7 December 2008 - The Dorrance Dynasty

On 7 December 2008, the University of North Carolina women defeated Notre Dame 2-1 to capture their 19th NCAA Women's Soccer Championship, all under head coach Anson Dorrance. The heroine of the match was UNC junior forward Casey Nogueira, who scored both Tar Heel goals on her way to being named the tournament's most outstanding offensive player.

The match did not start favorably for UNC, as Notre Dame's Kerri Hanks gave the Golden Domers the lead after just 16 seconds. Notre Dame had kicked off to start the match and Hanks sprinted past the UNC defense to receive a lobbed ball from Courtney Rosen, which she then collected and slotted into the bottom right corner of the net. Hanks' goal was the fastest goal scored in Notre Dame history.

Notre Dame fought to protect the lead and their unbeaten season, but were flagged for a foul just outside the box in the 52nd minute. Nogueira took the ensuing free kick and blasted a right-footer into the net for the equalizer. Then, with just over two minutes remaining, she dribbled into the left side of the Notre Dame box and chipped a left-footed shot over Notre Dame keeper Kelsey Lysander.

Notre Dame thought they had a chance to equalize in the final minute when Hanks went down in the box, but the referee did not call a foul and UNC held on to claim the victory.

In 2012, Dorrance's UNC women beat Penn State to claim their 21st NCAA title.

6 December 1979 - The Wizard of Oz

On 6 December 1979, future Australian international and Oceania Player of the Year Tim Cahill was born in Sydney.

The midfielder signed his first professional contract at the age of 18 with English Division Two side Millwall FC. His time with the Lions coincided with one of the club's most successful periods, with the club earning promotion to Division One for the 2001-02 season and advancing to the FA Cup Final in 2004. In all, Cahill made 241 appearances for the Lions in all competitions, scoring 58 goals.

2004 also saw Cahill earn his first cap for Australia, despite having played for Samoa at the u-17 level. He was a key member of Australia's campaign in the 2004 Summer Olympics, which, along with his performances for Millwall, earned him the 2004 Oceania Footballer of the Year award.

He transferred to Everton for the 2004-05 season in which the club finished in the top four at the expense of crosstown rivals Liverpool. The following season, he was named one of the 50 finalists for the 2006 Ballon d'Or (and was the only finalist named from the Asian Football Confederation and Oceania).

On 12 June 2006, Cahill came on as 53rd-minute substitute in Australia's opening 2006 World Cup group stage match against Japan. The Socceroos were down 0-1, but Cahill scored an equalizer in the 84th minute -- Australia's first-ever World Cup goal. He added another in the 89th minute before teammate John Aloisi contributed a third in stoppage time to claim the country's first World Cup win.

The Socceroos finished second in their group to advance to the Round of 16, where they lost to eventual winners Italy, 1-0.

5 December 1921 - The FA Adds "Penis" To The Equipment List

On 5 December 1921, the Football Association issued a ban on women's football on the grounds that "the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged."

The FA's action was a response to the growing popularity of the women's game in the early part of the 20th century--popularity which some FA members believed was beginning to threaten the success of men's football.

The women's game was best exemplified by the dominant Dick, Kerr's Ladies (pictured). The Dick, Kerr's Ladies were formed in 1917 at the Dick Kerr and Co. munitions factory in Preston. They were highly successful and played charity matches in front of large crowds, such as the 53,000 who showed up to see their match against St. Helen's Ladies at Goodison Park on 26 December 1920.

The FA ban, however, stifled the growing women's game and prevented any women's sides from playing on grounds belonging to any Football League member. While unofficial matches continued to be played, they did not capture the popularity they had enjoyed before the ban. Dick Kerr's started a rapid decline and disbanded in 1965.

In 1969, driven by England's World Cup success in 1966, female footballers and their supporters formed a new Women's Football Association. The FA eventually recognized the distaff side of the sport in 1971 and, in 2008, officially apologized for the ban.

Photo © Gail Newsham.

4 December 1965 - Spurs See Red (For The First Time In 37 Years)

On 4 December 1965, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 in a league match at Turf Moor. The match was notable for the sending off of Spurs forward Frank Saul, which ended the club's 37-year streak without a dismissal in a league match.

Saul played his youth football for his hometown club of Canvey Island, then signed his first professional contract with Tottenham in 1960, in time to play for the Double-winning side of 1960-61. He stayed at White Hart Lane for eight seasons, scoring 37 goals in 116 league appearances. In 1968, he transferred to Southampton and later played for Queens Park Rangers, Millwall, and Dagenham before retiring in the late 1970s.

Prior to Saul's dismissal, the last Spurs player to be sent off in a league match was full back Cecil Poynton, who was ejected in a 2-0 loss to Stoke on 27 October 1928.

3 December 2004 - Marks Ups The Ante

On 3 December 2004, MSV Duisburg secured a 0-3 away victory over Karlsruher SC in a second division league match. Refereed by Dominik Marks (right), the match was the last of thirteen that year which were later investigated by the DFB in response to allegations of match-fixing.

The investigation focused on referee Robert Hoyzer and included matches from the 2.Bundesliga, the third-division Regionalliga Nord, and the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) going back to 30 May 2004. Investigators determined that Hoyzer and Marks met regularly with members of a Croatian gambling syndicate run by three brothers, Ante, Filip, and Milan Sapina.

Hoyzer's fellow referees reported him to the DFB after he raised suspicion by making a series of questionable decisions in a German Cup match on 21 August 2004. Upon learning of the investigation, Hoyzer resigned. He later testified that he and Marks had received payment in order to influence the outcome of certain matches. Both Hoyzer and Marks received lifetime bans, with Hoyzer also receiving a 29-month prison sentence and Marks an 18-month prison sentence.

Reportedly, Ante Sapina placed a €240,000 bet on the Karlsruher/Duisburg match and won €870,000. Investigators, however, concluded that while Marks was guilty of attempting to manipulate the match, the attempt did not affect the outcome and the DSB allowed the result to stand.

Duisburg finished in second place that season, earning promotion to the 1.Bundesliga for 2005-06, but returned to the second division the following season.

2 December 1907 - Manchester Unites

On 2 December 1907, a group of professional footballers including Manchester United's Charlie Roberts and Billy Meredith (pictured) organized the first meeting of the Association of Football Players' and Trainers' Union at the Imperial Hotel in Manchester. Operating today as the Professional Footballers' Association, it is the oldest professional players association in the world.

The group was motivated in opposition to the Football League's setting of a £4 per week maximum wage for players. Although the group successfully negotiated bonus payments to supplement the wage, the Football League continued to impose a maximum wage until the 1960s.

Today, the PFA supports community outreach, scholarship, and education programs. It also awards three yearly honors - the Players' Player of the Year, the Young Player of the Year, and the Fans' Player of the Year.

1 December 1959 - Liverpool Gets It Right The Second Time

On 1 December 1959, Liverpool FC announced the appointment of Bill Shankly as the club's new manager. He would go on to become one of the Reds' most successful managers.

After a distinguished playing career that included spells at Partick Thistle, Carlisle United, Preston North End, and the Scottish national team, Shankly turned to management in 1949. His first post was a return to Carlisle, followed by moves to Grimsby Town (1951-54), Workington (1954-55), and Huddersfield Town (1956-59), before joining Liverpool. He had interviewed for the Liverpool post in 1951, but had been rejected in favor of Don Welsh.

When he arrived on Merseyside, Liverpool were sitting in tenth position on the Division Two table and had not been in the top flight since 1954. Shankly steered them to consecutive third-place finishes in his first two seasons, then earned promotion in 1962 by winning the division. He subsequently guided Liverpool to three league titles (1964, 1966, 1973), two FA Cups (1965, 1974), and one UEFA Cup (1973).

Shankly retired in 1974 at the age of 60 and died in 1981.