Today, Inter Miami CF held its first-ever Special Olympics Unified home match at Chase Stadium. The 2024 Inter Miami CF Special Olympics Unified Team played against Chicago Fire’s Special Olympics Unified Team, resulting in an exciting 2-2 draw. The event exemplified Inter Miami CF’s motto, “Freedom to Dream,” emphasizing inclusivity and diversity through soccer, showcasing its ability to bring communities together.
We are dedicated to ensuring that people from diverse backgrounds have access and inclusion in the sport of soccer, which is why we established a partnership with Special Olympics four years ago. Today marks a momentous occasion as our Inter Miami Special Olympics Unified Team competes at home for the first time, and doing so at Chase Stadium is truly remarkable,” stated Chris Allan, VP of Fan Strategy & Experience at Inter Miami CF.
Before the game began, Inter Miami’s Goalkeeper Coach Sebastián Saja led the warm-up session for our Special Olympics Unified Team goalkeepers.
“It has been a wonderful experience for me. I was thrilled when I was asked to assist with the warm-up of our Special Olympics Unified Team goalkeepers. I believe it’s fantastic that Inter Miami CF organizes events like these,” said Saja. “One of the goalkeepers even mentioned that he remembers watching my matches when I used to play. That touched my heart and made me incredibly proud.”
Supporting our Special Olympics Unified Team were family members of the players and La Familia supporters, creating a lively atmosphere filled with exciting soccer, competition, and unforgettable moments for our players. Julian Gressel, one of our star players, also showed his support by working with the coaches on the sidelines and encouraging our squad.
The team included goalkeepers Patrick Hicks and Iván Cadavid, along with field players Eduardo Márquez, Alan García, Alain Figueroa, Peter Reece, Yoseline Mendoza, Kenny Gould-Papili, Andrés Baptiste, Sky Carrizo, Darian Sierra, Gabriel Carrizo, Daniel Alonso (C), Julissa Vargas, Nico Hernández-Vidal, and Andre Guevara.
The game kicked off with a well-placed strike by Inter Miami’s captain Daniel Alonso in the second minute, giving the team a 1-0 lead. After joining the squad in 2021, today marked the captain’s final game for the team before starting his college career next semester. Inter Miami continued to dominate the game as Peter Reece’s powerful shot hit the crossbar. Possession was evenly shared in the first half, but Chicago managed to take a 2-1 lead by halftime.
In the second half, Reece redeemed himself with a goal that leveled the score to 2-2 just minutes before the final whistle. Besides being an original squad member, number 5 also holds the Deadlift State Record, showcasing his strength both on and off the field.
The historic first-ever Unified home match concluded with Gressel awarding medals to our players, adding a memorable and celebratory touch to this significant event.
With today’s match, Inter Miami CF wrapped up the 2024 Program for its Special Olympics Unified Team presented by Florida Blue, marking a historic milestone for inclusivity and community unity through soccer.