Frank Dell'Apa

U.S. Men's National Team

May 28, 2005 – Clint Dempsey scores first international goal

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Clinton Drew Dempsey — named after the Man With No Name, Clint Eastwood  — was 22 years old and in his second season with the New England Revolution when he established himself among the starting candidates for the U.S. national team. Dempsey has gone on to captain the USMNT, totaling 56 goals, second to Landon Donovan (57) on the all-time list.

May 28, 2005 – U.S. 1:2 England at Soldier Field, Chicago

Dempsey began his professional career as a Revolution holding midfielder in 2004. In the second month of the ’04 season, Revolution coach Steve Nicol switched to a 3-5-2 alignment; two weeks later, with Taylor Twellman absent, Dempsey made his first start at forward, paired with Pat Noonan. [Read more…] about May 28, 2005 – Clint Dempsey scores first international goal

May 27, 1934 – Aldo (Buff) Donelli scores only goal for U.S. in World Cup opener

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Billy Gonsalves pushed for Buff Donelli to be included in the U.S. national team, and Donelli scored every goal for the U.S. in a 4-2 victory over Mexico in a playoff match in Rome May 24, 1934. Three days later, Italy took a 3-0 halftime lead before Donelli’s 57th-minute conversion.

It seemed strange that FIFA would require two CONCACAF teams to travel to Italy to contest a play-in match, especially since a Trans-Atlantic voyage involved several weeks. If the U.S.-Mexico game had been considered part of the World Cup, Donelli would have tied with Czechoslovakia’s Oldrich Nejedly for the Golden Boot with five goals. [Read more…] about May 27, 1934 – Aldo (Buff) Donelli scores only goal for U.S. in World Cup opener

May 26, 2007 – Bolivia 1:1 Ireland at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 13,156)

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The Republic of Ireland national team’s rise coincided with Boston’s bid to become a 1994 World Cup venue. Ireland support was strong for the state’s first full international as the Republic and U.S. played to a 1-1 draw at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 51,273) June 1, 1991. Ireland returned for a 2-0 victory over Portugal in the ’92 U.S. Cup, one of the goals a Steve Staunton “Olimpico” over Vitor Baia. But that would be the team’s only victory in Foxborough. Ireland has a 1W-2L-3D all-time record at Foxboro/Gillette stadiums. [Read more…] about May 26, 2007 – Bolivia 1:1 Ireland at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 13,156)

May 25, 1924 – First U.S. win in Olympic soccer

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Andy Straden scored on a 15th-minute penalty kick as the U.S. defeated Estonia for its first victory in the Olympics. The U.S. was then eliminated with a 3-0 loss to eventual champion Uruguay, the clash providing a connection between the countries, leading to the Uruguayans making a 1927 tour that included a stop in Boston. [Read more…] about May 25, 1924 – First U.S. win in Olympic soccer

May 21, 1950 – Ponta Delgada wins U.S. Amateur Cup

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Ponta Delgada SC won the U.S. Amateur Cup for the fourth time in five years. Ponta Delgada became the first team to win three successive U.S. Amateur Cup titles (1946-48), then lost to eventual champion Elizabeth (N.J.) SC in the 1949 tournament. Ponta Delgada was the first to capture the U.S. Amateur/Open Cup double in 1947, and this time came close, reaching the 1950 U.S. Open Cup final. [Read more…] about May 21, 1950 – Ponta Delgada wins U.S. Amateur Cup

May 20, 1990 – U.S. 1:0 Partizan Belgrade at Yale Bowl, New Haven, Conn. (Att.: 30,644)

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Peter Vermes scored 15 seconds into the second half in a U.S. preparation match before the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Tony Meola saved an Aleksandar Dordevic free kick as Partizan played without three Yugoslavia national teamers, including starting defender Predrag Spasic. [Read more…] about May 20, 1990 – U.S. 1:0 Partizan Belgrade at Yale Bowl, New Haven, Conn. (Att.: 30,644)

May 19, 2002 – U.S. 0:2 Netherlands, CMGI (Gillette) initial international (Att.: 36,778)

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The U.S. faltered in its 2002 World Cup sendoff game in a stadium that had opened eight days earlier, with scaled-down seating. Roy Makaay (45th minute) and Andy van der Meyde (76th) scored and Ronald Waterreus made stops on Eddie Pope, Landon Donovan, John O’Brien, Cobi Jones and Claudio Reyna. Before this match, the U.S. had a 7W-0L-3D record in Foxborough, all the games played at Foxboro Stadium. [Read more…] about May 19, 2002 – U.S. 0:2 Netherlands, CMGI (Gillette) initial international (Att.: 36,778)

May 12, 1935 – St. Louis Central Breweries 1:3 (7:6) Pawtucket Rangers, U.S. Open Cup final at Newark School Stadium (Att. 2,000)

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According to The Boston Globe, the National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) final had been set as a best-of-three series, the title going to the first team to win twice. The Centrals had taken a 5-2 home victory and the teams had played to a 1-1 tie in Pawtucket. But on May 11, 1935, the day before the match, the U.S. Football Association decreed total goals would decide the winner. [Read more…] about May 12, 1935 – St. Louis Central Breweries 1:3 (7:6) Pawtucket Rangers, U.S. Open Cup final at Newark School Stadium (Att. 2,000)

May 10, 1992 – Mike Masters scores first goal by U.S. player at Wembley

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Mike Masters played basketball and soccer at Williams College, teaming with future New England Revolution defender Dan Calichman (Toronto FC assistant coach) and goalkeeper Rob Blanck (Navy women’s team assistant to former Harvard assistant Carin Jennings Gabarra) on Mike Russo’s soccer team. Masters then went on to perform for the Albany Capitals and San Francisco Blackhawks, before moving to England on a free transfer in January of 1992. [Read more…] about May 10, 1992 – Mike Masters scores first goal by U.S. player at Wembley

May 8, 1964 – Liverpool FC draws a (15,000) crowd in Boston

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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