The Albany Gazette - World Cup fans get taste of American life -- at the mall

But instead of in the streets or a stadium, the crowd was rocking in one of America's biggest malls -- the unlikely setting for fan events outside New Jersey's MetLife arena.

With nowhere else to gather after trekking to the stadium from New York, fans in the American Dream mall find themselves partying among high-end shops and amusements including a water park, laser tag and roller coasters.

"It's surprising," said Samir Rodriguez, 29, who traveled from Quito, "but it's very American."

"In Latin America we don't do soccer like this. You go directly to the stadium or to the streets," he added, standing next to a display case of watches priced up to $1,495.

Rodriguez embraced the culture as he sipped a complimentary can of Coca-Cola -- one of around a dozen he had hoarded to share with his family also attending the game.

The drinks brand also organized a shooting tournament that drew a line of fans vying to score into three holes cut into a cover over the goal. The prize: A red Coca-Cola themed scarf or baseball cap.

One of the winners was Eduardo Alban's wife, whose top corner effort was cheered by people watching on ahead of the Ecuador-Germany fixture this week.

"It's pretty exciting to be with all the fans," said 50-year-old Alban, a business administrator who traveled from Quito and wore a yellow Ecuador jersey.

- Burgers and mini golf -

American Dream sprawls three million square feet (280,000 square meters) and dwarfs the MetLife, a 15-minute walk away.

With its proximity to the stadium, the mall is seeking to entice fans with World Cup activities such as watch parties and live music.

In one area, a group of Ecuador fans played a round of mini golf, knocking multicolored balls around a small course based on the Angry Birds video game.

Others lined up to pay $10 to mall staff wearing "Face Painter" vests before posing for selfies with cheeks bearing their national side's colors.

And as pop music by Calvin Harris and Sean Kingston played over speakers, many huddled in food courts to snack on traditional American cuisine: pizza and burgers.

- 'Everything is bigger' -

Some supporters seemed confused by the mega-mall's layout as several approached staff asking for directions to MetLife stadium.

"It's more a theme park than a shopping mall," Germany supporter Michael Karg, 48, said as he fingered through an A-Z list of restaurants on a digital directory.

"I probably wouldn't have come if the shuttle bus didn't drop us off here, but otherwise, it's nice," added the civil servant, wearing his country's white jersey.

German fans mostly gathered in an area that typically serves as an ice skating rink but has been converted to resemble an indoor beer garden, with benches in front of a large screen.

For Jens Jenuwein, from Stuttgart, the mall was another American adventure after he traveled there on a yellow school bus -- utilized by transit authorities to shuttle fans from New York.

"We didn't expect to arrive at the mall. It's very different from a European football experience," the 48-year-old lawyer said.

"Everything is bigger here in the US. And you don't have the combination of a football stadium and a shopping mall. We just go to a pub and have some beer."

(O.Garcia--TAG)