Italy vs. Paraguay at Aroma di Roma

In Belmont Shore, a beach-side community of Long Beach there is a small Italian cafe called Aroma di Roma. Many locals and soccer fans gathered at this tiny cafe/ gelato bar to watch the draw of defending champions Italy vs. Paraguay.

Many Italians came to support their home team. Everyone seemed to know each other as they greeted every familiar face they saw when they arrived. Aroma di Roma offered three TVs for fans to watch the game. Two of them were inside and one was mounted outside in the patio. It was very crowded and with limited seating many were standing throughout the game.

When Paraguay angled the ball past Italy's goalkeeper during the first half, only two people shouted in excitement and the mood seemed to change. During half-time I spoke to several regulars at Aroma di Roma. First, a man who was using the break to smoke a cigarette. He is Italian and comes to Aroma di Roma everyday and also watches the regular soccer season there. He preferred not to give his name but said Italy was playing really well and they usually always score during the second half.

Michael Mancinelli, an Orange County resident was also there to watch Italy with his friends that live down the street from the Italian cafe. Mancinelli had hopes that Italy would come back to win or at least tie it. "Italy always comes out like this, a little slower it's not a big deal, I'm not even stressing," he said.

Sitting a table was Alan Vega and his girlfriend of Italian descent Maria Francesca Gigliotti along with their friends. Vega, an avid soccer fan said "I've been watching the World Cup since 94' and I noticed that every time Paraguay has ever played someone it's always a low score," about what he predicted would be the outcome of the game. Gigliotti thought Italy was playing very well and was sure that they would score or at least tie, "They've had possession the whole game pretty much," she said. When I asked if they thought Italy could come back I got the same reaction from almost everyone I talked to. The fans know that Italy usually scores late in the game. "Italy has a history of always scoring in the last seconds because they are more defense oriented," Vega said.

At the conclusion of the game I spoke to two gentlemen, one from South Africa and the other from North Africa. The South African was rooting for Italy during today's game. "Italy was a little slow, they weren't as hungry as Paraguay," he said about the outcome of the game. The North African said he wasn't rooting for either team but for whoever played best. "I guess the Italians played better but they didn't win," he said. The South African predicts Spain will be the big winner, "Oh I think Spain, Spain will win the World Cup," he said, while the North African was indecisive about who the winner will be "I think its going to be between Spain, Germany and Brazil."