December 25 (1884)

The Western Football Association team from Canada easily defeats the St. Louis Thistles, 9-0, at Union Park, Jefferson and Cass Avenues, in St. Louis. The game is believed to be the first international soccer match played in the United States. The Thistles, one of five major soccer teams in St. Louis at that time, had invited the Canadians to play three games. The series started with the Christmas Day match. Bad weather forced cancellation of the second game on Dec. 27. The Canadians ended their visit with a 5-3 victory on Dec. 28 over a St. Louis team of players combined from the Thistles and the Hibernians. Sixteen years would pass before the next international matches in St. Louis, also against a Ca