The Republic of Ireland national team made a strong impact on soccer in New England in the early 1990s, drawing significant crowds and displaying the form that took the team to a berth in the 1988 European Championship and quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup. [Read more…] about June 8, 1992 – THEY WUZ ROBBED
Walker scored in the seventh minute “bunting the ball through,” according to the Boston Globe. Craig then converted a penalty kick. The Black Cats were “lighter and faster, presented a better coordinated offensive, led by Winn, Perry and Kogut, keeping the ball in the Goodyear’s half of the field two-thirds of the game, but were handicapped by a slippery field.” The teams had played to a 1-1 draw in New Bedford May 10, 1931.
Heavyweight contender Young Stribling “drove over from his training camp at Geauga Lake” to kick off the match. Stribling would lose to Max Schmeling on 15th-round TKO in Cleveland July 3, 1931.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Venezuela’s Vinotinto provided one of the greatest upsets in the history of New England sports with this victory over Brazil. The Brazilians went into this match with a record of 17-0-0 (78-4 goal differential) against Venezuela since the series started in 1969, and were booed off the field by a raucous Friday night crowd. Giancarlo Maldonado (fifth minute) gave Venezuela its first advantage ever over Brazil and Ronald Vargas (44th) upped the lead to 2-0 at halftime. [Read more…] about June 6, 2008 – Venezuela 2:0 Brazil at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 53,045)
Xi Jinping and the China Super League have revived soccer in the country, but there were apparently some talented Chinese players competing in the Boston area 100 years ago.
Some of the earliest mentions of Chinese soccer in New England date to 1918, the name of the team(s) varying. Chinese players made a strong impact with Northeastern University’s team. References to Chinese soccer in Boston appear to fade after the mid-1920s, though, a time of great political unrest in China.
Nov. 9, 1918 – MIT Chinese soccer 4:1 Harvard S.A.T.C. [Read more…] about June 5, 1924 – Chinese students’ soccer team of Greater Boston captain Arthur Sun elected MIT captain
A wide gulf in talent and tactical acumen resulted in an embarrassing defeat for the U.S. national team against Spain. Santi Cazorla (28’, 41’) and Alvaro Negredo (32’) provided a 3-0 halftime lead and El Niño Torres added a 73rd-minute goal for the Spaniards, who had played once before in Foxborough, sustaining a 2-1 extra time loss to Italy in the World Cup quarterfinals at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 53,400) July 9, 1994. [Read more…] about June 4, 2011 – U.S. 0:4 Spain (Att.: 64,421). Biggest U.S. loss, and their biggest crowd, in Foxborough
The Scots were setting footballing standards with their precision short passing game in the 1920s. The Scotland national team had destroyed England, 5-1, in the British Home Championship at Wembley March 31, 1928. After the match, Alex James said “we could have had 10,” and the team was nicknamed “The Wizards of Wembley,” the performance so commanding it remains a symbol of the excellence of Scottish soccer. [Read more…] about June 3, 1928 – Fall River Marksmen 0:0 Glasgow Rangers at Mark’s Stadium (Att.: 15,500)
The Boston and District League was the top amateur soccer league in the area from the early 1900s on. The earliest references I’ve found were in 1907.
Lynn Hibernians fell, 3-1, to eventual champions Fall River Rovers in the third round of the 1917 National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup). [Read more…] about June 2, 1917 – Lynn Hibernians win Boston and District League title
Ireland’s Tony Cascarino (57th minute) opened the scoring before Eric Wynalda slipped past Kevin Moran for a 68th-minute equalizer off a Chris Henderson assist as the U.S. Men’s National Team made its Massachusetts debut.
Organizers budgeted for a 30,000 crowd, but a week before the match, stadium manager Brian O’Donovan projected possible 35,000 attendance. The walk-up took officials by surprise, with about 12,000 purchasing tickets at the gate (thousands of tickets were printed on-site), lines stretching toward Rte. 1 throughout the first half. [Read more…] about June 1, 1991 – U.S. 1:1 Ireland at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 51,273). First full international in Massachusetts
The Azzurri had their first look at the New England area, and would return two years later for World Cup second round and quarterfinal matches.
This game was played in a rainstorm and organizers had had to put things together quickly. I recall FIGC president Antonio Mattarese entering the press box and taking notice of water dripping onto the cold cuts table of the pre-game “spread.” Pretty certain questions were raised about planning for the ’94 World Cup. [Read more…] about May 31, 1992 – Italy 0:0 Portugal, U.S. Cup at Yale Bowl (Att.: 38,833)
Billy Gonsalves scored three goals for the Yankees, who began the season as the Fall River Marksmen, in an upset win over Celtic FC. In fact, the Boston Globe advance story called the team the “Fall River Yankees.”
“Billy Gonsalves, who learned his soccer on the sandlots of East Cambridge and then was grabbed by the old Boston team, was the big works in the game. All he did was score three of the Yankees’ goals and manipulate the ball in such a manner that he completely mystified the famous Celtics at times.” [Read more…] about May 30, 1931 – New York Yankees 4:3 Glasgow Celtic at Fenway Park (Att.: 8,000)