Fans gathered to watch the first soccer matches ever played at UCF’s Bright House Networks Stadium Sunday, but the unique venue was overshadowed by a more powerful aspect of the beautiful game.
The FloridaCup, which is currently in its third year, honored the victims of the Chapecoense plane crash last November during a doubleheader played at UCF. The underdog Brazilian soccer team was on its way to its first Copa Sudamericana championship game appearance when the plane ran out of fuel and crashed in Colombia, killing most people board.
A minute-long moment of silence kicked off the tribute before a lengthy video saluted players, coaches and other passengers who perished.