The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team made some of its local fans smile with a low-key training session out at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium on Sunday.

Just not nearly enough to equal the roughly 15,000 who had tickets for Team USA’s Sunday game vs. Trinidad and Tobago at Aloha Stadium. They found out late Saturday night or Sunday morning that the game was off because of team concerns about the safety of playing on the stadium’s artificial field.

Jack Sullivan, a patriarch of the local soccer community, walked around in shock Sunday as he processed the last-second failure. Over the last several months, he served on an advisory board with the Hawaii Tourism Authority which helped bring the USWNT to the islands for the first time.

“I think it’s a poor mark for the soccer community,” Sullivan said. “It makes us look bad that we can’t handle something like this, after years of having the Pro Bowl and everything we can handle. I just think it’s a shame. I feel sorry for all the kids.”

He put the blame on the Chicago-based U.S. Soccer Federation for the ongoing rift with the Team USA women over artificial playing surfaces, resulting in the abrupt stoppage time. It was a sore spot in the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and eight of the 10 venues in the team’s Cup victory tour — including the next one Thursday in San Antonio, Texas — feature artificial turf.

For Hawaii fans, the issue came to a head at the worst possible time. The next match is tentatively going ahead as planned while refunds have been promised for the Hawaii game.

The defending champions generated a loud conversation nationally. Locally, their Sunday training session was relatively quiet. No word was given ahead of time to the public or media, ostensibly to prevent a frenzy at the comparatively small Waipio stadium.

But about 1,000 screaming soccer fans, who were either already present on the Waipio Peninsula for youth or club games, or arrived through word of mouth, watched the 11⁄2-hour session intently. Many received autographs afterward.

Veteran Abby Wambach, who is retiring after the remaining three games of the tour, expressed sympathy for local fans.

“The players feel horrible because we know people paid money,” she said. “Some people flew here to come to watch this specific game. And so we … are glad people showed up to this practice from the players’ perspective. We want to give back to our fans as much as we possibly can, because they’re a huge reason we are to be as successful and do what we do.”

At least one, as it turns out, flew over from Kauai to see Wambach specifically.

“This was my Christmas present, so I’m pretty bummed,” said Kayla Syvertson, 28, of Poipu. “I came because Abby Wambach announced her retirement. This was the only time I could see her play. She’s my favorite player.”

Syvertson and a friend paid $2,000 for the total trip. But only $400 will be covered by ticket refunds.

“I wish they would reschedule and come back so we could see them play,” Syvertson said. “I’m on the verge of tears. For months we’ve been looking forward to it and it got shut down.”

The youngsters who lucked into watching the national team Sunday were largely overjoyed.

Kalei Watson, 10, of Kapolei got her Alex Morgan jersey signed on the back by Morgan.

“I really wanted to watch them (at the game),” Watson said. “But at least I got to see something.”

Another 10-year-old, Jayla Barut of Kahului, flew over from Maui with some teammates and parents.

“Kinda disappointed (for the game), but I was happy with the outcome, the practicing, and I got to (see) them,” Barut said.

Sacred Hearts Academy student Kacey Wong, 16, wielded a large Hope Solo handmade sign and got some recognition from the player. Wong said she actually preferred seeing the team at Waipio.

“My friend was here, so she called me, so we booked it here (from Kaimuki),” Wong said. “Oh my gosh, I was shaking. My heart was going so fast. I was ready to cry, I was so excited and I didn’t want to be disappointed if she wasn’t here.”

In a training session Saturday, players pointed out seams in the Aloha Stadium FieldTurf which was installed in 2011. A photo of the goalkeeper Solo pulling up one section of the turf went viral on social media.

The team’s high profile players tried to explain their stand in the context of losing a key player, midfielder Megan Rapinoe, to an ACL injury at the University of Hawaii’s grass practice field on Friday. Though the UH field was a natural surface, the players considered it (usually used by UH football) unsafe as well.

“Sometimes it is making tough decisions and standing up for what’s best for the team,” Wambach said. “And what’s best for the team right now is to not take the pitch against Trinidad on that (Aloha Stadium) field. You know, we just lost a player the other day. And we have to be mindful of putting our players in positions where they can get injured. And that’s the No. 1 concern, is player safety.”

Sullivan blasted U.S. Soccer for not inspecting the stadium field before this week. Officials gave it a tentative go-ahead on Thursday.

Stadium manager Scott Chan extended an apology to the public for the canceled event but contended the surface was viable to play on.

The field has hosted international soccer events as recently as 2012.

“We respectfully disagree with this and the reports and allegations that are being made,” Chan said in a statement. “Our top priority has always been to provide a safe environment for all users and guests.”

U.S. Soccer put out its own apology statement to fans in a release that noted “all possible options available were considered to get the field in a playable condition.”

Its release included the following information for refunds:

“All internet and phone orders will be automatically refunded with a confirmation sent via email. Fans that purchased at Ticketmaster ticket centers will need to return their tickets to the location where purchased in order to obtain a refund. Those who purchased at Aloha Stadium will need to return to the venue ticket office (open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

“Those who bought directly through U.S. Soccer will be refunded by U.S. Soccer. Fans with questions about their refund can contact their respective place of purchase directly: Ticketmaster Fan Support at 800-653-8000, Aloha Stadium at (808) 483-2500 or U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1290 or tickets@ussoccer.org.”

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The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Dave Reardon contributed to this report.