More Local

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
• Former Marine to serve two years in jail for killing Albuquerque robber
• Wilson-Pearce battle for U.S. Senate exemplifies party's disparity

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

The cheers say it all.

Some of the fans scream "Go, go, go!" as team Soles drives toward the goal.

The rest whistle and shout, "Andale, andale!"

Energy pulsed through players and fans who hail from at least five different countries. They gathered at USS Bullhead Memorial Park in Southeast Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon.

They were eager to catch the Duke City championship of Copa Tecate, with the winning team earning an all-expenses paid trip to regional competition in Los Angeles on June 10.

They also were part of something more than a soccer game, a chance for a community gather on a sunny yet comfortable afternoon for a little entertainment and camaraderie.

"It's so much fun to be out here," said Lisa Aimes, a 35-year-old Albuquerque native. "A lot of people in the city don't realize what they're missing. This is great soccer and a great atmosphere. I love it.

"I watched my family play in an earlier game, but we stay to watch the championship game because it's just that good."

This is the seventh year Albuquerque teams have participated in Copa Tecate, with upstart Soles claiming a 5-1 win over La Maldita Vecindad.

Sergio Gomez, a 36-year-old Panama native, plays on Resto del Mundo but stayed after his consolation game Sunday to watch the championship. He has been playing in the tournament for the past five years. Gomez said it is much different than the other city soccer league he plays in because the athletes import the style of play from their native countries.

"Most of the guys come from Mexico, and a lot of them could play for the pro leagues, but we do get a bunch from all over Latin America, a few from Germany, some from Africa and some guys from Albuquerque," he said. "The guys from Mexico set the tone and play a faster and more physical game, but they also are really skilled players.

"We've seen some youth teams come in here and expect to dominate, but they can't keep up with the older guys from Mexico because they're fast and they've been playing forever."

The championship game drew more than 250 fans, with youths kicking their own soccer balls on the sidelines.

Vendors set up shop around the field, selling nachos and Gatorade to the hungry and thirsty masses.

Ice cream salesmen pushed their carts around the field, competing for fans' attention. One man earned an advantage by wearing a baseball cap honoring Chivas, a popular Mexican club soccer team.

"I like to come out here and cheer for my dad or play with kids I know from my school," said Antonio Gomez, Sergio's 13-year-old son who finished the sixth grade at Wilson Middle School. "It's better than just a regular soccer game."

The athletes and fans treat this as more than a plain old soccer game because every match in this tournament involves more than a run at a trophy.

The lure of travel and national competition makes for harder hits and more intense cheers.

It is a chance at glory for men who work long hours during the week and are longshots, at best, for professional soccer careers.

"I blew out my knee, but I missed soccer so much that I had to find a way to get back to the game," said David Esquivel, a 24-year-old Highland High graduate who scored one of Soles' five goals. "I did a lot of yoga and different things to take care of my legs. I finally was able to play again, and I'm so glad I could be part of this tournament because they play great soccer."

Juan Rios, a 23-year-old from Ju rez, Mexico, scored a goal for Soles in the championship and earned some sweet revenge this year.

The league's dominant team, A-1 Pools, cut him from the roster this year. He opted to join upstart Soles. His team upset A-1 Pools in the quarterfinals and won another championship.

"They wanted to take their team in another direction and were loading up on different players, but I'm happy where I ended up," Rios said in Spanish. "We've got a very good team that works really well together. I think we've got a great chance of doing well in regionals and being the first team from Albuquerque to win the national championship."

Hamdan Al-Hassan, a 33-year-old Ghana native who plays with Sergio Gomez on Resto Del Mundo, said it will be tough for regional teams to knock out Soles. He praised the team's passing skills and speed.

Al-Hassan said he wouldn't miss the Copa Tecate championship and can't imagine walking away from the game.

"I dream soccer," he said. "When I first came to the United States, the first thing I had to do was figure out where I could play soccer."

Gomez recalls barely surviving the 2002 World Cup held in South Korea and Japan. He stumbled through his days toward the end of the monthlong competition with bloodshot eyes because he rose early to watch every game live.

"We were up until 2 o'clock (Sunday) morning watching Brazil play England," he said, smiling sheepishly. "We're definitely addicted."

Gomez and his family, along with the Soles players, said they hope more soccer fans throughout Albuquerque start watching Copa Tecate games.

"If people gave this a chance next year, I know they'd love it," Gomez said. "It's more than just a soccer game; it's a great experience."