Local sporting officials say 15,642 people attended a soccer game at East Hartford’s Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field Tuesday night.
Major League Soccer’s New York City FC topped Comunicaciones FC (Liga Nacional de Futbol de Guatemala) 3-to-1 in CONCACAF Champions League action.
Despite temperatures in the 30’s, Spectra, a group that manages several venues in the Greater Hartford area, said there was an “electric atmosphere” Tuesday night.
“Pratt & Whitney Stadium really shined on the international soccer stage last night,” Ben Weiss, general manager for XL Center, Pratt & Whitney Stadium, and Hartford Wolf Pack business operations, said.
After the game, New York City FC head coach Ronny Deila reflected on the atmosphere in the stadium.
“We had our supporters there and we are very grateful that they are coming,” Deila said to a reporter from the team’s website. “We know how hard it is to come so late in the in the night – driving two hours from New York. At the same time, we chose a spot that meant we get a lot of Guatemalan fans. They created a very good atmosphere for the game.”
The CONCACAF Champions League is an annual competition that pits the best club teams from North and Central America against each other. The match in East Hartford was the first of a two-legged quarterfinal playoff between New York City FC and Comunicaciones FC. They’ll play again Tuesday in Guatemala.
