The golden days of Harvard soccer are over. Nine starters from the magnificent squad that captured two consecutive Ivy League titles are gone, and coach Bruce Munro is forced to start over this fall, almost from scratch.

For the first time in years, the Crimson will go into this afternoon's encounter with Tufts with a chance of losing. Game time for the varsity's 1960 debut is 3 p.m. on the Business School Field.

Two first-stringers remain from last year's championship team, which rang up a 9-1-3 record. Tim Morgan, who teamed with three-time all-Ivy Lanny Keyes last fall to give the Crimson one of the East's best defenses, returns at fullback. Morgan is big and exceptionally fast, with a booming kick and fine defensive reactions.

Sweeney Returns at Wing

The other incumbent, Tadhg Sweeney, terrorised Ivy League goalies last year from the wing, inside, and center forward positions. Today he will be at left wing, but it is safe to predict that before the season is out Sweeney will see action all along the line and at halfback. The big lineman must be ranked as the Crimson's leading offensive threat.

Most of the rest of this fall's line had to be introduced to one another when practice began, in contrast to past seasons, when returning players fairly fell into each other's arms. Precision and team work are bound to be lacking on this year's squad, at least for a while.

Center forward Seamus Malin and right inside Johann Nottebohm have looked good in practice this week, and will start today. Sweeney, left inside Ted Wendell, and sophomore right wing Philip Hime will fill out the first line.

The entire second halfback line from 1959 is back, including Bill King, Peter Savage, and captain Bill Driver. These three are experienced, fast, and strong, and they should control the middle of the field today. Sandy Cortesi will join Morgan at fullback, and Bob Forbush will probably open at goalie, although he has a dislocated finger.

Injuries Plague Squad

Forbush's injury is just one of seven that have crippled the Crimson for its season inaugural. Chris Martin, the sensation of the first week of training who would have started at left wing today, is out, as are insides Bruce Johnstone and Dick McIntosh, wing Sam Rodd, out with a pulled thigh muscle, as are inside Dick McIntosh, wing Sam Rodd, and fullbacks John Jeppson and Charley David.

Thus the Crimson's sophomore contingent is likely to be pressed into service early in the season. Tony Davies and Mike Hare will substitute at half-back, and Albert Chang and Mike Kramer will put in some time on the line.

Hare has impressed Munro in the few days he has been out. He may not be in very good shape today after only one real workout, but he is expected to aid the Crimson materially as the season progresses. Munro has described Kramer, a wing, as "small and slow, but with a good foot." The diminutive sophomore will get his big chance tomorrow as relief for the depieted wing corps.

Not much is known about Tufts. The Jumbos usually feature big, slow backs, and a scrappy, if uncoordinated line. In the past two years, the Crimson has handed Tufts two 6-0 defeats, although last fall the varsity needed as inspired fourth-quarter burst to equal the 1958 mark.

"Condition, not skill, decides the first few games of the year," Munro has said, and on this basis alone the varsity is a fair bet to win today. But depth is frightfully lacking, and today's contest could be the start of a not-too-enjoyable season. As Munro put it, "We may be building a lot of character this year."