Thomas Salinas sat on the floor and held his head in his hands as the final whistle blew in the U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup game in Iran, sealing the Americans’ victory and advancement to the knockout round.
Around him, other spectators cheered, hugged and chanted “USA,” but Salinas, a Texas native dressed in an Uncle Sam costume, lingered on the floor.
“My heart was going to explode. I’m 27, I’m too young to have a heart attack,” he said.
“We should all get a Purple Heart for this.”
The North Side resident was among about 400 spectators watching the game at Fado Irish Pub at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Clark Street on the Near North Side.
The third and final group stage game in the sport’s signature tournament, it was a must-win game for the U.S. team in order to advance.
After not making it into the 2018 tournament, the U.S. team will now move on to the knockout round for the first time since 1994, playing the Netherlands on Saturday.
“We live to fight another day,” said Ruben Joseph, who said he was a veteran of three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army.
The 41-year-old took the day off from work to come in from his home in the suburbs to support the troops.
“I’m here to make sure the U.S. advances. This only comes around every four years, or for us, every eight years.”
The U.S. won 1-0, taking the lead late in the first half, but the game remained tense until the end.
“That was a flagrant foul!” said Bill Tilch, 55, after an Iranian player pulled an American to the ground from behind in the final minutes.
The 55-year-old said he wasn’t typically a soccer fan, but he decided to watch given the stakes.
“I’m happy to still be in it,” said the Streeterville resident.
Several on hand didn’t feel great watching because of the controversy around having the World Cup in Qatar, which has been criticized for its treatment of migrant workers in building the stadiums, but they were happy to support the U.S.
“At the end of the day, it all drives discussion and brings people together,” said Greg Brownson, 28.
The Virginia native said he appreciated that the game brought attention to the ongoing protests in Iran.
“It brings a megaphone to these issues.”
The country has been roiled by protests since the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman who died under suspicious circumstances in September after being taken into custody by Iranian police.
Aazam Khan, 28, recalled that his mom, who is Muslim, called him “heartbroken” by Amini’s death. “This isn’t about religion, it’s about control,” he said.
On Tuesday however, Khan’s eyes were on the game. The River North resident came to the pub with friends from Dixon who also now live in Chicago. The three played soccer together at Dixon High School.
“Phenomenal match,” Khan said.
Michael Loria is a staff reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times via Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster the paper’s coverage of communities on the South Side and West Side.
