Mike Sweeney (soccer)

Michael Sweeney (born December 25, 1959) is a Canadian former soccer player. In 2012 as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team.[2]

Mike Sweeney
Personal information
Full name Michael Sweeney
Date of birth (1959-12-25) December 25, 1959
Place of birth Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder or defender
Youth career
Squamish United[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1982 Edmonton Drillers 86 (2)
1980–1982 Edmonton Drillers (indoor) 26 (10)
1983–1984 Vancouver Whitecaps 22 (0)
1984 Golden Bay Earthquakes 21 (2)
1984–1987 Cleveland Force (indoor) 87 (18)
1987–1988 Minnesota Strikers (indoor) 54 (21)
1988–1989 Baltimore Blast (indoor) 44 (6)
1988 Toronto Blizzard 27 (1)
1989–1992 Cleveland Crunch (indoor) 92 (29)
1988–1990 Boston Bolts
National team
1980–1993 Canada 61 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

NASL

In 1980, the Edmonton Drillers of the North American Soccer League signed Sweeney. He spent three seasons with the Drillers before moving to the Vancouver Whitecaps for the 1983 season. While he began the 1984 season with the Whitecaps, he was traded to the Golden Bay Earthquakes. The NASL folded at the end of the 1984 season.

MISL

Sweeney was also a long-time Cleveland Force MISL player. He then moved to the Minnesota Strikers for the 1987–1988 season. He then moved to the Baltimore Blast. In 1989, the Cleveland Crunch selected Sweeney in the Expansion Draft. On June 30, 1989, he signed with the Crunch and remained with the team through at least the 1991–1992 season.

Toronto Blizzard

In 1988, Sweeney spent time with the Toronto Blizzard of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL).

Boston Bolts

In 1988, he signed with the Boston Bolts of the American Soccer League (ASL). In 1990, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). The Bolts spent one season, 1990, in the APSL before folding.

The Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inducted Sweeney in 2002.

International career

A defender or midfielder, Sweeney made his senior debut on 17 September 1980 for Canada in a 3–0 victory against New Zealand in a friendly match in Edmonton and earned 61 caps, scoring 1 goal.[3] He represented Canada in 24 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[4] and played 2 of Canada's games at the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals, the country's only appearance at a World Cup finals. Sweeney was sent off in the second game against Hungary,[5] making him the only Canadian player ever to be dismissed at a World Cup Finals tournament.

He also played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and was a squad member at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship [6] but did not play.

His final international game was a 15 August 1993 World Cup qualification match against Australia in Sydney.[3]

International goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1April 13, 1985Royal Athletic Park, Victoria, Canada Haiti2–02–01986 FIFA World Cup qualification

References
  1. Lypka, Ben (January 7, 2011). "Catching up with soccer great Mike Sweeney". Squamish Chief. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  2. Association announces All Time Canada Men's XI Canadasoccer.com
  3. "Mike Sweeney". www.canadasoccer.com. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  4. Record at FIFA Tournaments - FIFA
  5. HUNGARY - CANADA - Planet World Cup
  6. Japan 1979 Teams Canada - FIFA
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