Celtic to play Clube de Portugal at Fenway Park

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DANIEL O'CARROLL,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

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Baseball park to be used for exhibition soccer match but tickets not selling.

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On Wednesday Fenway Park will see one of the most exciting exhibition games ever played in American soccer history when Scotland’s Celtic FC take on Portuguese Sporting Clube de Portugal at 8pm.

The Scottish side from Glasgow has been a leading force in Scottish club football for well over a century, having won a staggering  42 championships alongside a European Cup win in 1967. Sporting is an almost equally successful side. Founded in 1906 they’ve gone on to win the Portuguese Liga 18 times and the Portuguese Cup 14 times.

The encounter will be the 19th soccer match held in the famous stadium, which is usually host to the Boston Red Sox.

The last soccer match played at the stadium was when the Boston Beacons hosted Santos FC of Brazil, with the legendary Pele playing for the away side.

The famous stadium’s centenary anniversary is coming up in just two years time, and the stadium’s organizers are making an effort to attract many non-baseball sporting events to the ballpark during that time period.

"The No. 1 goal in my mind of doing an event like this is celebrating Fenway as a national treasure and jewel," Sam Kennedy, executive vice president/chief operating officer, told mlb.com. "Coming to Fenway on a midsummer night is an experience, whether it is soccer or baseball."

Several big name music artists, such as Bruce Springsteen, have also given concerts at the multi-faceted venue.

Two fans were arrested at the stadium during a recent baseball encounter between the Red Sox and Texas Rangers after climbing onto the field of play despite warning signs in the stadium warning patrons not to do so.

Matthew D. Keohan of Topsfield and Peter W. Ceo of Hamilton, Va., were charged with trespassing for the pitch incursion.

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