The stadium was empty when FC Tucson鈥檚 AJ Valenzuela scored the game-winning goal in the 90th minute of Saturday鈥檚 season opener against Fort Lauderdale CF.
But Valenzuela was far from alone.
Back in Tucson, Valenzuela鈥檚 迟铆补 was hosting a watch party that made sure to include Valenzuela in the festivities as best as his family could.
鈥淭hey sent me videos of when I scored, and they were all screaming and yelling,鈥 said Valenzuela, who turned 22 on Wednesday. 鈥淚t felt amazing. I don鈥檛 know how I can explain how good it felt.鈥
There was no more fitting hero for Game 1 of FC Tucson鈥檚 shortened season. Valenzuela was born in Tucson, graduated from Desert View High School and played soccer for Pima College before transferring to San Diego State. Valenzuela and the Men in Black will play at the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Saturday before hosting Union Omaha on Aug. 8. Tucson鈥檚 home games will be closed to fans, though the team is planning to host drive-in watch parties.
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Valenzuela played for FC Tucson in 2018 when it was part of the USL Premier Development League. He returned to the club in February, weeks before the start of the 2020 season was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The league is back in full swing, with pandemic protocols put in place.
The lack of fans hardly registered, Valenzuela said. He was too busy looking at the new, 19,000-seat Inter Miami CF Stadium, which doubles as Fort Lauderdale鈥檚 home.
鈥淚t didn鈥檛 even matter. Just to be able to play at that stadium and with a new franchise, it was amazing. It was Inter Miami鈥檚 stadium, so I was nervous in a way,鈥 he said. 鈥淭o be able to go from something with no locker room to something like that was impressive.鈥
The past month has been something of a struggle for Valenzuela, as the team has basically been sheltering in place in their shared apartments.
Before the pandemic, Valenzuela was able to easily spend time with his 4-year-old daughter, Adris, even bringing her to training when his child-care plans fell through.
Valenzuela was able to see his daughter regularly during the pandemic. But once USL League One announced plans to resume play at the end of July, FC Tucson players began quarantining together in their shared two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments with outside activities limited to only those deemed essential, like practice and grocery shopping.
鈥淎t first I was just FaceTime-ing her and seeing her that way, and it was really hard,鈥 Valenzuela said. 鈥淪ometimes I鈥檒l drive to her mom鈥檚 house and say hi and see how she鈥檚 doing (from a distance).鈥
Valenzuela said the socially distant visits are a challenge, as Adris wants to hug her daddy.
鈥淎 couple of times, I just can鈥檛 resist and I had to give her a hug,鈥 Valenzuela said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been talking to the (team) president and coaches and we鈥檙e trying to figure things out so that I can spend time with her. It鈥檚 a work in progress.鈥
So, too, is FC Tucson. Now that the team is back together and the season is underway, Valenzuela is playing more than just soccer: He鈥檚 also taken up playing cards in the locker room with newly signed defender Tommy Silva, another native Tucsonan.
鈥淎J, what a great guy,鈥 said Silva, a 2020 graduate of the Real Salt Lake鈥揂rizona Academy. 鈥淔rom the first days that I started training with the team, he鈥檚 always greeted me with a smile.鈥
And while he鈥檚 all business come game time, Valenzuela is happy to provide his teammates with a little bit of comic relief during practice.
鈥淗e always pulls up his shorts high during training, so I give him a hard time and joke that he looks like Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid,鈥 Silva said.
Valenzuela and the rest of the team will be wheels-up again Friday when they depart for Tennessee, and they鈥檒l be traveling a little lighter, now that much of the uncertainty surrounding travel is behind them.
鈥淚t was odd and definitely different, because everyone was wearing masks,鈥 Valenzuela said of the team鈥檚 first trip last weekend. 鈥淏ut the coaches really took care of us and made sure that everything went well.鈥
Valenzuela said that he and the rest of FC Tucson are determined to have a successful season and bring home the trophy, but adds that the biggest priority right now is making sure everyone stays healthy.
鈥淥ur coaches and everyone have been very intent on keeping us safe. To be able to have someone other than your family care about you so much is an unbelievable feeling,鈥 Valenzuela said, adding that he hopes fans are doing their part to stay healthy and keep their loved ones safe. 鈥淲e just want them to know that we appreciate that they鈥檙e supporting us as much as they can through all this.鈥
