July 19th, history was made as Kenan Memorial Stadium opened its doors to a sold-out crowd with 50,596 in attendance for the first-ever stateside meeting between Chelsea and Wrexham.
As fans lined up at the gates for the doors to open, high-fives and chatter filled the void of waiting. The temperature was perfect, with Carolina blue skies in 80-degree weather with a nice breeze.
Once doors opened, it was on as fans poured in the entrances rocking dark blue for Chelsea and red for Wrexham; it felt like Kenan Stadium was under attack by UNC in-state rivals. However, a Tar Heel chant broke out, echoing louder than UNC’s bell tower, to end any color alliance.
Just in case you are wondering what the atmosphere is like here in Kenan Memorial Stadium for Chelsea Vs. Wrexham pic.twitter.com/QbzWzD8c7c
— Juice Adkins (@RichardJAdkins) July 19, 2023
The game started with the national anthem performed by North Carolina’s oldest cappella group with current and alums members of the UNC Clef Hanger. The coin toss was as particular as the atmosphere, with North Carolina’s women’s soccer coach, Anson Dorrance, doing the honors of the game’s ritual coin flip.
Fans were greeted with an early treat as Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen got things going early with a goal before the three-minute mark. The thrill continued throughout the first period as fans cheered at fast breaks, held their breath for lob passes, and booed refs for suspect calls. Before the half was over, Maatsen scored his second goal to give Chelsea the 2-0 lead.
The quick 15-minute half-time show, or lack of one, did not bring the house down, but that did not waiver the energy in the second half.
Despite both teams going scoreless in the first 35 minutes of the second period, fans still found ways to erupt, whether due to a sweet pass or insane crossover. At the 81 minute, the blue sea erupted again with Conor Gallagher’s goal to give Chelsea the 3-0 lead. Chelsea added salt to injury by tacking on two more goals in the 89th and 90th minute to push the lead to 5-0.
Fans stayed seated and cheered until the end, even with the shutout on the horizon.
Chelsea would go on to win 5-nil. The excitement would not end there as men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis and football coach Mack Brown presented the Man of the Match to Maatsen, voted by the fans.
It is no telling if UNC will get another chance to host such an event, but with the atmosphere brought tonight by fans, it would be hard not to.
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