Despite Loss, Women's World Cup Team Captured Tri-State Residents' Hearts
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- All over the Tri-State, people gathered to watch the US women's national soccer team in the FIFA Women's World Cup final, through moments of elation and despair.
Times Square may be the "Crossroads of the World," but it was a decidedly pro-American crowd watching on the big screen as the US team inspired cheers before suffering a heartbreaking loss to Japan.
"Fate just wasn't on our side," Fordham resident Sarah Ramirez told CBS 2's Dave Carlin.
Over in New Jersey, family and friends of the five team members from the Garden State – Jill Loyden, Heather O'Reilly, Christie Rampone, Carli Lloyd and Torbin Heath – were among those watching.
1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon spoke to proud fans of the US women.
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In Lloyd's hometown of Delran in Burlington County, people cheered at bars and restaurants. Meanwhile, Lloyd's parents watched from their home.
"It's tough, it's tough, but second place in the World Cup? I mean, I'll take that," father Steve Lloyd said.
This being New York, any nation's World Cup team will have fans somewhere cheering them on, as several bars in the Big Apple saw large crowds of Japanese supporters.
Japan's first appearance in a World Cup final came as the nation continued its recovery from three disasters: a massive earthquake, a destructive tsunami, and a nuclear meltdown.
"This will bring Japan together," Kumi Ueki, visiting from Tokyo, said.
Some said that if the US couldn't bring home the top prize, at least it went to a nation desperately in need of something to celebrate.
"It's a beautiful thing for the country, to uplift some spirits, so I'm very happy for them, even though we're disappointed," one New Yorker said.
The win was indeed historic. It was Japan's first World Cup win, and the first ever by any Asian nation.
