The 32.25 million euro transfer of Ronaldinho from Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona was concluded on July 21, but Ronaldinho was not planning to compete for Barça in the U.S. Promoters insisted Ronaldinho appear in the match, and they had their way as he replaced Oscar Lopez in the second half of a 2-2 draw with Juventus. [Read more…] about July 27, 2003 – Ronaldinho makes Barcelona debut
Diego Milito outmaneuvered Oguchi Onyewu in the fourth minute and finished a Dejan Stankovic square ball in the 75th minute before a record crowd for a friendly match involving club teams in the Boston area. [Read more…] about July 26, 2009 – Inter 2:0 Milan at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 42,531), city rivals in rare meeting outside Milan
Two clubs financed by Boston-based owners (John Henry, James Pallotta) met in a preseason match that was being proposed as a regular event. Goals from Michael Bradley (63rd minute) and Alessandro Florenzi (69th) gave Roma the advantage, then Liverpool substitute Charlie Adam (80th) cut the deficit. [Read more…] about July 25, 2012 – AS Roma 2:1 Liverpool FC at Fenway Park (Att.: 37,169)
Moore signed with MLS while playing for Nuremberg under current Bayern Munich assistant Hermann Gerland. Moore scored 11 goals in 14 games, but the Revolution fell short of the initial MLS playoffs, losing to the Columbus Crew on the final day of the 1996 regular season. [Read more…] about July 24, 1996 – Revolution acquire Joe-Max Moore on transfer from 1.FC Nuremberg
Substitute striker Euller’s 71st-minute goal off a clearance made the difference for Palmeiras, which was playing a long ball game under new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Palmeiras’ roster included 1994 World Cup champion Zinho, a second half substitute, and 20-year-old central defender Roque Junior, who would be transferred to Milan three years later.
The match was a warmup for the Reebok Cup, sponsored by the Stoughton-based company. Palmeiras drew with Junior (2-2) in Miami and lost to Necaxa (4-1) in Chicago. A brawl broke out in the Palmeiras-Junior match, a Palmeiras trainer appearing to threaten a Junior player with a scalpel, coach Julio Cesar Uribe red-carded after punching a Palmeiras player.
From my Boston Globe story:
“The team is adjusting to the style of new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, plus the addition of several new players, including World Cup ’94 starter Zinho. However, Scolari’s intentions seem to be to impose the combative, direct style which earned him success at Gremio Porto Alegre.”
Scolari would go on to guide Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title but his return to the team ended in losses to Germany (7-1) in the semifinals and The Netherlands (3-0) in the third-place game in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
The Revolution were leading the Eastern Conference and the Dynamo in first place in the Western Conference, entering the match with a 10-game (8-0-2) unbeaten streak. Both teams were struggling with a crowded schedule and injuries, some players (plus Revolution coach Steve Nicol) having participated in the MLS All-Star team’s 2-0 win over Celtic FC in Denver on July 19, 2007. [Read more…] about July 22, 2007 – Revolution 3:3 Houston (Att.: 14,606). MLS Cup final preview
Celtic’s Georgios Samaras opened the scoring with a 72nd-minute penalty kick and Helder Postiga’s 81st-minute header equalized. Paul McGowan scored the deciding shootout goal for Celtic, which was playing at Fenway Park for the first time since 1931. Celtic has a 1W-3L-2D record in New England since 1930.
This was the first Fenway soccer match since 1968, when Santos FC defeated the Boston Beacons, 7-1, before an 18,431 crowd. Chris Aduama photo
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
At the time, Ralston, 36, was the MLS all-time leader in appearances (412 playoff and regular season games). Ralston played five seasons with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, then joined the Revolution as coach Fernando Clavijo selected him in a 2001 dispersal draft. [Read more…] about July 20, 2010 – Steve Ralston announces retirement
Landon Donovan produced the first four-goal game at Gillette Stadium as the U.S. took a 5-0 victory over Cuba in a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal match. This was also the first four-goal performance by a U.S. player since former Revolution striker Joe-Max Moore against El Salvador in 1993. [Read more…] about July 19, 2003 – Landon Donovan first four-goal game at Gillette Stadium
The Boston Astros (9W-3L-8D, 26 points) ended up ahead of the Oceaneers (8-3-9, 25) and Connecticut Yankees (9-6-5, 23) in the North Division, then became ASL co-champion after playing to 2-2 and 1-1 draws (plus nine 7 minute, 30 seconds extra time sessions) with the New York Apollo. [Read more…] about July 18, 1975 – Boston Astros 1:1 Rhode Island Oceaneers, Astros’ debut at Foley Stadium in Worcester