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
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 a late 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)
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)
According to an Associated Press story, George M. Collins “declares” the USFA would “have to accept all other professional bodies on equal footing,” during the 12th annual meeting of the group in New York. Collins, a Boston Globe columnist, representing the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Association, was referring to recognition for the two professional leagues – the American Soccer League and the St. Louis Soccer League. [Read more…] about May 18, 1925 – American Soccer League accepted as full member of United States FA
The New England All-Stars essentially consisted of the Ponta Delgada SC team, including Ed Souza and John Souza, who would go on to play for the U.S. in the World Cup a few weeks later. In this game, Manchester United went ahead on a 14th-minute Tom Bogan goal. Ed Souza missed a 79th-minute penalty kick with a chance to equalize. In the final minutes, Johnnie Downie scored off a pass from inside left Charlie Mitten, considered the match’s top performer. Mitten went on to sign with Independiente Santa Fe in Colombia, earning a ban from British football and the nickname “The Bogota Bandit.” The only Manchester United player who competed in this game to go on to the ’50 World Cup was Henry Cockburn, who was not in the England lineup against the U.S. [Read more…] about May 17, 1950 – Manchester United’s first New England appearance
This event kicked off the U.S. Open Cup, then called the National Challenge Cup, which has become the most enduring of U.S. team sporting competitions, in terms of continuity and longevity. The tournament has been held annually through epidemics, labor disputes, wars. The U.S. Open Cup is the world’s second longest continuously-operating football association cup competition, according to Josh Hakala of www.thecup.us.com . [Read more…] about May 16, 1914 – First U.S. Open Cup Final in Pawtucket, R.I. (Att.: 7,000)
Sean Thomas was considered among the Republic of Ireland’s top coaches, having guided Shamrock Rovers the 1964 League of Ireland title. Thomas had a reputation for finding talent, once bringing Liam Neeson (yes, the actor) in for Bohemians to play in a match against Shamrock Rovers. [Read more…] about May 15, 1967 – Sean Thomas introduced as Boston Shamrock Rovers coach
The two-game series between Harvard and McGill (the teams played to a 0-0 draw on May 15, 1874) is considered a seminal event in the evolution of football codes in the U.S.
The opening contest was played by “Boston Game” rules, with a round ball that was kicked, soccer-style, but could also be carried and passed. The second game used McGill’s oval ball, which could be carried, the rules resembling rugby.
https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/news/date-history-first-football-game-was-may-14-1874-106694
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1968/3/13/the-history-of-harvard-sports-piduring/
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
The Revolution earned three free kicks, three different players converting all three in a 3-1 victory over D.C. United. Wolde Harris (15th minute) equalized, a minute after a Jaime Moreno goal, then Mauricio Ramos (65th) and Imad Baba (82nd) scored and Jeff Causey saved a Moreno penalty kick in the second half. The Revolution improved their unbeaten streak to five games, their longest streak in five years of existence, and were on the way to their first .500 season. Coach Fernando Clavijo inserted Mike Burns into a holding midfield role in the second half, and the tactic worked as Burns slowed Moreno. [Read more…] about May 13, 2000 – Free kick hat trick, Revolution defeat D.C. Utd.; new striker on way?
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)