Taylor Twellman scored in the sixth and 39th minutes in his third Revolution start, during the “soft” opening of Gillette Stadium, which had ceded naming rights to internet venture CMGI (College Marketing Group Information). [Read more…] about May 11, 2002 – Taylor Twellman kick starts Gillette opening – 50 years and forever
The Boston Globe listed attendance at 10,000, “the biggest crowd of people to ever watch a soccer game in the Boston area.” Several sources who were at the game as players or spectators are convinced the crowd was greater than 10,000. My primary source is Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league. Mirisola said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” Everett Memorial Stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a long-time Everett resident and former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender. [Read more…] about May 8, 1964 – Liverpool FC draws a (15,000) crowd in Boston
Juan Agudelo scored twice in six games with Chivas USA before being sent to the New England Revolution, where he totaled seven goals in 14 matches, in 2013. That has been Agudelo’s most productive MLS season – nine goals in 20 games. Agudelo, 24, is on pace for his first double-figure goal total this season, with six in 10 games.
Agudelo burst on the scene as an 18-year-old with the New York Red Bulls, but failed to become a regular starter. Agudelo totaled six goals in 33 games (13 starts) with the Red Bulls before being traded to Chivas USA in 2012. Agudelo’s career seemed to be on the rise with a transfer to Stoke City, but he was unable to secure a work permit and was loaned to Utrecht, where he scored three goals in 14 appearances in 2013-14.
The Revolution hoped Agudelo’s return would help them contend for the MLS Cup, a year after they lost to the LA Galaxy in the 2014 final.
Revolution coach Jay Heaps is hoping to capitalize on Agudelo’s combination of size, skill and strength, also using his playmaking ability, in a 4-4-2 alignment. Agudelo, born in Manizales, Colombia, has reemerged on the U.S. national team scene – he scored in his debut, a 1-0 win over South Africa in Johannesburg Nov. 17, 2010, and has totaled three goals in 22 appearances.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
May 6, 1916 – Bethlehem Steel 1:0 Fall River Rovers at Coats Field (Att.: 15,000)
The rivalry between Bethlehem Steel Company FC and Fall River Rovers FC kicked off in the 1916 National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) final. The teams represented two of the country’s major industrial centers, the Bethlehem team composed of European imports, known for their precision passing game, and the Rovers a mostly native-born team relying more on effort than skill. [Read more…] about May 6, 1916 – A U.S. OPEN CUP RIVALRY IS BORN
The Boston Minutemen, guided by former Yale coach Hubert Vogelsinger, reached the semifinals of the NASL playoffs in their first year. The roster included several internationals and English First Division players. Ade Coker and Carlos Metidieri performed for the U.S. national team. The back row of this team photo includes Steve Twellman, uncle of future New England Revolution all-time leading scorer Taylor Twellman. [Read more…] about May 4, 1974 – Dallas Tornado 0:0 Boston Minutemen at Texas Stadium (Att.: 9,124). First Minutemen game in inaugural NASL season
Long before Cristiano Ronaldo, Adelino (Billy) Gonsalves was considered among the most proficient players of Madeira Island descent. Gonsalves, born in Portsmouth, R.I., in 1908, holds the record by winning eight U.S. Open Cup championships, six in succession (1930-35) with three clubs. Gonsalves won his first title with Fall River Marksmen at the age of 22 and his last with Brooklyn Hispano at 35 in 1944.
Gonsalves competed for teams in several cities, but he might not have had to leave St. Louis to play for Chicago-based Manhattan Beer. Gonsalves left Fall River after the demise of the ASL and the Marksmen, performing for St. Louis Central Breweries, Beltmar Drug and South Side Radio in the “Mound City” from 1933-38. The St. Louis Soccer League invited Chicago teams to participate in the league, and Gonsalves joined Manhattan Beer for the 1938 and ’39 seasons. Gonsalves teamed with Spain-born Fabri Salcedo to lead the attack for the Brewers, and they continued to combine with Brooklyn Hispano in the ‘40s.
April 30, 1939 – Chicago Manhattan Beer 0:1 St. Mary’s Celtic (Brooklyn)
Gonsalves scored Manhattan Beer’s only goal in the two-game series on a penalty kick. Duke Nanoski converted in the away leg and added two goals in St. Mary’s Celtic’s 4-1 win in the return leg at Starlight Park in the Bronx May 7, 1939. Rudolf Kuntner, a U.S. Men’s National Team member who became stage manager at the Metropolitan Opera, added a penalty kick goal in the second leg. According to a Dec. 19, 1971 New York Times review of Tristan und Isolde, Kuntner “… was responsible for the lighting effects. Bravo.” The Met used the stage lighting setup for productions in the ‘80s, also.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Rain contributed to keeping the crowd numbers down for the Boston Bolts in the home-opener of their second season. The Bolts went on to reach the ASL final, falling to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in a mini-game Aug. 26, 1989. [Read more…] about April 29, 1989 – Boston Bolts 0:0 Washington Diplomats at Nickerson Field (Att. 2,151)
The New England Revolution were the last team to make their MLS debut, officials scaling Foxboro Stadium to 22,385 for the initial season. A week before the home-opener, though, more tickets (price range: $9-$23) were released. The Revolution played D.C. United to a 1-1 draw, then won the post-match shootout before 32,864 (the Red Sox-Kansas City Royals game attracted 29,459 during the day). Raul Diaz Arce scored on a 24th-minute diving header, then the Revolution’s Geoff Aunger tied the score with an 80th-minute penalty kick, and Darren Sawatzky converted the decider in the shootout. Future Revolution players played key roles for D.C. United: Diaz Arce, plus Kris Kelderman (who fouled Paul Keegan to set up the penalty kick) and Jeff Causey, who was in goal in the shootout. [Read more…] about April 27, 1996 – Revolution outdraw Red Sox in inaugural home game
Boston Soccer Club won the equivalent of a national championship, defeating St. Louis champion Ben Millers, 3-2.
The Boston Globe : “The day was too hot for good soccer.” The Millers’ Tommy White suffered a fractured leg in the first seven minutes of play (in the second half) in a collision with W. Ballantyne. [Read more…] about April 26, 1925 – Boston Wonder Workers earn U.S. soccer title, trip to White House
The Revolution were on the way down and Real Salt Lake on the way up. Though the Revolution closed the regular season with a winning record (11-10-9), they were eliminated by Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. RSL edged into the post-season on goal difference, then won the 2009 MLS Cup. The Revolution’s next visit to Salt Lake City resulted in a 5-0 defeat July 2, 2010, as the team was on the way to experiencing three consecutive losing seasons. [Read more…] about April 25, 2009 – Real Salt Lake 6:0 Revolution. Worst Revolution regular-season defeat