Union Omaha held its first-ever international friendly against Liga MX team

Union Omaha’s first-ever international friendly ended in a loss, but fans said they put on a fun show.

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‘Massive for our community’: Union Omaha held its first-ever international friendly against Liga MX team

OMAHA, Neb. —

The World Cup is over, but professional international soccer continues here in Omaha.

Union Omaha faced off with FC Juarez, a team in the Liga MX, which is ranked the No. 1 professional soccer league in North and Central America.

Union Omaha’s first-ever international friendly ended in a loss, but fans said they put on a fun show.

One Union Omaha player said it was a special moment playing against his former team, FC Juarez.

“We knew there was going to be a wonderful atmosphere, so we wanted to reward the people that came out on a warm day and put a little bit of a spectacle on for them,” Union Omaha head coach Vincenzo Candela said.

From corner kicks to last-minute calls, Union Omaha gave fans an exciting matchup until the very last minute.

“Oh, it was great, it was great here,” soccer fan Samantha Lopez said. “The band from one side of Mexico and then here, the Union band, you could see which one was louder.”

FC Juarez is Union Omaha forward Aarón Gómez’s former team.

“When I played in Juarez, my city, I grew up there, and my family is there. So, it was a very beautiful moment,” Gómez said. “I got to see some friends there.”

Gómez said it was a fun match and that the team played well considering the other games they had lined up a few days before.

“To turn around playing almost 100-degree weather here at home, it’s mentally and physically tough,” Candela said. “I’m very pleased with the professional approach from the guys.”

Candela said the timing could not have been better to have this match just a week after the World Cup finished.

“It’s massive for our community, not only Omaha but all of Nebraska,” Candela said. “We want to play a part in growing the game here and putting not only more eyes on the sport, but more eyes on Union Omaha.”

The team’s owner, Gary Green, said the Morrison Stadium nearly sold out for this game, and the fans said the match was worth it.

Union Omaha may not have won, but as the coach said, this was a game to get soccer fans excited about the sport, especially following the highly-watched World Cup tournament.

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