Saturday, September 26, 2009

26 September 1948 - Shalom!

On 26 September 1948, the United States beat Israel 3-1 in a friendly before a crowd of approximately 50,000 at Giants Stadium in New York. The match was the first for the Israeli national team.

The Israel Football Association is the successor to the Palestine Football Association, which was founded in 1920 and joined FIFA in 1929. When the state of Israel declared its independence in 1948, the IFA became the new governing body for the new national team.

In that first match, the US took an early lead with a goal from forward Ed Souza in the 13th minute. The lead didn't last long, however, as right midfielder Shmulik Ben-Dror scored a 20th-minute equalizer for Israel--the new national team's first ever goal. The Americans reclaimed the lead right before the break, as forward Ben McLaughlin found the net in the 44th minute. Souza finished the scoring in the 57th minute to complete his brace and secure the win.

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