First Game, First Goal:
Major League Soccer Commemorates the League’s Inaugural Match on April 6
Enhanced Broadcast of Inaugural Game to air on MLS Facebook, Twitter and YouTube this coming Monday at 4 p.m. ET
NEW YORK
(April 2, 2020)
– On April 6, 1996, Major League Soccer made history.
After years of planning, and fueled by the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the San Jose Clash, led by U.S. Soccer standout Eric Wynalda, played host to D.C. United, coached by Bruce Arena, with stars such as John Harkes and Jeff Agoos, in front of a sold-out Spartan Stadium and a national TV audience as the league kicked off its inaugural match.
This Monday marks the anniversary of that inaugural game and MLS will look back at the first game, and the historic first goal, by hosting a special
MLS Classics: Remix
production of the game.
Beginning at 4 p.m. ET,
MLS YouTube
,
and
MLS Facebook
accounts will air an enhanced global broadcast experience that will see MLS Greats Eric Wynalda and Jeff Agoos, as well as current D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, join MLSsoccer.com’s David Gass to provide unique insights and anecdotes about that unforgettable day.
DID YOU KNOW?
- MLS All-Time Leading Goal-scorer San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski attended the inaugural game at Spartan Stadium as a 13-year-old fan.
- Current LAFC head coach Bob Bradley was an assistant coach under then D.C. United head coach Bruce Arena that inaugural season.
- Andrew Shue, a star of Melrose Place, performed the pregame coin toss. Shue had been signed by the Los Angeles Galaxy and made his own MLS debut the following week in the Galaxy’s inaugural game.
- D.C. United would go on to win the inaugural MLS Cup that year.
Media Resources
CLICK HERE
for Complete Inaugural Match Game Notes.
CLICK HERE
for Soundbytes and rights-free video.
CLICK HERE
for logos and headshots.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
D.C. UNITED
HEAD COACH: BRUCE ARENA – Now head coach of the New England Revolution.
JEFF AGOOS: Currently Senior Vice President, Competition for Major League Soccer
SAID FAZLAGIC: Now is the Secretary General for the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina
MARCO ETCHEVERRY: Lives in his hometown of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia where he has been involved in coaching at the professional and youth levels, and was promoted as a candidate for the country’s Chamber of Deputies (lower federal legislative body).
JOHN HARKES: Currently the head coach and sporting director for Greenville (S.C.) Triumph SC of USL League One. Harkes had previously served as head coach of FC Cincinnati during the club’s USL days; before that, he was a member of Bruce Arena’s coaching staff with the New York Red Bulls and head coach of the U.S. U-20 national team.
RICHIE WILLIAMS: Presently a member of Bruce Arena’s coaching staff with the New England Revolution, he has also been a head coach of the U.S. U-17 and U.S. U-18 national teams as well as the New York Red Bulls.
RAÚL DÍAZ ARCE: A coach with the United Futbol Academy in the Atlanta area, with players from 9 to 16 years of age.
ERIK IMLER: The youth academy girls director of the Charlotte Soccer Academy, he has also distinguished himself with his blog
http://www.cantpasscantplay.com/
SAN JOSE CLASH:
HEAD COACH: LAURIE CALLOWAY: Retired and living in central California, he was head coach of the Des Moines Menace, Syracuse Salty Dogs and Rochester Raging Rhinos after leaving the Clash and MLS.
ERIC WYNALDA: Currently head coach and technical director of the Las Vegas Lights FC, after a 10-year career as a soccer broadcaster for ESPN and then FOX Sports.
TROY DAYAK: The founder and director of coaching for West Coast Soccer Club in northern California, which he started in 2011.
JOHN DOYLE: Currently the director of coaching of Mustang Soccer League in Danville, Calif., he was the general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes from 2007-2016.
PAUL BRAVO: Most recently, the first head coach of Oakland Roots SC of the new National Independent Soccer Association. He also served as director of soccer with the LA Galaxy, and technical director for the Colorado Rapids. He is currently involved with the De Anza Force and the California Thorns youth club.
BEN IROHA: Recently returned to the USA where he is a youth coach, after serving as an assistant coach for the Nigeria U-17 national team which won the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and head coach of Dolphins FC in Nigeria.
PAUL HOLOCHER: The academy director for the Houston Dynamo, following a 15-year collegiate coaching career at University of California, Santa Cruz and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
EDDIE LEWIS: The founder of soccer training technology company TOCA Football, based in Orange County, Calif.
