United States Men’s Soccer facing a tough Hexagonal opener in Honduras

It can’t be that bad, can it?

The United States Men’s National Soccer Team is starting their hexagonal World Cup qualifying round on the road in San Pedro Sula, Honduras against one of the up-and-coming teams in CONCACAF — the Catrachos from Honduras. The game should be a good look at some new United States players and will give fans an idea about whether the US team has taken a step forward or backward over the last 4-8 years.

But the game is getting attention for other non-soccer related reasons. This Deadspin post describes a media member’s initial thoughts, arriving to “The World’s Most Violent City.”

Power Chicken. Greatest name ever. By Owen Main

As someone who has been to Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, I can vouch for the difficult task the United States team will face there. The stadium, which holds about 40,000 people, will be heavily secured, but the feeling for an opposing team will not be one of security. Hondurans love their soccer. Club Deportivo Marathon usually occupies the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, which is the largest stadium in Honduras.

Here are a few San Pedro Sula tips for visiting the city or going to a game:

On the way to the game, we ate at what must be the best restaurant name in the world: Power Chicken. It was kind of like KFC. They served fried chicken, along with other Americanized dishes, often with a Honduran kick or flavor. For fast food, it seemed pretty solid and for a pre-sporting event meal, it made a ton of sense. San Pedro Sula Tip: Power Chicken is Really Good.

The game I went to was a CONCACAF Champions League game and I went with a local. It was on something of a whim and me, being the sports junkie that I am, threw caution to the wind and decided that it was a great idea. The game itself didn’t even half-fill the Estadio Olimpico. Marathon hosted Deportivo Saprissa from Costa Rica. Both squads had a “Monster” as their mascot: Green vs. Purple. Driving up to the stadium, parking wasn’t exactly organized. There were some self-appointed directors of traffic. As we got out of his truck, our host gave the two “parking management” people a few lempiras to keep an eye out for his car. In the end, it worked. The car was in one piece when we returned, and the “parking attendants” who had got some money at the beginning got a little more on our way out. It probably totaled about $3, but apparently was well-worth it. San Pedro Sula Tip: If you’re going to go to a soccer match, it helps to pay the Parking Attendants. Even though they don’t look (and probably aren’t) official, you should give them some money and promise them more if your car ends up in one piece. Also, 4-wheel drive may be a good thing to have for the parking lot.

Estadio Olimpico. They just don’t make them like this anymore…. By Owen Main

At the game, I wanted a jersey. Marathon’s jersey was vertical stripes of green and darker green. I am 6’2” and weigh 230 pounds and they didn’t really have a jersey big enough for me. It was a little downer, but I put on the “XL” one anyway and swallowed my fat pride. San Pedro Sula tip: an XL shirt in San Pedro does not equal an XL in the US.

At the game, the only thing I could find was Pepsi or Coke. There was no bottled water. It was hot and muggy, I sweated through my shirt, and what I really needed was water. The closest thing to water was Powerade. San Pedro Sula tip: If you’re going to a soccer game, be ready to stay up late!

After the game, we went to a restaurant/bar. Salva Vida, a local brew, is the beer of choice for many Hondurans. Sometime around 11:00, the power went out. Not just in the bar — in the city. At least in that neighborhood. We sat, continued to hang at the bar. Our host ordered a beer by candlelight. About 10 minutes later, the power came back on. A fitting end to a sporting night unlike any you’ll find stateside. San Pedro Sula tip: If the power goes out, don’t panic. Sip your Salva Vida and it will come back on soon enough. Probably.

Home-Field Advantage Prediction: Strong

Game Prediction: 2-2