ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The 2017 Florida Cup kicked off this afternoon on a scenic day at Al Lang Stadium in Tampa Bay, with German Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen and a 10-men Estudiantes de La Plata playing to a 1-1 draw, with Bayer winning the match in a penalty shootout. The match opened the annual early-year tournament, featuring some of the best clubs in Europe and South America.
The transformed baseball stadium that sits on the edge of Tampa Bay hosted several thousand spectators, many of whom were on hand to see Mexican national team star Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.