The New York Cosmos football club defeated Cuba’s national team 4-1 in a friendly match at Pedro Marrero stadium in Havana on Tuesday.

It that was the first visit to the island by a U.S. professional team since the two countries began their detente effort in December 2014. CCTV America’s Michael Voss reported this story from Havana.

The game was played in a persistent rain that prevented Brazilian football legend Pele from making the symbolic opening kick.

“This is a historic moment. I would like for the entire world, foremost Brazil and Cuba, would place their vision in this game because as we are talking about peace here, we have the great problem in FIFA that it doesn’t have peace and (it has) all the problems with corruption,” Pele said.

“So this is an important moment, a very important moment. While they don’t have peace there, we are doing a match through football for peace between the United States and Cuba.”

Thousands filled the stands at the stadium, cheering on the game with football hymns.

After the final whistle, Cosmos players saluted the audience, which responded with applause and cheers.

Story by CCTV America and the Associated Press.