Manchester United Fires Up Fans

The last time Manchester United came to Chicago, Nick Rojas was less than impressed. The most popular soccer club in the world played Bayern Munich in an exhibition at Soldier Field back in 2004, but the game left many fans unsatisfied.

“The hype was crazy,” said Rojas, an assistant boys soccer coach for Loyola Academy. “The game wound up to be pretty bad as [Manchester United] played a lot of second-string and third-string players.”

Seven years later it seems that Chicago is willing to give the Red Devils a second chance. As part of the World Football Challenge, Manchester United played the Chicago Fire on Saturday at Soldier Field, not at the smaller Toyota Park where the Fire normally play.

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While Cory Gibbs' early goal gave the Fire a 1-0 lead, Manchester United answered back minutes for the equalizer with a header.

Considered one of the most powerful teams in the world, Manchester United won 3-1 despite sitting most of its best players for most of the game.

More than 61,000 fans attended the match that pitted Chicago’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team against one of the English Premier League’s most storied soccer clubs. As of Friday afternoon, the cheapest tickets on Stubhub.com were going for $60.

Since the game was announced in late March, local soccer stores have received a boost in sales. Chicago Soccer, a soccer specialty store with four locations including one at Skokie's Westfield Old Orchard Mall, has been selling tickets to the game as well as sports apparel.

“As far as jerseys go, we sold out of one style, received more in stock and we have customers asking to put an item on hold,” said Les Ramirez, manager of Chicago Soccer’s main store on Western Avenue in Clarendon Hills. “Our sales are a lot better when it comes to the jerseys.”

At its Old Orchard location, Chicago Soccer said it sold out of 200 game tickets within a month and Manchester United jerseys were a hot commodity.

“Of this season’s jersey we only have a couple left and it’s sold really well,” said Deedee Fnu, manager at the mall store. “We’re getting sales of a lot of names and numbers on the back for players like [Wayne] Rooney.”

The match was broadcast on ESPN2 and many people who didn’t score tickets to the game told Skokie Patch they planned to watch the broadcast. A spokesman for in Skokie said the restaurant expected a good crowd to show up on Saturday afternoon.

Even after watching the game seven years ago, Rojas told Skokie Patch on Friday that he planned to head down to Soldier Field. The soccer fan said he and his friends would not pass up on an opportunity to see some of the best soccer players in the world.

“Chicago’s one of the biggest soccer communities in the whole country," Rojas said. "So when a powerhouse like Manchester United comes, we’re excited to finally see them.

“The excitement over here is great, the stadium is great and I’m sure the pregame festivities are going to be one-of-a-kind,” he added.

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