The lengths diehard fans go to support their team should not be understated. It was not an everyday occurrence that saw two of the most popular teams from their respective European countries take the pitch in the United States.

However, what made this matchup particularly intriguing was the team playing in red. It should not be a surprise that Liverpool FC was the main draw to fans attending Iron City Showdown match at Acrisure Stadium on Friday night.

“If I’m coaching my team, I’m only focused on 11 players: what can they do, what can they do better, which positions they have to take, which choices did they make. So I’m not aware constantly of coaching Liverpool and the amount of fans that are there, my focus is mainly the team and where can I help them during the game or during halftime,” Liverpool FC manager Arne Slot said. “Of course it’s a nice experience to play in front of the fans, because they were there with a lot of people, over here in the U.S.A. … But it’s nice to play in front of them and to have them here.”

The excitement for this match had been building for months, since it was announced in April, and it was circled on the calendars of devoted soccer fans around the globe.

“I think just seeing the team and knowing that the people we watch during the season are actually right in front of you on the field (is great),” said Jenny Cuthbert, of Irwin.

The multi-billion dollar soccer giant is one of the most iconic brands in all of sports, and fans showed their enthusiasm for the reds throughout the afternoon and evening.

Admittedly, the fanfare began earlier in the week, but at the stadium, a head-turning cheer started the crowd’s engagement when Liverpool FC first took the pitch for warmups and only got louder as more and more fans poured in through the gates.

“It’s not going to be like you see when it’s in the Premier League or anything like that,” Cuthbert said beforehand. “It’s gonna be a little bit more subdued, a little more American, but still like a good Pittsburgh atmosphere.”

Following the national anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” rallied the Liverpool faithful, many of whom proudly displayed their Liverpool scarves for the team’s anthem.

The gameday production was impeccable. It resembled a match at Anfield, albeit with roughly 20,000 fewer fans and booing instead of whistling. Once again though, the passion shined through.

“The biggest difference is (you would not be) seeing Man United shirts at a Liverpool game. You would not see Spurs shirts at a Liverpool game,” said Jenny’s husband Derek Cuthbert, a longtime soccer coach in Westmoreland County. “You would not see the wave, but I thought the enthusiasm at the beginning was pretty good. … I thought Liverpool players appreciated everybody coming out to see them.”

That was especially true when most of the 42,679 fans erupted after Liverpool star forward Mohamed Salah played a perfectly weighted pass to midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, who buried it in the bottom left corner to put the reds up 1-0 in the 34th minute.

The goal was a great moment for soccer fans, some of whom traveled long distances to attend the match.

“It was fun of course. Yeah, it was (a) good goal,” said Andrew Gershmim, from Russia. “It was a good pass and good shot.”

While several star players did not play for Liverpool in the exhibition, Salah assisting on the lone goal was a unique moment for fans, who might not have previously seen him in person.

“It was great to see Mo on TV and in real life. He played pretty good. His haircut’s incredible,” Derek Cuthbert said. “It was good to see him play. He lasted 60 minutes; fans got to see him. … It was a good experience, was 42,000 people here. So, it’s good for Pittsburgh and good for soccer.”

While the score heading into halftime remained the same, the spectators kept up their spirits through the second half. also by starting a wave around the 60th minute, along with other cheers to liven up the atmosphere of the game. They only grew in ardor as the game continued.

“One of the things we talked with the players was about the crowd, (about) 45,000 people here in the stadium, and I think they saw a good game,” Real Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini said. “Maybe I didn’t expect so many people would come to this game, so (I am) very happy for the organization, the game, and for the people here in Pittsburgh.”

When the match concluded and Liverpool was victorious, loyal Liverpool fans stayed long after the final whistle.

It was a match that not only catered to diehard fans but newcomers as well.

“This is my first time seeing a soccer game, let alone an English game,” Kristen Wickline said.

She and her husband brought her young children to the game. Her son recently started playing soccer and got her interested in the sport.

“We liked it when Liverpool scored a goal,” she said. “The kids liked the music; they danced to the music. … The food, the atmosphere, lots of cool stuff.”

The occasion was a moment that Pittsburgh soccer fans will cherish, knowing that an event like this does not come around too often.

“I’ll probably come back and watch another one,” Derek Cuthbert said.

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