Major League Soccer in Detroit? That's the GOAAAAAL!

A crowd of 30,514 enthusiastic soccer fans witnessed Italian giants AC Milan defeat Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, 5-3, in a penalty kick shootout after playing to a scoreless draw Friday night at the Pontiac Silverdome. It was the first soccer event in metropolitan Detroit in 16 years, and the high turnout proves that a Major League Soccer franchise in Detroit is viable, according to Triple Properties LLC. The company, which now owns the mostly dormant dome after winning it in a private auction last year for $583,000, has made it clear that it would like to bring an MLS team to the facility.

"We consider tonight to be a tremendous success," Silverdome spokesperson John Mozena told MichiganLive.com after the game, adding that the "Match of the Titans" draw cost between $2 million and $3 million, on top of the money to fix up the stadium. Mozena said that Friday's game was the first step toward making the Silverdome an entertainment destination specifically for soccer fans.

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