Captained by Bill Carnihan and with the brilliant Archie Stark and flashy Malcolm Goldie sporting the colors of the United States, the American soccer team defeated the pick of the Dominion in the first International soccer contest ever played in this country, by the score of 6 goals to 1, on Sunday, on the water-soaked field of the Brooklyn National League baseball club, before a gather of eight thousand enthusiastic soccer fans.
Victory for the United States came in the second half of the game, when Archie Stark, the star of Bethlehem, scored four goals in succession, eluding the Canadian front line of defense, wallowing to within striking distance and then, with deft thrust of foot or head, passing the hard-working goalie and sending the ball into the net.
Stark's work during that second half was as brilliant a bit of individuality as ever was seen on an American soccer field. He kept his feet in the slipperiest sort of going, he covered the sloppy turf with remarkable speed, while the mud gripped at his ankles in an effort to hold him back, and he sent the ball forward on each final shot like a phantom sphere that passed always out of reach.
When the first half ended with the score tied at 1-1 and both teams going strong, it appeared that the game would be decided by one lone point, for it seemed impossible for either eleven to tally more than once more in the face of the strong defenses presented. But at the very start of the second half Stark, flanked on one side by Johnny McGuire and on the other by Bob Millar, slipped down the field and past the Canadians' defense. Back and forth among the three the ball was passed as one after another of the Canadians was eluded and then, finally, Millar made a feint, drew the goalie away from his post, shot the ball to Stark, and Archie did the rest.
A few minutes later, after Goldie, the American outside left, had done some remarkable footwork along the sideline and had attracted the attention of the Canadian backs, Stark scored again, this time taking Goldie's perfect pass and heading it in the net. His next tally was made on the rebound. He shot at the goal, hit the post and then as the ball bounced back he drove it to the opposite corner of the cage. His fourth point of the half was made on another head shot, deflecting Goldie's perfect corner kick just enough to send it into the net.
It seemed that every time Stark managed to get his foot within kicking distance of the ball, it mean another point for the United States, but Stark was not alone responsible for the victory. There was little Goldie, who needed only to show his mud-caked uniform to attest the great game he played. Whenever the going was thickest and the Canadians had blocked every advance to their goal, the ball invariably was passed to the outside left and Goldie fooled around with it long enough to draw a swarm of Canadians towards him. Then, when he was practically smothered on all sides by the opposition, he would send a perfect kick to the center of the field and from there it was easy for Stark to accomplish the rest.
There were also McGuire, David Brown, who tallied the first point for the United States, and Tommy Steel, who saved the Americans time after time with his splendid work at goal.
Bad as the weather conditions were, they probably helped the Americans, although none can say that the Canadians would have won on a dry field. However, the muddy going was deterrent to the short-passing game of the Canadians, while it did not hinder so much the long passes of the representatives of the United States. Then, too, the American eleven was bigger and heavier and better suited to the 6,000 square yards of mud that had to be crossed and recrossed. The Canadians were weary and worn at the end and although they tried until the last whistle sounded, it was a hopeless effort.
The lineup:
U. S. A. (6) -- Canada (1)
Steel -- G -- Halliwell
Robertson -- RFB -- Williams
Wilson -- LFB -- Clarke
Kelly -- RHB -- Dierden
Carnihan -- CHB -- Cartwright
Herd -- LHB -- McKean
Brown -- OR -- Faulkner
McGuire -- IR -- Burness
Stark -- CF -- McLaine
Millar -- IL -- McKensie
Goldie -- OL -- Moir
Goals -- United States: Stark 4; Brown 2; Canada, Burness.
Referee -- Tom Cunningham, Brooklyn. Linesmen -- W. Halliday, New York, and J. Fraser, Clifton, N. J. Time of halves -- 45 minutes each.