Fans revel in US women’s soccer team’s ‘unbelievable’ victory – Chicago Tribune
Concentrated quiet turned to crazed screams in Lincoln Park on Sunday night as thousands watched the U.S. women’s national team score two goals on Japan within the first few minutes of the World Cup final.
The crowd ignited as Carli Lloyd rewrote the World Cup record books with a hat trick — three goals — in 16 minutes, as the U.S. went on to defeat Japan 5-2.
“Unbelievable,” said Mike D’Amico, a member of Chicago’s chapter of American Outlaws, a group that supports the men’s and women’s national soccer teams. The 32-year-old gawked starry-eyed at the big screen, dressed as Teddy Goalsevelt, a persona that TV cameras made famous during last summer’s World Cup.
Hours before the game started, D’Amico and chapter members practiced chants, talked soccer and drank at a Streeterville bar before boarding buses to the watch party near Stockton and LaSalle.
The chapter’s president, Jake Campbell, led the group members, beating a huge drum over and over as they weaved through downtown. The members waved flags and swigged Malort as they made their way toward Lincoln Park.
“I believe, I believe that, I believe that we, I believe that we will, I believe that we will win!” they yelled to passers-by on Michigan Avenue.
When their two yellow school buses came to a stop, the group marched to the park’s Benjamin Franklin statue. There, member Robbie Gullett climbed onto Franklin and tied on a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag.
At the watch party just north of the statue, ESPN radio host Sarah Spain spoke to the crowd just before game time.
“They know you’re here,” Spain said on stage as she emceed the U.S. Soccer and Chicago Park District event. “The U.S. women’s national team knows about this watch party.”
Four hours before the first kick, people were setting up. Families and friends were setting out lawn chairs and blankets as music blared and drinks flowed from the beer garden. By 6 p.m., the crowd had swelled to about 8,000, said U.S. Soccer spokesman Sinhue Mendoza.
Spain read the starting lineup. After each name, cheers followed. She mentioned Abby Wambach — how Sunday’s game would be the U.S. forward’s fourth and final World Cup. The crowd went wild.
Frances Hutchison, 11, sat in the grass with her mother, Sandra Grochowski, as the U.S. players took the field in Vancouver. Hutchison played soccer at Latin School of Chicago and came to the party to “see them win,” she said.
Next to her, Breda O’Donnell’s face was painted as an American flag. The 19-year-old Carthage College soccer player sat with her former high school soccer teammate Alexis Hooker, 19.
“We’ve been playing since we were 6 years old together,” Hooker said.
Hooker and O’Donnell watched patiently as the game started, but it didn’t take long before they and D’Amico were swallowed into the growing sea of soccer fans as the U.S. scored goal after goal before the end of the first half.
After the game ended and the win was secured, Mendoza said most of the crowd stayed to watch the trophy ceremony.
The American Outlaws stayed too, but not before they marched back to the Franklin statue and chanted in triumph. Among the cheers, they sang “Sweet Carli Lloyd” to the tune of “Sweet Caroline.”
As the U.S. team accepted the World Cup trophy, a member of the group climbed up and retrieved the flag tied to the Franklin statue. But an American Outlaw scarf remained around Franklin’s neck, even as the core group and thousands of fans began to pack up and head home — or continue the celebration.
Twitter @rachelacrosby
Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune
About Us
Free Shipping
If your order is $35 or more, you may qualify for free shipping. With free shipping, your order will be delivered 5-8 business days.
