International Champions Cup

Wednesday 3rd August 2016

Kick off 20.00 Actual 20.33

A.C. Milan 1 Chelsea F.C. 3,  attendance 64,101

24′ 0-1 B. Traore

38′ 1-1 G. Bonaventura

70′ 1-2 Oscar (pen)

87′ 1-3 Oscar

@ U.S. Bank Stadium

401, Chicago Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55415

Admission $42 + $16.07 fees, Print at home ticket.

No programme.

The U.S. Bank stadium is brand new and tonight’s match was the first ever sporting match to be played here. Perhaps this explained the late start, a ridiculous 33 minutes behind schedule, although no announcement was made regarding this. It is a fixed-roof stadium, located in Downtown East and is on the site of the former Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. It is home to the Minnesota Vikings of the N.F.L. and is designed on the outside to resemble a Viking ship. Capacity here is 66,200, expandable to 70,000, for future events, such as the Super Bowl in 2018.

I had flown direct from St. Louis into Minneapolis, rather than nipping home to Dallas for a night, having arrived early Tuesday evening. Again, I used a hotel near the airport,  as it guaranteed public transport would be readily available. The airport is served by the Blue Line of the METRO rail system, which is on the same line as the U.S. Bank Stadium, (using the same name for the station) just 10 stops away. Fares are $1.75 each way and having a ticket pre purchased for the return journey meant I was on the second train back towards the airport pretty quickly after the game.

I have totally lost touch with Italian football. I used to keep an eye on Milans results as they were the first Italian club I visited, but of today’s players it was just the Japanese player Keisuke Honda that I recognised and he only played the last 23 minutes. Chelsea, as would be expected, were very familiar. Just Olaoluwa Aina that was unknown to me.

Flight back to Dallas would be early tomorrow morning.