Valley soccer clubs, fans make an impact

International soccer is in the headlines and not in a good way (see FIFA-gate).

But here are five reasons why the Fresno soccer scene is on a high and fans should take note.

No. 1: Fresno’s semi-pro teams are first in their division.

The Fresno Fuego (2-1-2) hold a one-point lead on Burlingame FC in the Premier Development League’s Southwest Division. The Fuego have a thing for odd years, winning their division in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2013 (they won the Western Conference championship and reached the final four in 2007).

The Freeze of the Women’s Premier Soccer League, meanwhile, are unbeaten after two games of their inaugural season.

No. 2: Goals. Yes, that’s plural.

Both teams are the top scorers in their leagues. The Fuego have 11. The Freeze have 13 after a 5-1 opening win over the California Storm and an 8-0 shutout at Primero de Mayo last weekend.

No. 3: A chance to see future stars before they hit the big time.

Both teams sport loads of talent, including a few who have reached the international stage. Among them are Fuego defender Nathan Smith, who played for the U.S. under-17. Freeze forward Elise Krieghoff was a recent women’s national team trialist.

Smith had an electrifying game-winning golazo from 30-plus yards that sent the Americans to a 3-0 victory over Canada in the CONCACAF U-17 championship. It was a 2011 nominee by U.S. Soccer for Goal of the Year.

No. 4: Two for one

Fans can catch both teams Friday with the purchase of a single ticket to the latest “Fire-and-Ice” doubleheader at Chukchansi Park.

Action starts at 5:30 p.m. when the Freeze host Tottenham Hotspur East Bay. The Fuego play the Southern California Seahorses at 7:30.

Free supporters flags featuring the Freeze and Fuego logos will be given away at 6 p.m. to the first 1,000 fans inside the park.

No. 5: Fresno is home to a couple of the best soccer fans in the world.

Fresno Gooners founders Jordan and Channelle Wiebe were announced Tuesday as Football on Facebook Fans of the Year, presented by Mirror Football.

The husband and wife earned the award after going on a 6,000-mile road trip from Fresno to New York to watch their beloved Arsenal play the New York Red Bulls in a friendly last summer. They stayed with Arsenal fan clubs along the way and documented it in a 32-page book made available via Kickstarter.

“It was a very organic evolution of this idea that we take something we really, really love, take a road trip with it and make a book about it,” Jordan said.

The two also are fixtures with Fire Squad Fresno, the Fuego supporters club.

“It’s pretty cool to know people around the world think we’re doing something cool here in Fresno,” Jordan Wiebe said. “There’s this soccer culture happening here and I’m not sure people (locally) are realizing it.”

This story was originally published May 28, 2015 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Valley soccer clubs, fans make an impact."