June 8, 1992 – THEY WUZ ROBBED
Post by frankdellapa@gmail.com
The Republic of Ireland national team made a strong impact on soccer in New England in the early 1990s, drawing significant crowds and displaying the form that took the team to a berth in the 1988 European Championship and quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup.
Remarkably, in six Foxborough matches, Ireland has only one win. And, while the Irish were blanking Portugal (2-0) on June 7, 1992, their rooms at the Park Plaza hotel were being pilfered. The next day, Boston Soccer ’94 reimbursed the team $25,000 to compensate for the thefts.
June 7, 1992 – Ireland 2:0 Portugal at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 41,227)
Ireland’s only win in six games (1W-2L-3D) in Foxborough. Steve Staunton capitalized on the narrows confines of the field to convert the first Olimpico in Foxborough, scoring directly on a corner kick over Vitor Baia. The outdrew a Red Sox game versus Cleveland (33,202) on the same day.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY