While supporters of Curaçao and Ivory Coast were at Philadelphia Stadium (known locally as Lincoln Financial Field) for their match, fans of all allegiances watched from the lawns of Lemon Hill Park at the FIFA Fan Festival.
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Both matches in the 4 p.m. window, Ivory Coast-Curaçao and Germany-Ecuador, drew crowds of people at the Fan Fest in the final group stage matches of Group E.
Ecuadorian fans watched on the festival’s secondary screen as their team overcame a Rocky-cursed start to the group stage and advanced to the knockout rounds with a 2-1 win over Germany.
Ivory Coast supporters watched their team secure its first trip to the knockout rounds at a FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 win over Curaçao.
Some fans at the festival planned to stick it out through to the U.S. match against Turkey at 10 p.m., while others were there to take in the festival’s environment briefly.
Ivory Coast to Chestnut Hill
Fans of Les Éléphants came from near and far to watch their team in Philly on Thursday.
Duski Kamagate was born in Abobo, a suburb of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city. He came to the U.S. to attend Chestnut Hill College and play on its soccer team.
Kamagate, sporting an orange Ivory Coast kit, attended Thursday’s Fan Festival with a few of his teammates from Chestnut Hill.
“I think it’s a great experience, being able to come watch the game, vibe and have fun,” Kamagate said. “I think it’s a good vibe.”
With Ivory Coast up 1-0 at halftime, Kamagate said he was not nervous about the country’s chances of making it to the round of 32.
“We don’t get nervous,” Kamagate said. “We’re used to pressure.”
Victor Tarchala attended the Fan Festival in the same orange Ivorian kit that Kamagate wore, but with far less connection to the country.
Tarchala entered the FIFA ticket lottery for the games at the Linc three times, and was selected in September. He purchased tickets to every match in Philadelphia and has hosted his family from across the country in his apartment in King of Prussia.
Tarchala attended the Brazil-Haiti and France-Iraq matches in Philly, and will attend Croatia-Ghana on Saturday, but gave up his seat to serve as the designated driver for a group of friends on Thursday.
Tarchala said it was an even split within his friend group for which nation to cheer on.
“It’s literally divided, between me and my friends, half and half,” Tarchala said. “The other half really want Curaçao [to win]. We came to this one because the shirt was available.”
Jerry Hill brought an unexpected accessory with him to the Fan Festival.
The English fan traveled to America to take in the World Cup alongside his wife, Pauline. Hill brought a customized English flag paying tribute to Aidan Morris, an American midfielder playing for Middlesbrough, Hill’s hometown team.
Hill said the flag is one of many custom flags he’s made to support Middlesbrough, but since Morris is an American player, Hill wanted to bring it on his journey through the States.
“Within four games, I thought, ‘This kid’s special,” Hill said.
Hill proudly displayed his flag, signed by Morris himself, in front of the main stage on Thursday while wearing a bright red Middlesbrough Hawaiian shirt.
While England did not have a game Thursday, Hill said he wanted to get a feel for the festival’s environment. Hill plans to take in England’s final game of the group stage from the New York New Jersey Fan Festival at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday.
The couple started their American journey in Florida for England’s friendlies, then traveled through Atlanta and Nashville before making a long haul drive to Philadelphia.
After they finished watching Ivory Coast-Curacao, the couple planned to go compare a few cheesesteaks at Pat’s and Geno’s.
“My wife will get one, I’ll get one of the other,” Hill said. “We’ll split it in half and see which one’s better.”
Hill does not have tickets to a World Cup match, but he did attend England games in the U.S. when it hosted the World Cup in 1994. He was impressed with how the American game has grown since.
“It was completely different, soccer wasn’t big here then,” Hill said. “We were trying to bring our atmosphere to get the fans behind the team … On the whole, [it’s] completely different now. The U.S., the fans at the game, they’ve got it right.”
In this World Cup, underdogs are stealing the spotlight, the U.S. men are on a roll, and Philadelphia has not only welcomed the world but has given visitors a crash course on just how real the curse of the Rocky Statue can be.
Join Jonathan Tannenwald, the Inquirer’s soccer writer, and host Lisa Carlin, analyst for CBS Sports Golazo, as they dissect the matches, the moments, and more as Philly has its moment in soccer’s brightest spotlight. Watch our latest episode right here.
Watch previous episodes:
Episode 1: The Wait is Over!
Episode 2: Groups, Goals, and Glory
Episode 3: Electric Action in Philly