#NERevs96: A New Beginning

By Brian O'Connell
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Updated: April 13, 2016

(Editor’s note: To commemorate the Revolution’s first season – which also happened to be the inaugural year of MLS play – NESoccerToday.com will be posting a brief snapshot of each of the club’s first 32 games on its respective 20th anniversary. Today, we look back at the very first game in club history.)

April 13, 1996

TAMPA, Fla. – Foward Rob Ukrop scored the first two goals in club history for the New England Revolution on Saturday, but it wasn’t enough as the Tampa Bay Mutiny prevailed with a 3-2 victory in front of 26,473 on Saturday at Tampa Stadium.

Ukrop tallied in the 20th minute to give his squad a lead that proved to be short-lived after Roy Lassiter equalized in the 25th minute. Ivan McKinley seized the lead for the hosts in the 53rd minute before Steve Pittman scored what proved to be the winner in the 65th minute. Ukrop’s second strike arrived in the 71st minute, but a Revolution comeback simply wasn’t in the cards.

“One day doesn’t make a season,” Mutiny coach Thomas Rongen told the Tampa Tribune following the match. “But I was really impressed with the atmosphere that was created in this stadium tonight. The athletes obviously competed like warriors.”

U.S Men’s National Team star Alexi Lalas assisted Ukrop’s first goal while Colombian star Carlos Valderrama set up Pittman’s effort.

New England finished with 10 men after goalkeeper Jim St. Martin, who made five saves on Saturday, was issued a red card in the 90th minute after handling the ball outside of his box. A total of seven cards were issued in total by referee Zimmerman Boulas.

Head coach Frank Stapleton and his Revolution squad will renew their efforts to claim the club’s first-ever win on Sat., Apr. 20 at Giants Stadium where they’ll take on the MetroStars.

Roster/club news: Canadian defender Iain Fraser was on the shelf with an injury that was expected to sideline him for 4-6 weeks…

Out of town scores for Apr. 13, 1996:

Colorado 0, Kansas City 3
Columbus 4, DC United 0
Los Angeles 2, MetroStars 1

American soccer news: The San Jose Clash and DC United cut the ribbon on league’s inaugural season at Spartan Stadium on Apr. 6 in a game which the Clash won 1-0 on a goal from Eric Wynalda…

What’s going on? In the days leading up to the Revolution-Mutiny contest, federal agents search the Montana home of Ted Kaczynski, who is later revealed to be the Unibomber…Following Revolution-Mutiny contest, Presidential candidate Steve Forbes hosted “Saturday Night Live.” The musical guest was Rage Against the Machine…Two days later, Moses Tanui of Kenya and Uta Pippig of Germany won the 100th Boston Marathon…

What we’re watching: Friends and ER was nearing the end of its respective second seasons on NBC. The motion picture Fear, which starred Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, and Alyssa Milano, opened in theaters the day before the Revolution’s debut match.

What we’re listening to: “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion was the top song on the pop charts while Alanis Morrisette’s “Jagged Little Pill” was the top album in the U.S. If you listened to hip-hop, then Busta Rhymes’ “Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check” was probably a song you cranked up when it came on JAM’N 94.5…