PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than a thousand soccer fans made their way out to Lincoln Financial Field Saturday night for one of Philadelphia's most popular events of the year, the Unity Cup championship game.
The Linc was filled with thousands of cheering soccer fans, like Upper Darby's Wilbert Foley, of the Liberian Association of Pennsylvania.
"If you look at the history," Foley pointed out, "Liberia has won the championship for the last four years."
Fans were on the edge of their seats, as Team USA led most of the game until Liberia tied the score at three in the last minute, sending the game into overtime.
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Yeadon's Saa Garlor, a retired player from Team Liberia, kept the spirit alive during the game by beating his drum, though in the end, Team USA picked up two more goals to win 5-3.
"We've been playing for almost five years and we carry it four times," said Garlor. "We have to give it to the USA ... that's a beautiful game."
"USA played good," said Team Albania's Soqul Hasa. "I think they deserved it."
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For fans like Michelle Drummond from Southwest Philly, the night was about more than a win, no matter which team you supported.
"You have a lot of different cultures and nationalities here. That's the greatest sport in the world," she said.
"Having this tournament, it unites all the immigrant communities as well as the U.S. communities, so it's a wonderful thing," said Foley. "I would like to commend the organizers and sponsors of this program."