Harvard went on a strong run from 1969-71, advancing to two NCAA semifinal games. Goalkeeper Shep Messing, who had played at Nassau Community College and NYU, joined the Crimson from 1970-71. Messing played for the U.S. in the 1972 Olympic Games and performed for the Boston Minutemen in 1975 and ’76, in between stints with the New York Cosmos. [Read more…] about Nov. 24, 1969 – Harvard 1:0 (AET) Hartwick, NCAA Regional Championship (Att.: 4,000)
Stevenson finished a first-half Campbell shot deflected by Lajos Fischer, a Hungarian international goalkeeper, as the Boston Wonder Workers played their final game of the season. Then, Boston’s Johnny Davison saved a Gruenfeld penalty kick after Hauesler was fouled by Tetlow. George Collins in The Boston Globe: “Boston’s pro soccer representatives shut out the great Hakoah aggregation of Jewish players, holders of the big National Cup, by 1-0, on a snow-bound ground.” [Read more…] about Nov. 23, 1929 – Boston Wonder Workers 1:0 Hakoah at Brookline Town Field
Eusebio da Silva Ferreira emerged on the international scene as Benfica won the 1961 and ’62 Champions Cup. Eusebio, born in Lourenço Marques (Maputo), Mozambique, won the Ballon D’Or as Europe’s top player in 1965 and led Portugal to a third-place finish in the 1966 World Cup. [Read more…] about Nov. 22, 2015 – Eusebio inducted into New England Soccer Hall of Fame
The Oneida Football Club played on the Boston Common, using a combination of rugby and soccer rules known as “The Boston Game.” The club was founded by Gerritt Smith “Gat” Miller, a student at the Dixwell School on Boylston Place. [Read more…] about Nov. 21, 1862 – Founding of first football club in Western Hemisphere (Oneida FC)
Gabriel Badilla was recruited by the Revolution to pair with Michael Parkhurst in central defense, but played only seven games in two seasons, mostly because of injury. Badilla (b. June 30, 1984 in San Jose) played most of his career with CD Saprissa, winning the 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup (Badilla scored a goal in a 2-0 win over UNAM Pumas in the first leg). Badilla was in the Costa Rica lineup against Poland (2-1 loss) in the 2006 World Cup. Badilla joined the Revolution in 2008, then returned to Saprissa in ’09. [Read more…] about Nov. 20, 2016 – Gabriel “El Gladiador” Badilla dies
John Kerry scored three goals, Jack Griswold two and captain Joe Upton one in Jack Marshall’s final game as Bulldog coach. Kerry scored his first goal in the 16th minute. [Read more…] about Nov. 19, 1965 – Yale 6:3 Harvard. John Kerry hat trick for Yale
The Boston Globe’s George Collins reported a crowd of 16,000: “All records for attendances at soccer games in this country were smashed here today …” for a National Challenge Cup (U.S. Open Cup) match. [Read more…] about Nov. 18, 1923 – Fall River Marksmen 4:0 J&P Coats, National Challenge Cup replay at Mark’s Stadium (Att.: 14,375)
This was the sixth successive win for Boston SC (7-0-1, 15 points), second in the ASL behind the Philadelphia Nationals (8-1-1, 17 points). Former Peru Olympic teamer Nestor Caceres (14’) and Manuel Lopez (47’) opened the scoring. New York’s Walt Horseling cut the deficit “in the last minute of play.” [Read more…] about Nov. 17, 1963 – Boston SC 2:1 New York Hakoah, ASL match at Chelsea Memorial Stadium (Att.: 3,000)
The Fall River Rovers achieved surprising results in two games played near the conclusion of the Pilgrims’ tour. The Pilgrims’ Sim opened the scoring “30 minutes” into the second half. Elliott equalized, heading in a Sunderland corner “after 80 minutes.” [Read more…] about Nov. 10, 1909 – Fall River Rovers 1:1 Pilgrims at Atlantic Grounds (Att.: 4,000)
Brian McBride (22’ & 28’) and Chris Henderson (49’) gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead over El Salvador on the final day of World Cup qualifying. Nildeson de Melo cut the deficit and Raul Diaz Arce (who would score 18 goals for the Revolution in the 1998 MLS season) converted a 62nd-minute penalty kick past future Revolution goalkeeper Jurgen Sommer (who replaced current Revolution coach Brad Friedel after halftime). De Melo earned the penalty after a clash with Peter Vermes. The Guanacos’ hopes for a qualifying spot remained alive until Preki’s 82nd-minute score clinched the result for the U.S. [Read more…] about Nov. 16, 1997 – U.S. 4:2 El Salvador, first U.S. WCQ win in Foxborough (Att.: 53,193)