Beaumont Futbol Fans Have at Least One Sure Local Bet for US-Mexico Gold Cup Showdown at Rose Bowl

Promoters of the 2011 Gold Cup final featuring the United States versus Mexico said Friday the Rose Bowl in Pasadena was already sold out.

But Beaumont futbol fans have at least one place close to home to watch the match with others who are passionate about soccer.

The match is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday, and people at Tacos & Beer at 909 E. 6th St. plan to start pre-game festivities at 4 p.m.

"You gotta get ready for the party," said new owner Jorge Garduno, who moved to Beaumont recently from Los Angeles.

"We'll have a full crew tomorrow," Garduno said. "We've ordered extra food and extra beer. I have a delivery coming in from L.A. tomorrow for the party. Hopefully it will be a pretty good event here. We're going to bring a big screen in, 42-inch."

The Copa de Oro final is the regional soccer championship for North American, Central American and Caribbean nations.

Since the first Gold Cup in 1991, Mexico has won the tournament five times, the U.S. four times, and Canada once. Mexico crushed the U.S. 5-0 in the last Gold Cup final in 2009.

Though the final tomorrow is on home soil for the U.S., the Rose Bowl is expected to be packed with vocal followers of the Mexican national team.

Soccer matches at the Rose Bowl have drawn some of the largest crowds in U.S. history. Enthiusiasm among Mexico supporters has helped fuel large turnouts.

Their last visit to the Rose Bowl was March 3, 2010, when Mexico beat New Zealand 2-0 in a tune-up for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Announced attendance was 90,500.

In August 2009, an announced attendance of 93,137 watched FC Barcelona defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in a Rose Bowl exhibition. Record-keepers said it was the largest soccer crowd in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup.

In July 1999, the FIFA Women's World Cup final drew an announced 90,185 to the Rose Bowl, the largest attendance for a women's sports event in history, according to record-keepers. The U.S. defeated China on penalty kicks.

In June 1996, a Rose Bowl doubleheader featuring the U.S. versus Mexico in the U.S. Cup, and the Los Angeles Galaxy versus the Tampa Bay Mutiny drew an announced 92,216, which remains the largest crowd to attend a U.S. professional soccer match, according to record-keepers.

In July 1994, the FIFA World Cup final drew 94,194 to watch Brazil defeat Italy on penalty kicks in the Rose Bowl.

In August 1984, France defeated Brazil 2-0 and won the gold medal in the Olympics soccer final. The announced Rose Bowl attendance of 101,799 is listed as the largest crowd ever to watch a soccer match of any kind in the U.S.

Regardless of numbers Saturday in Pasadena, Tacos & Beer in Beaumont is sure to be rocking once the Copa de Oro final starts.

Aside from soccer bragging rights for the continent, this year's Gold Cup winner earns a berth in the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, the precursor to the 2014 World Cup.

Garduno, 29, took charge at Tacos & Beer about two months ago, and he's built a following by offering affordable fare fresh-made. The daily happy hour features 50-cent tacos from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Experience in the competitive Los Angeles market helped Garduno hone culinary and management skills that have already been recognized.

His My Taco restaurant in Highland Park received favorable reviews from Pulitzer-prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold in LA Weekly.

"We've been showing some boxing matches, but we're expecting a nice little crowd tomorrow," Garduno said. "We definitely have some diehard soccer fans in Beaumont."