This is my account of the first official match of the New Mexico United.
It is a beautiful mid-afternoon March day in Albuquerque, New Mexico and we have arrived at the University of New Mexico football parking lot. I admit we are here early, but I did expect a larger crowd for tailgating. Maybe we are too excited and have too high expectations for New Mexico’s newest professional team, the New Mexico United. My wife and I look at each other with uncertainty and decide to unload the truck.
I remove the camping stove, the camping chairs, propane tank, and the cooler and begin setting up our spot. My son retrieves his soccer ball and begins juggling it around the empty parking lot. My daughter has the “what the hell are we doing here so early” look. It does not matter. I am going to have fun!
I open the cooler and pull out an IPA. The chill of the aluminum can is refreshing as I pop the top of the can and hear the release of carbonation as it escapes from confinement. The first drink of a cold beer is always the best.
I pair my phone to the bluetooth speaker, start up the classic rock playlist, which now includes my childhood favorites, Guns and Roses and Metallica. I am officially old… I mean distinguished!
While setting up the camping stove, I am pleasantly surprised to see a travel trailer coming and turning into the parking lot where we are located. They park in the corner and are immediately followed by a few more tailgaters!
The folks in the travel trailer ask us to set up our cornhole set with theirs so everyone can use them. We do it without hesitation.
Almost in a blink of an eye, the parking lot is just about full. An hour and a half before game time, the tailgate party is rocking with people grilling, drinking, having cornhole tournaments, playing street soccer, and socializing.
The New Mexico United supporters group is called The Curse and are the occupants of the travel trailer. The Curse have a crowd gathered as they provide food and drinks for the tailgaters, including kegs from Starr Brothers Brewing for adult consumption. I sign up for a Curse membership and receive my official Curse scarf. The scarf is immediately hijacked by my daughter, but I do not care as I have my stout in one hand and a Curse membership card in the other!
About 30 minutes prior to kickoff, The Curse lead the march from the UNM football parking lot to Isotopes Park across the street. The chanting and flag waving gets the adrenaline pumping, and it is clear that these soccer fans are ready for the match! Surprisingly, the ticket takers are able to handle the rambunctious tailgating crowd and as we enter, the stadium is beginning to look like the 13,000 fans that are expected.
I really have doubts about how a baseball stadium will handle a soccer pitch. However, my doubts subside as I walk along the walkway to our seating section. The baseball diamond and mound are visible, but through some great work and creativity by the grounds crew, the dirt is covered in sod and forms a complete, contiguous natural grass field.
For my first ever USL game, I choose to sit in the second level of Isotopes Park to make certain that I can see the entire pitch. After arriving, it is clear that the orientation of the field provides a decent view from any seat. I begin to think to myself that this arrangement just may work for soccer! As we approach our second level seats, I am ecstatic. From the second level, the whole pitch can be seen except for the far northwest corner, which is only an issue during a corner kick. Even then, the action is usually in front of the net; so this is minor.
As the match kicks off between the United and Fresno FC, the crowd is standing, cheering, dancing, and waving black-and-yellow New Mexico United flags. Music is playing in the stadium, creating a fun, hectic atmosphere. The electricity in the stadium is so powerfully charged that a casual observer-not knowing that this is the first ever New Mexico United match-will think that this is an established team in an established venue.
A few minutes in, the loudness dampens as the crowd intently watches the game, hoping that New Mexico United can get the first goal of the match. With every breathtaking attempt on goal, there are gasps, oohs, and awes in anticipation of a score.
With any sports team, there are fan traditions, and the United are working on creating their own. At 19:12 on the clock, the crowd goes crazy as it marks the year that New Mexico became a state. The fan frenzy continues for over a minute until the 20:19 mark, which is the year that the New Mexico United became a reality. This will hopefully become a mainstay at all home matches-a celebration of the uniqueness and togetherness of the state.
It does not take long for the crowd to erupt again when the first goal in New Mexico United history is scored 25 minutes into the game. As if written in a fairy tale, Devon Sandoval, a well-known figure in the Albuquerque soccer world, rips a strike from the top of the penalty area and finds the net for the score!
The supporters’ section is going wild at the south end of the stands. New Mexico United and Curse flags wave rapidly, yet harmoniously, in the chaos while smoke bombs go off, engulfing the stands in a slow moving, yellow fog. Fireworks ignite and explode above the stadium and chants of “Ole, ole, ole, ole!” echo through Isotopes Park. The announcer exclaims,”Goal scored by Devon…” and the crowd replies, “Sandoval!” This is another tradition that will be exercised after every United goal scored. Hopefully, a tradition that fans can practice often!
At this moment, I know I am hooked, and I hope the rest of New Mexico is as well!
¡Vámonos United! ¡Somos Unidos!
