Football

Ecuador v Haiti

Copa America Centenario

Group B

Sunday 12th June 2016

Kick off 18.30 Actual 18.36

Ecuador 4 Haiti 0,  attendance 49,438

11′ 1-0 E. Valencia

20′ 2-0 J. Ayovi

57′ 3-0 C.Noboa

78′ 4-0 A. Valencia

@ MetLife Stadium

1, MetLife Stadium Drive

East Rutherford, NJ 07073

Admission $72 + $16.25 fees, Print at home ticket

No programme.

First job today was to go to the airport and pick up a hire car for the day. I opted for a non toll route, having plenty of time for the 100 mile drive north east and arrived a good hour and a half before kick off which enabled me to get a good car park space for a quick exit after the match.

The MetLife Stadium has a capacity of 82,566 and is home to the New York Giants and New York Jets of the N.F.L. It is also where the tournament final will be held. It was opened in 2010, originally named New Meadowlands Stadium, and replaced Giants Stadium that stood just a few hundred yards away on what is now part of the car park here.

With Haiti unable to qualify for the quarter finals it meant Ecuador had a great chance of getting a win and going through in second place in the group behind Brazil, or so we thought. Unbelievably, Brazil lost their game 0-1 to Peru, which meant it was they who finished top of the group instead, with Brazil eliminated.  It was a really entertaining match and good atmosphere considering it was not even two thirds full. Ecuador had it sewn up pretty early on so the game was very open and great to watch as a neutral. Haiti played their part and although they lost all 3 games in the group they won’t be too concerned as they were never expected to do anything but.

After the match it only took about 5 minutes to exit the car park. This time I opted for the toll route back to Philadelphia, joining about a mile south of the stadium and incredibly staying on it for 71 miles. When I finally reached a toll booth I was expecting far more than the $11.20 charge, especially as it knocked around 30 minutes off the driving time. Hire car returned and back to the hotel as I wasn’t flying back until mid morning the following day.