Soccer: Fans from far and near take in FC Dallas' trip to Permian Basin

MIDLAND There were three notable types of fans at the West Texas United Sockers-FC Dallas exhibition match Tuesday at Grande Communications Stadium.

There were the season-ticket holders and members of the Inferno, FC Dallas' fan club, hardcore soccer fans from outside of the Permian Basin and local fans.

The members of the Inferno: Jon and Brenda Beard, and Andre Dobbs, drove from Dallas to Midland on Tuesday not sure what to expect, but upon arrival were pleasantly surprised.

"This stadium is actually really nice," said Brenda Beard, wearing a "Dallas Till I Die" scarf around her neck like her two fellow fans. "And this is the almost the full (FCD) roster."

The trio was also pleased to get a chance for an up-close look at FCD's younger players notching significant playing time.

Meanwhile, another set of fans like Danny Cress, of Hobbs, N.M., and his son, 8-year-old Kaleb, was the hardcore soccer fan who doesn't have high-profile soccer near its hometown but took advantage of a not-so-long trip to catch a Major League Soccer team.

"We love soccer," Danny Cress said. "I coach it, (Kaleb) plays it. We watch it on TV, try to go to some games.

"This is awesome."

Kaleb was donning an FC Dallas jersey, which he picked up at a recent soccer camp at Southern Methodist University.

And, finally, there were the Permian Basin soccer fans - or those who had already embraced the Sockers in their inaugural season in the Premier Development League.

Christopher Acosta was one of those. He said he's attended most of the Sockers' home games, and this was the one he was looking forward to the most.

He's been following international soccer teams more so but would use Tuesday to kick-start his MLS observance.

Acosta, a 2002 Midland High graduate who said he played with some of the local Sockers in high school as a midfielder, had a pretty big smile on his face and a new FC Dallas jersey on his torso.

"To me, this is big," said Acosta, observing the fans trickling in. "I love to play soccer, I love to watch soccer. It's nice to see that the sport is building here."