If the Garden is the World’s Most Famous Arena, and Yankee Stadium is baseball’s grandest cathedral, Giants Stadium has been the mecca for soccer in this country. It hosted more big games and held more memories than any other U.S. stadium, and last night’s Red Bulls’ season finale was the last chapter in that long history.
Since opening in 1977, Giants Stadium hosted Pele and the Cosmos, the 1994 World Cup and David Beckham’s first MLS start. But with the Giants and Jets opening a new stadium next door, and the Red Bulls moving into their own 25,000-seat building next season, that run came to an end last night. Here are ten of the most vivid memories from those three decades:
10. Chicago 1, MetroStars 0, Oct. 15, 2003. After a surprising run to the U.S. Open Cup final, Damani Ralph’s 68th-miunute goal left the Metros crushed and still title-less.
9. Mexico 5, U.S. 0, Gold Cup final, July 26, 2009. The last major international tourney drew the stadium’s biggest soccer crowd at 79,156. El Tri crushed the U.S. in front of a green-clad crowd that turned the Meadowlands into Mexico City for a day.
8. MetroStars 5, Colorado 3, Aug. 20, 2000. Four days after goalie Mike Ammann had his ribs shattered by Tampa’s Mamadou Diallo, the MetroStars beat the Rapids. Defender Mike Petke scored, and ripped off his jersey to reveal a T-shirt that read “Crime of the Century” on the front and “Revenge is Coming” on the back.
7. MetroStars 3, Dallas 2, April 28, 2001. Clint Mathis took the ball deep in his own end and made a winding 60-yard run through the defense for the MLS Goal of the Year.
6. Red Bulls 5, Los Angeles 4, Aug. 18, 2007. The biggest MLS regular-season crowd at the time (66,237) came to see Beckham’s first league start, but saw the best MLS game ever. Beckham had two assists but Juan Pablo Angel got the 88th-minute winner.
5. The Curse of Caricola, April 20, 1996. With over 46,000 on hand for the MetroStars’ first-ever home game, they lost 1-0 to New England on Nicola Caricola’s own goal with 15 seconds left. Some say the team has been cursed since. Think the Miracle in the Meadowlands.
4. World Cup, June 18, 1994. The group stage kicked off with Italy-Ireland, and the Irish not only dominated the crowd of 75,000 but upset Italy 1-0.
3. World Cup, July 13, 1994. Bulgaria had upset ex-champs Argentina and Germany, prompting Hristo Stoichkov to say, “God is Bulgarian!” But after Roberto Baggio’s pair of goals and referee Joel Quiniou ignoring appeals for a late penalty kick, Italy won 2-1 and Stoichkov replied, “God is still Bulgarian, but the referee was French.”
2. Soccer Bowl, Aug. 28, 1978. The Cosmos became the only NASL team ever to defend their Soccer Bowl title with a 3-1 win over Tampa in front of 74,901.
1. Pelé Farewell Game, Oct. 1, 1977. With millions watching on TV and 75,646 in the rain-soaked building — including over 600 media members, celebrities, politicians and sports stars such as Muhammad Ali — the greatest player ever scored his last pro goal for the Cosmos, then played the second half for Santos. Players from the only clubs he ever suited up for carried him on a final victory lap.
