Major League Soccer

Saturday 9th April 2016

Kick off 16.00 Actual 16.18

Montreal Impact 2 Columbus Crew 0,  attendance 22,053

48′ 1-0 H. Camara

86′ 2-0 K. Bekker

@ Stade Olympique de Montreal

4545,  Avenue Pierre-De-Coubertin

Montreal, QC H1V 3N7

Admission  $29 + $8 fees, print at home ticket.

No programme.

Quebec weather is too severe for early season home games in MLS, so Montreal Impact move their first couple of matches from their Saputo Stadium, just a few hundred yards away, to the much bigger Stade Olympique, which has one distinct advantage, it has a roof. This guarantees the game will go ahead, but as the pitch here is synthetic, it also means that star striker Didier Drogba will not be playing as his knees cannot take the pounding on these pitches compared to the much more forgiving natural grass. When I exited the airport on Friday evening to catch my hotel shuttle bus, it was snowing very lightly and was already down to minus 4 degrees, and it was only 8pm !

The Stade Olympique was opened in 1976, and as the name suggests, hosted the Summer Olympics of that year. It has a capacity of 66,308, some three times that of Saputo Stadium. Access to the stadium is easy if arriving on the subway as you enter directly from the station without going outside, which helps when the temperature was minus 9 degrees later that evening.

The first difference I notice here, is unlike in U.S.A., the fans actually watch the match, rather than go to eat and drink for the whole ninety minutes. So much better and means you can actually enjoy the match without constant interruptions of people filing in and out of their seats. Surely a visit to their local restaurant would be a better way of spending their time if the actual sport is of no interest to them ?

Great atmosphere, despite only being a third full, and pleasantly warm as well. Impact were always in control, but never totally comfortable until the second goal killed it off.

The match ticket also included admission for the F.C. Montreal match in the USL, but I didn’t fancy hanging around until 7.30pm for that one to start. I also had an option of ice hockey at Montreal Canadiens in the NHL, but despite being doable by subway, the starting price of $166 for tickets, even on the resale websites, put me off.

North Texas Premier Soccer Association

Division 1A (Spring Season)

Sunday 3rd April 2016

Kick off 17.00 Actual 17.22

Santos F.C. 1 Leon F.C. 3,  attendance 26

23′ 0-1

24′ 1-1

39′ 1-2

83′ 1-3

@ Samuell Garland Park, Pitch 7

11500, McCree Road

Dallas, TX 75218

No admission or programme.

Since opening, the entrance has moved to a different road, if the address on the sign outside is believed. There are a mixture of pitches here, six of them being full size. This pitch is floodlit and has a small section of metal bleachers.

North American Soccer League

Saturday 2nd April 2016

Kick off 19.00 Actual 19.28

Rayo OKC 0 F.C. Edmonton 0,  attendance 6,416

@ Miller Stadium

1777, South Yukon Parkway

Yukon, OK 73099

$10 admission

Programme free, 36 pages.

From Norman, it was a 45 minute drive for the second game of the day and debut of N.A.S.L. newcomers Rayo OKC. They have the same owners as Rayo Vallecano in Spain’s La Liga, who would perhaps be better off financing them, as they regularly struggle in the top flight, rather than set up another professional club in direct competition to Oklahoma City Energy F.C. who admittedly play in the U.S.L. at level 3.

Miller Stadium is home to the Yukon High School Millers American Football team,  who also play in red and white colours, so the stadium does look more like a proper home to Rayo. A pretty good crowd in a stadium that holds 6,500, although judging by the empty spaces, either the crowd was wrong or the stadium holds more than stated. I have to say the food on offer was of very poor quality, especially the cheese burger I sampled. One bite, which was of a cold bun and barely warm burger, saw it returned to the counter where the offer of a refund was gladly accepted. The pathetic excuse offered for serving sub standard fayre was that they only have one microwave to warm the food up. Disgusting. At least the mobile catering van on the far side of the stadium was better, especially the beef tacos.

Eventually, nearly half an hour late, made worse by having to endure two National Anthems, the match finally started. It certainly wasn’t worth the wait and was absolutely dire, not helped by a red card for the visitors after 30 minutes. There was a slight improvement when new signing Georgios Samaras, former Manchester City and Celtic striker, came on for the final 12 minutes and Rayo actually looked like they might nick it.