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OTHSL Men travel to Porto to share soccer goodwill
Lisbon Legends and USA OTHSL team
Photo by Hal Green.
Once again, as Over The Hill Soccer League players, (this year under the banner of New England Travelers Soccer Club), we journeyed abroad in late March to play! Last year’s trip to Crete exceeded all expectations and so this spring the group decided to travel again, this time to Portugal where we played two clubs: Lisboa Casuals and Oporto Soccer Club. We enjoyed two matches with the Casuals and one with Oporto and, as we have chosen to characterize it, we finished second in all three contests! Our opponents were gracious and welcoming (including a fantastic team luncheon at the Oporto clubhouse) which more than took the sting out of our ‘runner up’ finishes.
Pictured above: Oporto Soccer Club and NE Travelers
While playing soccer was central to our trip, our broader mission was to connect with players from other countries who share a love of soccer as well as to experience the rich culture and beauty of Portugal. We had ample time to take in Lisbon and Porto, visit beautiful coastal villages, historical sites and art museums, enjoy Portuguese cuisine and have a bit of late May New England weather in March! The team was composed of 22 players with representatives from a number of OTH teams, including Lynnfield Spartans, Olympians and Pioneers, Peabody Gold, Beverly, Londonderry FC and North Reading. Our players ranged in age from their 50’s to their late 70’s and everyone was given plenty of playing time. We also had a number of friends and family travel with the group which totaled 30.
Looking forward to our next adventure!
Pictures of Cascais…. Home base
