm and passion everyone has for this club is really amazing and continues to grow each year. You start to see that with all the fans and the community too,” said Ravi Pandey, a fan since the team’s inaugural season in 1996 who is on the board of Crew supporters’ collective, The Nordecke. “There’s a huge gravitational pull that people have for this club. We’re very proud to have the Crew, and we’re very proud to be from Columbus.”
A city once proud to be the cold, hostile home of the U.S. national team’s most important game in a World Cup cycle, hosted a contest against a different opponent and now feels more focused on what the team bearing its name on its badge can do against top-tier rivals.
It made it hard not to chuckle at the genuine worry expressed for decades among hardcore fans, many who saw previous leagues fade away: Will soccer ever make it in America? A look at the sold-out crowd of more than 20,000 people on a Monday night erased any doubt that the sport’s potential in Columbus and beyond is starting to be realized.
“All we ever wanted was for this sport to make it here, and it is,” Hejduk said. “We’re seeing what can happen when these two countries really co-exist together and when you can play the best against the best.”
It’s a new chapter for Columbus. Even with a beautiful new venue in Lower.com Field, a World Cup qualifier won’t return to the city for at least another six or seven years. Even then, it’s unlikely to be a game against El Tri.
The fans cheering Crew SC on won’t have to wait anywhere near that long for more international competition, though. If Wilfried Nancy’s team can get past Minnesota United, a Round of 16 contest against Toluca potentially awaits them, along with another chance to see some of North America’s best square off, forging yet another chapter in Columbus' international soccer history.
