Cam McCann, Gonzaga University ’25
Spokane hosted its first international friendly match on June 2, and fans were treated to a thrilling – and sometimes chippy – victory over Chivas De Guadalajara U23 in 2-1 fashion.
“Match day, whether it’s a friendly or not, is always a true test of how we’re doing and training,” said Velocity head coach Leigh Veidman. “I think we put in a really good all-around performance.”
Chivas is a storied football club, and have been one of the top Mexican clubs for far longer than the existence of professional soccer in Spokane.
The Lilac City and Velocity FC welcomed the international guests with open arms. Captains of each team exchanged club pennants before the first kick, Tacos Tumbras served up tacos all evening, and both the American and Mexican national anthems were performed by Kinsley Murray and Jennifer Contreras respectively.
Even under the rainy conditions, a plenitude of Velocity faithful showed strong. Fans sporting Chivas jerseys came in by the handful as well, showcasing the massive reach of the club. 4,318 ticket holders highlighted the interest in this historic match that had no bearing on league standings but meant the world to fans and players alike.
“It’s amazing to have the opportunity to actually watch one of the best clubs in Mexico,” said Omar Zacapantzi, a Chivas fan who moved from Mexico to Spokane in 1997 and was in attendance to watch his first Velocity match. “This is my first time seeing Velocity FC and I’m impressed with how they play.”
The impressive play from Velocity’s strikers, Josh Dolling in the first half and Kimarni Smith in the second, led to their two goals and numerous other scoring opportunities, including a goal by Smith that was taken away by an offsides call, much to the dismay of Spokane fans.
“No matter what game it is, it’s always good to score,” said Dolling, who put in his second goal of the season; the first came in the inaugural match of the season. “It’s been a little while now since I’ve scored and so it’s always great to get that confidence.”
The English striker’s goal came off a pass from Luis Gil, setting up a one-on-one with Chivas goalkeeper Axel Leyva. Dolling was able to get the ball on the ground and fling it by the advancing keeper in the 17th minute.
Velocity’s defensive pressure could be felt throughout the match, as they handled counters and transitions with poise, not allowing shots to reach their target.
Late in the first half, a miscommunication between Derek Waldeck and goalkeeper Brooks Thompson resulted in an unfortunate own goal that knotted up the score. The half closed with the score sitting at one apiece.
The second half brought a switch at the striker position from Dolling to Kimarni Smith. 23 minutes later, Smith put his team ahead with a great touch on a cross from an impressive trialist player who started and played the entire match.
The trialist, who wore the number 30, made a great move in open grass to streak by a Chivas defender, and make a beautiful cross to the one place on the field where Kimarni Smith would be the only one able to reach it, and his lone touch on the ball sent it past the goalkeeper.
“[Chivas] keeps the ball out, so there’s a lot more space to work with,” said Smith. “I feel like observing that from the first half going into the second I felt like there were spaces we could definitely exploit them.”
The match ended with all the goals coming off a Velocity player’s foot, and a first international win for Velocity. A huge accomplishment.
“To have Chivas come in to Spokane, just saying that sentence alone probably wouldn’t have heard that ever, but the ownership has done a fantastic job of building this for us and building this for the city and the fans,” said Veidman after the match. “And then of course bringing the [Velocity and Zephyr] in as well, that’s another huge step. So the fact that that’s been brought to Spokane is incredible, and thankfully we put on a good show for the fans.”
Velocity will now get a break before they suit up for a trip to Werner Park when they take on Union Omaha FC in a Jagermeister Cup match on June 13. Catch it locally on SWX or ESPN Plus.
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