FIFA World Cup: US match with Australia increases Fan Fest energy

Thousands of soccer fans packed into Centennial Olympic Park to watch the U.S. Men’s National Team take on Australia on Friday.

So many fans arrived, the event reached capacity and gates were temporarily closed. But the gates reopened about 30 minutes later.

Channel 2’s Bryan Mims was in the middle of the FIFA Fan Fest, where most fans there were rooting for the U.S., but not everyone.

The red-white-and-blue pride spilled out of fans of all sizes.

While the U.S. Men’s National Team was playing far away in Seattle, being here, among all these pumped-up futbol fans, the game on the big screen felt up close and personal.

Pride in the ATL poured out of this crowd, too.

“I think it’s just the energy of the city this whole month. It makes you want to get out, do something, explore where you live,” soccer fan Sheta Desai said. She lives in Sandy Springs and is at Fan Fest for the first time.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she says. And she wants her 4-year-old and 5-year-old to be immersed in the culture.

Nancy Peters is from northern Virginia, here to see Sunday’s match in Atlanta.

She thinks the U.S. Men’s National Team will come out on top against the land down under.

“They looked really good the other day. I feel like they have a strong chance to pull off a win,” Peters said.

Australia’s colors in the crowd were spotted on the back of Mick Beard, an Aussie who has made his home in Atlanta for a decade.

He has divided allegiances.

“Oh yeah, it’s a win win,” Beard said. “Atlanta is home now, so it’s a bit of a house divided. If the US and Aussies draw one-one, we keep the peace in the household. We keep the peace in the workplace. And we all win.”

And indeed, the U.S. Men’s National Team prevailed 2-0 against Australia.

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