16th October 1968
On this day in 1968, Manchester United’s quest to become the first English side to win the Intercontinental Cup ended in disappointment. The European champions faced Estudiantes, the champions of South America, in the second leg of the competition at Old Trafford. The match followed a 1-0 defeat in the first leg in Argentina, where Nobby Stiles was sent off. In front of a crowd of 63,500, Juan Ramón Verón, father of future United player Juan Sebastián Verón, scored for the visitors in the opening minutes. The match was marred by further controversy as George Best was sent off. Despite Willie Morgan’s equaliser in the closing seconds, Estudiantes won the trophy with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
16th October 2002
Fast forward to 2002, and another notable event unfolded on this day in football history. England faced Macedonia in a Euro qualifier at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, but it was particularly memorable for a mistake by England’s goalkeeper, David Seaman. The Arsenal keeper allowed Macedonia’s Artim Šakiri to score directly from a corner kick, a rare and embarrassing moment for any goalkeeper. This match marked Seaman’s 75th and final appearance for the national team, closing the chapter on his international career amidst criticism for the blunder.