National pride is the GOAL

The buzzing of vuvuzelas and the beating of drums will fill the night sky on June 7, as Greece and Ecuador faceoff in the inaugural soccer match at Citi Field. The importance of the game extends far beyond its friendly status.
The large Greek and Ecuadorian communities in Queens will make the match a heated contest, with neither team wanting to disappoint its passionate followers.
“We take our soccer very seriously,” said New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, a Greek-American who represents Astoria. “With Corona and Astoria being so close to one another, I think we are going to need police to create a demilitarized area for this game to make sure that we don’t cross the boundaries and engage in warfare.”
Although Greece is the higher ranked team, Ecuadorians are not lacking in confidence.
“I’m glad to see [Senator Gianaris] smiling,” said New York State Assemblymember Francisco Moya, an Ecuadorian-American representing Jackson Heights. “Because after the Ecuadorian team victory on June 7, I’m sure he won’t be.”
Gianaris and Moya, who were named honorary captains for the game, have each predicted a two-goal victory for their respective countries. They have also made a wager of a platter of baklava against a tray of empanadas.
This was not the initial attempt to host a soccer match at Citi Field, but now that the time has finally come, the Mets organization is not disappointed they had to wait. “It’s a historic event to have the first ever soccer match at Citi Field,” said Dave Howard, the executive vice president of business operations for the Mets. “But especially to have two national teams with some of the best players in the world and have very strong connections to our community.”
Howard hopes soccer matches at Citi Field will become a yearly tradition, and the announcement of another game, between a major European club and a major South American club, may be eminent.
As anticipation grows for the showdown between Greece and Ecuador, the brunt of the work has yet to be done. The conversion of the field from baseball diamond to football pitch will take approximately 24 hours. Sod will first be installed on two thirds of the infield dirt, after which the lines will be drawn. Lastly, the goals will be placed on the third baseline and in right-center field. This layout was chosen specifically for the sightlines it created for the game’s spectators.
With over 20,000 tickets already sold, Howard believes a sellout of over 40,000 people is possible. Fans will be allowed to bring drums and vuvuzelas, and the noise is expected to reach deafening levels.
“We are anticipating an equal amount of noise from the supporters of each team,” said Howard. “We expect it to be pretty balanced, but we know its going to be very loud.”