Global Soccer, Global NYC

Copa America 2016. Colombia 0 - Peru 0 (4-2 ON PKS)

17 June 2016, 8:00 pm. MetLife Stadium, NJ

Africa Cup of Nations 2015. Côte d’Ivoire 0 - Ghana 0 (9-8 on PKs)8 February 2015, 2:00 pm. The Shrine, Harlem

A packed crowd filled the Shrine in Harlem for their AFCON 2015 final viewing party to see Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana battle not only for continental footballing supremacy, but also for all-important bragging rights in the African communities in Harlem and the Bronx for the next two years. 

A mostly drab, cautious encounter on the pitch was still a lively affair uptown as the hundred plus, mostly Ivorian fans at the Shrine brought tremendous support for their team as pints of beer and shots of whisky flowed freely throughout the afternoon. 

Côte d’Ivoire started with solid possession but were hit twice by dangerous first half counter-attacks from Ghana that saw both Christian Atsu and Andre Ayew hit the woodwork. The second half lacked memorable moments as both teams remained cautious. Despite the caginess of the encounter, however, one woman clad in orange and struggling to get the best out of her vuvuzela still exclaimed, “this is like the super bowl for Africans, only better!”  

As regulation ended, it seemed certain that the match would go to penalties just like the 1992 final between these two teams when Côte d’Ivoire won from the spot after a goalless draw. Many of the Ivorian fans in Harlem were too young to remember that victory, their last AFCON title, and the growing sense of a generational moment was palpable. 

After missing their first two kicks, veteran “golden generation” keeper Boubacar Barry stepped up big and, after every field player had taken a PK, saved Ghanian keeper Brimah Razak’s shot and then scored himself to win it. As Barry’s shot hit the back of the net, the Ivorians in Harlem celebrated by raising chairs, dancing, collapsing to the ground, embracing, and singing sections of the national anthem. 

One Ivorian fan, overcome with emotion, spoke of national unity and emphasized just how much this victory meant for his country in its post-civil war period. “Everything will be shut down tomorrow! It will be a holiday, the partying will go all night long, in the south and the north,” he said.

As we left and walked towards 116th street, groups of singing Ivorian fans filled the frozen streets, restaurants, barber shops, and markets in the area. After a 23 year wait, just like in Abidijan and Bouake (and Beirut), the celebrations in Harlem weren’t stopping anytime soon. 

Africa Cup of Nations 2015. Algeria 1 - Côte d’Ivoire 3 1 February 2015, 2:30 pm. Egyptian Coffee Shop, Astoria 

Steinway Street in Astoria was filled with Algerian fans ahead of the quarterfinal match between Les Fennecs and Les Éléphants. 

Hundreds of Algeria supporters crowded into the various Egyptian and Lebanese hookah bars and Algerian-run Italian coffee spots that dot the block in the Arab neighborhood in Queens, hoping to see their talented national side fulfill its AFCON potential against a strong Côte d’Ivoire team that was growing with confidence each game. 

We settled into Egyptian Coffee Shop, proudly advertised as “the first hookah bar in the United States,” and promptly ordered a round of fresh mint teas and a hookah with double apple shisha.

Wilfried Bony scored against the run of play in the 26th minute with a textbook header that brought out the frustrations of the Algerian fans. Arabic profanity continued to float freely alongside thick clouds of shisha smoke as halftime drew near. 

After the break, Hilal Soudani leveled in the 51st minute and the fans erupted in revelry inside the dark and smoky establishment. Flags were unfurled and embraces were celebratory for a few minutes before the nervy fans took their seats once again clutching hookah hoses and masbahas. 

Despite good possession, Algeria couldn’t  break down the Ivorian defense and found themselves picking the ball out of the back of the net once again after another Bony header. Committing numbers forward at the end of the match, Algeria was hit once more on the counter attack as Gervinho made it 3-1 and caused an immediate exodus of exasperated Algerian fans out onto a frozen Steinway street.

As we settled our bill, the bemused Egyptian owner was trying to calm down a slightly aggressive and/or drugged-up Algerian fan who had stolen a flag from someone else. 

Meanwhile, out on the street, dozens of Algerian fans danced, sang, and took group pictures while others stood on cars and chain-smoked cigarettes. Algeria was knocked out of AFCON, but the Algerians in Queens were still celebrating on the street as if they had won the tournament.    

Africa Cup of Nations 2015.  Côte d'Ivoire 1 - Mali 1 24 January 2015, 11:00 am. La Savane, Harlem

On a cold January morning we trudged up to 116th Street in Harlem to check out the Côte d'Ivoire v Mali match at La Savane, one of the two Ivorian spots in the area. 

La Savane may be an Ivorian-owned establishment with primarily Ivorian food on the menu, but it also boasts a Malian chef who seemed to have lured a sizable number of local Malians to watch the game there.

Too early for the Ivorian stews, we made due with sweet coffee, baguettes with butter, and heavenly spicy ginger juices. With the restaurant packed and the fans split almost equally down the middle, the French banter was intense and, at times, seemed likely to escalate to confrontation. 

Bakary Sako’s early strike raised the spirits (and voices) of the Malian fans during much of the first half. The Ivorian contingent, on the other hand, had little to celebrate beyond Wilfried Bony's world class elastica nutmug at full speed. 

At one point a random Malian Fresh Direct delivery guy entered the restaurant, saw the 1-0 scoreline, talked trash to the orange-clad Ivorian fans, and then quickly walked out. 

The Ivorians would have the last laugh however, as substitute Max Gradel’s cool sidefooted strike leveled in the 86th minute and sent the uptown Les Elephants into vocal celebration for a clutch Group D point.     

World Cup 2014.  Argentina 0 - Germany 1

13 July 2014, 3:00 pm. Rio Plata Bakery, Elmhurst 

“Few things happen in Latin America that do not have some direct or indirect relation with soccer. Whether it’s something we celebrate together, or a shipwreck that takes us all down, soccer counts in Latin America, sometimes more than anything else.” - Eduardo Galeano

After an amazing month of matches being played in Brazil and watched all over New York City, we headed for the intersection of Junction and Corona in Queens to catch the climactic final between Argentina and Germany.

Foolishly thinking we could get a seat at a local steakhouse/butcher if we came three hours prior to kickoff, we arrived to find hundreds of drum-playing, Malvinas-defending, and air horn-blowing la Albiceleste supporters spilling out of each and every Argentinian establishment in the area and converging in the street in great anticipation of a potential third star.

As the start of the game got closer we temporarily satiated ourselves with baked empanadas and dark chocolate alfajores from a nearby grocery store and came to the conclusion that, like the hundreds and hundreds of other sky blue festooned fans, we would be watching the final in the street by peering at the glare-y TV inside Rio Plata Bakery. 

This, of course, added to the overall final experience and ended up being a fitting conclusion to our month watching the 2014 World Cup with various fans at unconventional NYC spots that included everything from Cameroonian diplomatic missions, Algerian-run Italian coffee houses, Colombian hair salons, Ivorian cabbie hangouts, Japanese conveyor belt sushi spots, and Uruguayan bakeries.  

As the match began we found ourselves wedged in on the crowded street between Argentinian men, women, and children of all ages who were jostling for some semblance of a vantage point towards the TV in the overflowing bakery.

The mood was festive with dozens of drummers, face-painting on offer, and the now infamous Argentinian chant being sung, set to the tune of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Bad Moon Rising, that taunts the host nation, “Brazil, decime qué se siente, tener en casa tu papa” (Brazil, tell me how it feels, to be bossed around in your own home).

Argentina had their chances in the first half, attacking with pace down the wings and putting pressure on Germany’s right back. Leo Messi uncharacteristically fired wide on a breakaway after a lovely through pass from Gonzalo Higuain, squandering an excellent opportunity. Higuain himself then missed one of the sitters of the tournament after a Tony Kroos error before having another converted chance disallowed. 

Germany had more chances in the second half but the stalemate continued until the end of regulation. In extra time Mario Götze provided the one moment of decisive brilliance that settled the Cup, a wonderful left foot finish in the 113th minute that stunned the Argentinians in Elmhurst. 

Argentina had one final chance to tie it up and force PKs, a Messi free kick just outside the box. As he lined up the crowd in Queens began to chant his name as we had all seen him bury such chances so many times before. Sadly, the world’s best player skyed his attempt, sending a wild shot way over the bar and effectively sealing Germany’s fourth World Cup. 

As we walked home trying to hail a cab we talked about the game, Argentina’s missed chances, and the sadness that permeated the neighborhood. Ultimately, however, we talked about how much the World Cup means beyond Elmhurst, beyond Queens, beyond NYC, beyond Argentina, beyond Germany, beyond Latin America, and beyond Europe. It is a global spectacle that connects humanity to itself and then back again; unmatched and unforgettable. Only four more years… 

World Cup 2014.  Holland 0 - Argentina 0 (2-4 on PKs) 

9 July 2014, 4:00 pm. Tonic/Hurley’s Saloon, Times Square

The acclaimed Holland supporters’ bar in NYC is Tonic in Times Square. We arrived two hours early for the showdown against Argentina, but this course of action still did not grant us enough time to get in as the orange clad line was already stretched down the block.

Tonic’s Facebook page thankfully directed us to an alternative viewing locale around the corner, and we nestled in to a tense and strangely quiet atmosphere as the Dutch watched their compatriots face the Argentinians. 

It is no secret that this was one of the most arduous, if not boring, match of the entire World Cup. In fact, it was the only match, where we felt confident to use the lavatory during the game with no fear of missing crucial action. The tireless efforts of a perpetually-flopping Robben or triple-teamed Messi were no match against the ennui that seemed to slow the minutes of regulation and extra time.

And, if that was not enough strain for the Dutch angst in the room, the match was pushed to penalty kicks. The win ultimately came as a result of Argentina’s hero-keeper Sergio Romero and the heart and deep, painful defensive sacrifices, of Javier Mascherano.

La Albiceleste’s confidence was thus sealed and they went on to complete all their shots, sending themselves into the ultimate match of the Cup and setting up a rematch of the ‘86 and '90 finals against Germany.  

World Cup 2014.  Germany 7 - Brazil 1 

8 July 2014, 4:00 pm. Zum Schneider Outdoor Viewing Party, Kips Bay

We stood in a parking lot adjacent to the East River, which was renovated to a biergarten by the German restaurant Zum Schneider, who even have their own soccer club the Zum Schneider FC in the local Metro Soccer League here in NYC. It proved to be an ideal viewing party for the macabre scenes that soon unfolded on the Brazilians as the Germans tactfully demonstrated their might upon a weakened Seleção.

With delicious brats bathed in spicy mustard and tall Wurzburgers in hand, we stood in anticipation alongside a gaggle of German fans to see how the Brazilians would overcome the physiological trauma of losing Neymar to a cracked spine and the suspension of their crucial defensive stalwart Thiago Silva.

Let’s be honest, Brazil’s home advantage and emotional volatility carried them into the round of 16. Each match they faced seemed to be an uphill struggle. The last time Brazil was shocked so badly in defeat was the Maracanazo, the famous 2-1 loss to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final, which seemingly pales in comparison to what was about to transpire in front of us.

The agony truly began during the buildup to third goal, as it happened so quickly that the Zum Schneider crowd initially mistook it for a replay, as they had not even finished celebrating Klose’s previous goal. And, the goals proceeded to rain into the Brazilian net from there… thus paving the way for Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals and the collective emotional shock of the host nation.

We witnessed history. We witnessed the Brazilian pain and tears of the Minerazo alongside the cheers of the jubilant Germans in NYC.

World Cup 2014.  Brazil 2 - Colombia 1 

4 July 2014, 4:00 pm. Beija-Flor Restaurant, Long Island City

For Brazil’s clutch quarterfinal match against a flying Colombia, we headed to Beija-Flor Restaurant in the Brazilian-dominated area in Queens on the Long Island City/Astoria border.

The interior was packed an hour before kickoff, with yellow-clad fans of all ages standing between full tables and spilling out the door to watch the game on the large projector screen in the back of the festive restaurant.

A middle aged woman painted diminutive Brazilian flags on people’s faces as “eu sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor” (I’m Brazilian, with a lot of pride, with a lot of love) chants rang out.

We settled into our prime seats and proceeded to order passion fruit caipirinhas, skirt steaks, buckets of Brazilian beer, and delicious little salted cod croquettes from the overstretched yet incredibly friendly waitstaff as the game began, with both teams playing an extremely physical style where tactical fouls were frequently deployed from the start. 

The Brazilians in Queens were treated to a fortuitous beginning, with Thiago Silva scoring at the back post in the 7th minute after some sloppy defending.

An old man stood on his seat and pumped his fist with equal parts excitement and relief, a girl whipped out a concealed vuvuzela festooned with a Brazilian flag and blew it towards the heavens, and couples of all ages lovingly embraced.     

Shortly after the first goal, a full percussion section magically appeared in Beija-Flor's standing-room-only entry way. They proceeded to play incredible Brazilian music (with a tambourine player rocking a yellow “jiu jitsu Dad” shirt even dipping into occasional spoken word match commentary in Portuguese) for the rest of the game, sidewalk halftime show included. This was easily one of our World Cup in NYC highlights over the past few weeks. 

The brutal fouling continued in the second half with the referee struggling to keep control of the match before David Luiz’s wonderful free kick smashed into the upper right corner of the net in the 69th, sending the Brazilians in Queens into full party mode. 

Colombia got one back in the 80th from James “player-of-the-tournament” Rodríguez and he was swiftly congratulated by a giant green bug, but it was too late for Los Cafeteros. 

As the final whistle sounded the party at Beija-Flor spilled onto the streets, carnival hats were passed around, cars waving Brazilian flags passed by sounding congratulatory air horns from their moon roofs, and elderly women sambaed to the sounds of the incredible five piece percussion section that never stopped playing.