Fireworks follow red-hot FC Tucson back home Monday for annual July 3 game

Fresh from a road trip last week that featured 2-0 and 4-0 wins, FC Tucson (4-1-4) hosts Arizona Arsenal SC (2-5-2) for its annual Independence Blast game that features postgame fireworks.

FC Tucson president Jon Pearlman said the July 3 games at Kino North Stadium are massive.

“It’s the centerpiece of our summer for (USL) League Two,” Pearlman said. “Obviously it’s been big for us no matter what level we’ve been playing at but this summer we had such great energy from the opening match on CInco de Mayo, we’re expecting to push past that.”

FC Tucson drew 1,793 for a friendly that featured postgame fireworks on May 5 to open the season against the Guanajuato Selección XI. They are expecting 2,000 or more for Monday’s game.

“I think it’s great. We always look forward to the July 3 games because of the fireworks but also we know that we can get a healthy crowd,” FC Tucson coach Mark Biagi said.

FC Tucson’s best crowds (that didn’t involve an MLS team) have all taken place on either July 3 or 4. The record was 2,983 in 2014, followed by 2,210 in 2017 and 2,168 in 2016.

Last year on July 3, a crowd of 1,785 was on hand for a 1-1 draw against the Greenville Triumph SC.

FC Tucson enters Monday’s game on a six-game unbeaten streak, having won two in a row and four of its last six. It is 5-0-1 this year at home, including friendlies.

Biagi said they were able to rest players and rotate the squad on the California road trip.

The team has its Independence Day game on July 3 because it is usually the only fireworks show in town. The July 3 games are the first thing put on the schedule, and Arsenal agreed to come out.

FC Tucson tied Arsenal 2-2 on May 24 at Bell Bank Park Stadium in Mesa in the first meeting of the year.

Pearlman recalled how the team used to wear red jerseys, white shorts and blue socks for the July 3 game, and his personal favorite memory was when he made his professional coaching debut on July 3 2021, as FC Tucson topped Fort Lauderdale CF 2-1.

“I think there’s so many memories,” Pearlman said.

Corner kicks

FC Tucson and the Diamond Store are giving away a pair of diamond earrings at halftime. To enter, fill out the form the team tweeted out via its @FCTucson account. The form was also posted to the @FCTucson Facebook page.

Monday’s game is the penultimate matchup in this year’s fight for the Golden Sahuaro Trophy, which pits FC Tucson against the Arizona Arsenal. Each club has five points.