While Colombia defeated Greece in Saturday's first World Cup match, there was another international soccer game brewing – but this one wasn't being televised to the world.

Instead, people from New Columbia – a mixed income community in North Portland that is made up of families from more than 22 countries – happily huddled beside the fences around Bless Field, the area's new public pitch for kids. Operation Pitch Invasion, a local charity that builds, revitalizes and maintains soccer fields, hosted the new pitch's dedication and opening Saturday morning.

The organization has been fundraising for the $200,000 project over the last year. It was built entirely off donations.

"I never thought we'd be here," said Shawn Levy, the director of OPI. "I learned really quickly that there's people behind us."

The Timbers' Chief Operations Officer Mike Golub announced the team's "official partnership" with OPI at the opening ceremony. The team, which helped fund Bless Field, plans to continue to work with OPI to develop more children's fields, or facilities, throughout the Portland area. Levy said the plan is to have one field completed every two years.

"We have a vision for OPI that covers this entire community," Levy said. "From Woodburn to Hillsboro to Gresham to Clark County – that's our neighborhood. And we would like to think that we can have a Bless Field, or something like a Bless Field, in all points of the Portland compass."

For kids like Michael Underwood, 13, having more fields could make a huge difference. Underwood wants to go pro and Bless Field is a block away from his New Columbia home. He plans to be on it every day.

Before Operation Pitch Invasion started construction, the lot Bless Field now fills was still a destination for soccer – just not a very good one. It was all dirt.

"There were too many rocks everywhere," Underwood said. "On this field, I don't slip."

Bless Field, named after Timbers Army founder Howie Bless, is made of turf, a synthetic grass most often used to outfit sports arenas. Home Forward, which serves about 15,000 low-income residents in the county – including those in New Columbia – donated the lot to Operation Pitch Invasion.

The 107 Independent Supporters' Trust, or "170ist," – the Timbers Army's nonprofit organization – made the largest donation for the field at $50,000. The Portland Development Commission donated $40,000, and organizations including the Timbers, Providence Health and Services and Adidas helped make up the rest.

Ginean McIntosh has been able to watch the field's construction from her kitchen window. She said the whole community has been eager and excited for it to open.

McIntosh's 7-year-old daughter, Jasmine, has been playing soccer for the last two years. Jasmine spent Saturday morning chasing after the ball with about 30 other neighborhood kids. New Columbia is home to more than 1,200 children from across the world, according to Operation Pitch Invasion officials.

Different languages filled the field, but the love for the game was universal.

"The thing with any sport is, you don't come out with your differences, you come out together with a common goal," McIntosh said. She added the new field and the game itself is a way for her daughter to connect and meet with children from other cultures.

AC Portland will host summer soccer camps on the new field, which is across the street from a Boys and Girls Club. Nearby Rosa Parks Elementary School, which will have year-round schooling, will use the field for physical education classes.

For Jasmine, the best part of Saturday's opening was when she got to snag the ball from her competitors.

Before putting down her apple juice to return to the ongoing game, Jasmine smiled big.

"It's just really cool," she said, looking out into the field packed with kids wearing different types of jerseys.

-- Sara DiNatale