ST. LOUIS — The rain and chilly temperatures did not keep St. Louis City Soccer Club fans away from their first playoff game at home!
Many St. Louis soccer fans were just waiting for an MLS team to make its way to the city; a team they could cheer for win or lose.
“They well overshot anybody's expectations and it's been nothing but phenomenal. To go from the pundits saying that we would do really poorly to everybody thought we would just hopefully make the playoffs to hosting the playoffs, it's another level. This is more than we could ever dream,” City SC fan John Layman said.
That dream can be felt and seen all over as they paint the town ‘City Red’ for the playoff run in this inaugural season for City SC.
“It's cool to see all the stops being pulled out and everyone is so excited. We drove in last night to see the Ferris wheel lit up red and everything, the whole city is in red. And so it's just been really cool to see all of it,” City SC fan Maggie Kelnhofer said.
The love for the team and the game itself knows no bounds.
“We've been waiting so long for this. Soccer is such like a huge part of our life. It was actually part of our wedding vows,” City SC fan Carla Layman said.
And sharing this experience with family is unmatched.
“It's heartwarming to see. Everyone's still coming out, coming together, even though it's really kind of miserable out here. People really rally for the team and rally for the city; it’s really cool,” Kelnhofer said.
The energy is electric and reaches well beyond the stands of Citypark.
“It’s just a dream come true. You know, we've been living for this for a long time, the city deserves this. And it's really wrapped around the soccer community, the fans are really here and enjoying it, embracing it. It's great,” City SC fan Chris Croughan said.
Layman said soccer is taking over St. Louis.
“It gets touted as a baseball town, but it's a soccer town with a baseball team. It's soccer's first,” Layman said.
After the match conclusion, they will head across the state to play Sporting KC on their turf next Sunday.
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