Soccer in the Georgia Dome is (likely) done. Long live soccer in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Closing out the sport’s short history in the 24-year-old building, Mexico defeated Paraguay 1-0 behind a goal from Andres Guardado on Saturday in an exhibition game. The Dome is scheduled to be closed in the spring of 2017 and its $1.4 billion replacement scheduled to open in June a few months later. Mercedes-Benz will host Atlanta United, an MLS expansion team owner by Arthur Blank.
The reported attendance of 63,049 for Saturday’s game was the third-highest for the sport at the Dome, trailing the 68,212 for Mexico’s game against Nigeria in 2014, and the 70,511 sold and/or distributed for the Gold Cup games in 2015 featuring a doubleheader that included Mexico vs. Panama and the U.S. vs. Jamaica. In all, 11 games were played in the Dome, including the first when Mexico defeated Venezuela 4-0 in 2009.
In between that game and Saturday’s saw “El Tri” play four times, Mexico’s Club America twice and the U.S. men and women’s national teams once each, among a notable visitor list that also included European powerhouse clubs A.C. Milan and Manchester City, just as it was starting its ascent as one of England’s nouveau-rich clubs.
One of the biggest cheers during any of those games may have happened Saturday when a Mexican fan ran the length of the field and through most of the players on both teams until he got to Guillermo Ochoa, where he stopped and appeared to take a selfie with the Mexican goalkeeper.
Paraguay’s Derils Gonzalez received the game’s first yellow card following a poor, late tackle of Mexico’s Hector Moreno in the 14th minute of the first half. Eight minutes later, Celso Ortiz received a yellow card for a foul of Mexico’s Jesus Duenas.
Mexico’s Javier Aquino was put into the book for a rough challenge of Gonzalez in the 24th minute.
Mexico broke through first when Duenas lofted a long pass to Jurgen Damm into space on the right behind Paraguay’s back line. Damm brought down the pass with his right foot, looked up and crossed the ball across the penalty box to Guardado to tap into the goal in the 31st minute.
Paraguay came close to levelling in the 48th minute when Robert Piris’ knuckling right-foot shot fooled Ochoa, who recovered in time to punch it away.
Mexico created several chances to increase its lead to 2-0. The best may have been in the 65th minute when Diego Reyes hit Javier Aquino wide up the right wing. He took the ball to the end line and smashed a cross to the front of the goal, where it was cleared.
Aquino had another chance in the 69th minute. He beat two defenders in the penalty box before a third defender took the ball away with a tough but fair challenge.
Paraguay’s last opportunity to tie came when substitute Dario Lezcano’s lashed a right-footed shot from 20 yards that skimmed just wide of Ochoa’s goal.
Mexico, unbeaten in its last 18 games, will play Chile on Wednesday in San Diego in its final warm-up for the Copa America Centenario. It will open that tournament against Uruguay on June 5 in Glendale, Calif. Other teams in Mexico’s group are Jamaica and Venezuela.
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