U.S. men's soccer team hoping to ride energy from Q2 Stadium crowd in match versus Jamaica

Cristian Roldan recalls the last time he played in Q2 Stadium while wearing the red, white and blue colors for the U.S. men’s national soccer team.

Drums banged, crowds sang, and beer flew.

In other words, the USMNT’s 1-0 win over Qatar in a Gold Cup semifinal in July felt a lot like an Austin FC home match, even with a smaller amount of green and black sprinkled through the crowd.

“I remember vividly after Qatar missed (a) PK, I remember how loud the crowd got in that moment,” said Roldan, a midfielder for the USMNT who plays his club soccer for the Seattle Sounders in Major League Soccer. “I expect nothing less from Austin (Thursday), because they have such a great crowd and great fans.”

U.S. Soccer hopes that energy and enthusiasm that has enthralled MLS executives – who also love Austin FC’s season-ticket wait list that’s nearing 30,000 – can help the USMNT capture three points in Thursday’s historic World Cup qualifier at Q2 Stadium against Jamaica.

The American men have played 27 times in Texas, including several memorable matches with bitter rival Mexico. However, the USMNT has never played a World Cup qualifier in the state.

More:One-on-one with Austin FC's Josh Wolff: Manager's thoughts on city's food, fans, Q2 atmosphere

The significance of Thursday’s match carries particular meaning for Austin FC coach Josh Wolff, a former national team player who scored nine goals in 52 appearances for the USMNT from 1999-2008 and who played on the 2002 and 2006 World Cup teams. Wolff also worked on the staff for current USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter during the 2019 Gold Cup. Berhalter’s son, Sebastian, plays for Austin FC, further strengthening the ties between Austin FC and the men’s national team.

“It should be a proud moment for the state of Texas and certainly Austin,” Wolff said. “We will be on the national stage. Having the support and energy that I know Austin can bring will be critical.

“You have to win these home matches (in World Cup qualifying). It’s a great honor, and I think the community feels that responsibility.”

More:Austin FC academy kicked off MLS Next regular season

Even the USMNT players unfamiliar with the green-and-back wave of support that regularly sells out the 20,738-seat Q2 Stadium have taken notice of the soccer community that has embraced Austin FC in its debut season. They’ve also admired Austin FC’s highly touted training grounds at St. David’s Performance Center, about 6 miles northeast of Q2 Stadium.

“It’s amazing,” said Tyler Adams, a midfielder for Leipzig in Germany’s Bundesliga who has started in multiple Champions League matches in top stadiums across Europe. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I had seen pictures and I even have a couple of friends who have played here, but when I got here for the first training (earlier this week), the fields were amazing, and the facilities were amazing. They have everything you need.

“It’s great as a national team that you can come here and train at a place like this. It shows that American soccer is moving in the right direction. It makes me real excited to one day come back to MLS and places like this.”

American men’s soccer can take a massive step in that right direction with a win over a Jamaican side desperate to move out of last place in the eight-team CONCACAF qualifying group. The top three teams automatically qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in Qatar, and the fourth-place team will compete in an inter-federation play-in match.

After the first three matches in the 14-match qualifying round, Mexico leads the group with seven points. The U.S., Canada and Panama are tied for second with five points each, while Jamaica sits alone at the bottom with one point.

But with U.S. Soccer’s shame of missing the 2018 World Cup in Russia still lingering, Wolff knows that the U.S. can’t take three points against the Reggae Boyz for granted. And he knows the spirit that the Austin FC support has shown throughout this MLS campaign can not only boost the USMNT on Thursday, but it can also give U.S. Soccer an option for future matches.

“Down the road, I hope we’re a city and a stadium that the national team continues to come to, whether it’s the men’s or women’s national team,” Wolff said. “We have an obvious connection with the coach right now, but that won’t always be the case. It’s about the stadium, the atmosphere and ultimately the results that matter the most.”

CONCACAF World Cup qualifier between the U.S. and Jamaica

When: Thursday, 6:45 p.m.

Where: Q2 Stadium

Tickets: Sold out

What to watch: The U.S. will be without stars Christian Pulisic of Chelsea and Dortmund's Gio Reyna – the son of Austin FC general manager Claudio Reyna – because of injuries. … The U.S. team drew its first two final-round qualifying matches before beating Honduras 4-1 in September. … After the Jamaica match, the U.S. will continue this international break for World Cup qualifying with a trip to Panama on Sunday and a home match in Columbus, Ohio, against Costa Rica on Wednesday. … The U.S. team features 15 players based on Europe and 11 players that compete in MLS. … Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has earned a recall after being suspended for two qualifiers last month by manager Gregg Berhalter because he violated COVID-19 protocols. … Jamaica struggled in its first three qualifying matches with several key players based in the United Kingdom unable to compete because of COVID-19 travel restrictions. The Reggae Boyz side that takes the Q2 Stadium pitch on Thursday will be fortified by the arrival of British-based players, including West Ham’s Michail Antonio, Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock and Rangers’ Kemar Roofe.