7.30pm 6 July 2013
USA, National Premier Soccer League, Sunshine Conference
Miami United 2 Cape Coral Hurricanes 1 (att 48)
This game was just one level a lower than the previous week's game I watched at Orlando City, but the differences between this experience and my visit to the Citrus Bowl were huge.
For Orlando City I bought $20 tickets in advance online, and collected them from a busy ticket office before kick off. Here I was let in through an open gate, and if I'd been less honest I wouldn't have needed to find a home official to purchase a $5 ticket.
Miami United were only formed last year, and like Orlando have their eyes on an MLS franchise, although I assume their plans are longer term. At kick off there were barely 30 people in the ground, and the crowd peaked at less than 50.
The standard for football was also noticeable worse than at Orlando. Cape Coral are bottom of the league, but took a surprise early lead thanks to an own goal from a corner, following bad errors by both goalkeeper and a defender.
Miami were ahead by half time though. Their equaliser was a fine free kick, but the winner was courtesy of Cape Coral's goalkeeper dropping the ball and gifting a tap in to a Miami forward. Surprisingly the second half was goalless, although the home side looked more threatening.
United play at the Ted Hendricks Stadium, in the Hialeah district of Miami, about a 30-40 minute drive from our South Beach hotel. It's a neat and tidy modern arena, with spectator accommodation consisting of a pair of uncovered metal stands facing each other across a pitch that, judging by its markings, is predominantly used for the American version of football.
USA, National Premier Soccer League, Sunshine Conference
Miami United 2 Cape Coral Hurricanes 1 (att 48)
This game was just one level a lower than the previous week's game I watched at Orlando City, but the differences between this experience and my visit to the Citrus Bowl were huge.
For Orlando City I bought $20 tickets in advance online, and collected them from a busy ticket office before kick off. Here I was let in through an open gate, and if I'd been less honest I wouldn't have needed to find a home official to purchase a $5 ticket.
Miami United were only formed last year, and like Orlando have their eyes on an MLS franchise, although I assume their plans are longer term. At kick off there were barely 30 people in the ground, and the crowd peaked at less than 50.
The standard for football was also noticeable worse than at Orlando. Cape Coral are bottom of the league, but took a surprise early lead thanks to an own goal from a corner, following bad errors by both goalkeeper and a defender.
Miami were ahead by half time though. Their equaliser was a fine free kick, but the winner was courtesy of Cape Coral's goalkeeper dropping the ball and gifting a tap in to a Miami forward. Surprisingly the second half was goalless, although the home side looked more threatening.
United play at the Ted Hendricks Stadium, in the Hialeah district of Miami, about a 30-40 minute drive from our South Beach hotel. It's a neat and tidy modern arena, with spectator accommodation consisting of a pair of uncovered metal stands facing each other across a pitch that, judging by its markings, is predominantly used for the American version of football.
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