This was considered a major upset, since Boston had contracted several top British star players to play in the American Soccer League. According to the Boston Globe story, Carrie and Blyth scored for Shawsheen, Hamill for Boston, and Shawsheen’s Murdoch saved a McIntyre penalty kick at the Walpole-st Grounds. [Read more…] about Feb. 23, 1925 – Boston 1×2 Shawsheen
Professional Soccer
Feb. 22, 2006 – Revolution, Alajuelense draw in Bermuda
This was considered the home leg of the CONCACAF Champions League matchup for the New England Revolution, and several hundred supporters made the trip to Hamilton for the game, plus a chance to witness training sessions. The featured players were the Revolution’s Clint Dempsey and Alajuelense’s Bryan Ruiz, who would go on to become teammates at Fulham FC, attracting significant transfer fees along the way. [Read more…] about Feb. 22, 2006 – Revolution, Alajuelense draw in Bermuda
Feb. 21, 2001 – New England Revolution open doors in Costa Rica
Unpredictable things occurred during the New England Revolution’s preseason training, often against Costa Rican clubs. The Revolution were among the first MLS teams to make inroads in Costa Rica. The Revolution played to a 2-2 draw at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Feb. 21, 2001, Wolde Harris scoring the first goal on a penalty kick, the tying goal on an extraordinary sequence. With seconds remaining, Harris advanced into the penalty area and was sent flying off the field by a defender past the end line … and through a door leading to the locker room. Harris had stopped the ball on the end line, and was able to return quickly enough to regain possession and convert the tying goal just before the final whistle. [Read more…] about Feb. 21, 2001 – New England Revolution open doors in Costa Rica
Feb. 20, 1997 – Revolution acquire Chiquinho Conde from Vitoria Setubal
Chiquinho Conde totaled 6 goals in 17 games for the New England Revolution in their second season. Conde might have produced more, but his season was interrupted by trips for World Cup qualifying matches. Traveling to Mozambique was exceedingly time-consuming. Conde played two games in Maputo and a third in Mauritius. And Conde had to make a fourth visit to attend the funeral of a brother.
Meanwhile, the Revolution were struggling, and coach Thomas Rongen jumped at the chance to bring back Giuseppe Galderisi, so he traded Chiquinho to Tampa Bay. Galderisi helped the Revolution qualify for the playoffs for the first time. [Read more…] about Feb. 20, 1997 – Revolution acquire Chiquinho Conde from Vitoria Setubal
Feb. 19, 2014 – Revolution acquire Teal Bunbury from Sporting Kansas City
Less than three weeks after joining the New England Revolution, Teal Bunbury became starter in the season-opener. Bunbury has been in the opening day starting lineup three successive seasons, totaling 98 appearances and 15 goals in all competitions for the Revolution. Bunbury has been at his best in the MLS post-season and U.S. Open Cup competitions, scoring twice the Revolution’s run to the 2014 MLS Cup final and three times on the way to last year’s U.S. Open Cup final.
Bunbury’s left-footer from outside the penalty area at Red Bull Arena provided the first goal in the Revolution’s win over the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals. The Revolution wisely attacked the Red Bulls’ Ambroise Oyongo early on, and the move paid off as Bunbury easily outmaneuvered Oyongo for the score. At the time, Oyongo might have been considered a Red Bulls’ weak point, but he has become a starter for the Montreal Impact and Cameroon’s title-winning team in the African Nations Cup.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Feb. 18, 2016 – Revolution acquire Je-Vaughn Watson from FC Dallas
Je-Vaughn Watson proved to be among the New England Revolution’s most valuable and versatile players, sparking the team’s run to the U.S. Open Cup final last year. Watson, who has been playing as a holding midfielder and captaining the Jamaica national team, played in the back and midfield for the Revolution.
Watson started at left back in the Revolution’s season-opener, a 3-3 draw at Houston. Watson moved to right back for the next game, and by the next month had started in central defense, as well. Watson totaled three goals – a game-winner against Chicago in an MLS game, the go-ahead score (and deciding penalty kick) against the Philadelphia Union in the Open Cup, and the decider against Chicago in the semifinals. [Read more…] about Feb. 18, 2016 – Revolution acquire Je-Vaughn Watson from FC Dallas
Feb. 17, 2006 – Clint Dempsey scores 5 goals in preseason game
Clint Dempsey joined the Revolution as a defensive midfielder in 2004, but began emerging as an attacking threat early on. By ’06, Dempsey had become a regular with the U.S. national team, though he did not solidify a starting role until the final game of 2006 World Cup group play. In the preseason, Dempsey totaled 7 goals – he scored 5 goals in an 8-1 win over the Bermuda U-20 national team on this day.
Dempsey scored 8 goals in 21 games for the Revolution (plus another 4 for the U.S.) in ‘06. But, by the end of the season, Dempsey and several teammates were playing injured. The lack of an adequate bench, plus some physical opposition along the way, caused the Revolution to be below par in the MLS Cup final; Dempsey and Steve Ralston were unable to participate in penalty kicks as the Revolution lost to the Houston Dynamo after playing to a 1-1 draw.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Feb. 16, 1929 – Goal-scorers & ‘keepers
There had been evidence the U.S. could produce high level goal-scorers and goalkeepers in the early part of the century, as Archie Stark (253 goals), Johnny Nelson (223) and Davey Brown (189) became the top three career scorers in the American Soccer League. New Englanders included U.S. national team captain Tommy Florie (126) and U.S. national team stars Bert Patenaude (118) and Billy Gonsalves (92). Lower-profile scorers also were emerging, such as Arnie Oliver and Freddie Wall. On this day, Wall scored twice as Philadelphia FC handed the Providence Gold Bugs their only home defeat of second half of ASL season with a 3-2 decision. Wall, born in Fall River, finished seventh in the ASL with 22 goals in 25 games, also playing for the Newark Skeeters.
“The Phils’ center-forward almost won the game single-handed when he scored two goals and passed to Wardrop a third,” according to The Boston Globe account. For the deciding goal, Wall outmaneuvered Joe Kennaway, who would go on to be Celtic FC’s starting goalkeeper from 1931-39. [Read more…] about Feb. 16, 1929 – Goal-scorers & ‘keepers
Feb. 15, 2011 – Revolution sign Argentinian defender Franco Coria
Franco Coria paired with A.J. Soares in central defense for the New England Revolution season-opener, a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. Coria went on to play 17 games (14 starts), often in a makeshift lineup.
Coria, from Los Toldos (Evita Peron’s hometown), had been playing for Chacarita Juniors, and later started for Sarmiento in Argentina’s first division.
Feb. 15, 1925 – Fall River 3×0 J&P Coats [Read more…] about Feb. 15, 2011 – Revolution sign Argentinian defender Franco Coria
Feb. 14, 1926 – ‘Great Soccer in the Rain at Tiverton, R.I.’
The U.S. Open Cup (the National Cup then), and American Soccer League games, were conducted through the winter months in the early part of the century. And supporters showed up (and stayed), despite the weather.
On this day, the Boston Wonderworkers held the Fall River Marksmen to a 1-1 draw at Mark’s Stadium.
The subhead in The Boston Globe read:
‘Crowd of 7000 at Game, a League Thriller’
The opening graph noted: “The ground was clear of snow and ice and the teams got away with a bang.” [Read more…] about Feb. 14, 1926 – ‘Great Soccer in the Rain at Tiverton, R.I.’