As US team strides toward knockout round, World Cup fans whoop it up all over LA area

The United States completed World Cup group stage play Thursday at SoFi Stadium (temporarily rechristened Los Angeles Stadium by FIFA), celebrating its advancement to “knockout round” play. And the team’s fans celebrated along with them around the LA. area.

Fan festival have dotted the county since the tournament was launched, staging lively parties for experienced Southland fans and newcomers, too.

The U.S. squad faced Turkey on Thursday evening, but has already assured themselves of finishing first in Group D with a 2-0 victory over Australia Friday.

The American team has given fans a reason to be excited — in addition to the fact that the whole danged world has come to town to kick the ball around.

“We have achieved what we wanted first of all by qualifying for the next stage but now it is important to compete in the best way because we want to win tomorrow,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Wednesday at a news conference at SoFi.

“We have qualified — but we want to win. We want to go to the next stage with three victories.”

Midfielder Cristian Roldan was questionable for the game with what Pochettino described as a minor muscle strain.  The 31-year-old alumnus of El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera did not play in either of the first two matches.

Free watch parties were held at Ivy Station in Culver City, the Ovation Hollywood shopping center, Hammer Museum in Westwood, George Lane Park in Quartz Hill, the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and West Hollywood Park.

Watch parties will also be held at MacArthur Park in the Westlake district, Lanark Recreation Center in Canoga Park and Northridge Recreation Center as part of the Kick It In the Park program organized by various city of L.A. departments that also include youth soccer clinics, neighborhood programming and community resources.

Perhaps the most unusual fan event was at Downtown’s iconic Union Station on Alameda Street. A four-day festival launched on Thursday and will run through Sunday at L.A.’s distinctive “Mission Moderne”-styled  transit hub.

Featured: Live match viewing, soccer-themed activities, food vendors, art exhibits and family programming. To attend: RSVP is required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-world-cup-26-fan-zone-at-los-angeles-union-station-tickets-1985833821417?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Temporary street and freeway ramp closures around Union Station began Thursday,  according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

The closures will remain in effect through Sunday.

LADOT closed the following streets to vehicle traffic:

— Alameda Street between the Hollywood (101) Freeway and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue;

— Los Angeles Street between the 101 Freeway and Alameda Street; and

— Main Street between the 101 Freeway and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue.

The following northbound Hollywood (101) Freeway ramps will be closed:

— Los Angeles Street entrance ramp;

— Alameda Street entrance ramp;

— 101 northbound off-ramp to Alameda Street and the Express Lanes; and

— Alameda Street between Cesar Chavez and the 10 Freeway Express Lanes entrance.

The closures will be in effect through Sunday.

More information is available at kickit.lacity.gov.