| Competition: | American Soccer League 1981 season |
| Season: | 1981 |
| Num Teams: | 8 |
| Premiers: | New York United (5th title) |
| League Topscorer: | Billy Boljevic (25) |
| Nextseason: | 1982 |
Statistics of American Soccer League II in season 1981.
| First Team[1] | Position | Second Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Taratsides, NY United | align=center | G | Scott Manning, Carolina | |
| Chris Tyson, NY United | align=center | D | Curtis Leeper, Carolina | |
| Jeff Tipping, Pennsylvania | align=center | D | Mack Garrigan, Cleveland | |
| Billy Boljevic, Pennsylvania | align=center | D | Fernando Clavijo, NY United | |
| Dennis Mepham, Rochester | align=center | D | Redmond Lane, NY United | |
| Don Tobin, Carolina | align=center | M | Mike Barry, Cleveland | |
| John Dolinsky, Rochester | align=center | M | Rich Reice, Pennsylvania | |
| Steve Westbrook, Detroit | align=center | M | Mike Powers, Detroit | |
| Tony Suarez, Carolina | align=center | F | Ricky Kren, NY Eagles | |
| Andy Chapman, Detroit | align=center | F | Mike Laschev, Rochester | |
| Billy Boljevic, NY Eagles | align=center | F | Mal Roche, Carolina |
| September 3 | Carolina Lightnin' | 2–0 | width=24% | Rochester Flash | Memorial Stadium • Att. 5,312 | |
| align=right valign=top | valign=top | align=left valign=top |
| September 4 | Detroit Express | 4–1 | width=24% | New York Eagles | Pontiac Silverdome • Att. 7,318 | |
| align=right valign=top | valign=top | align=left valign=top |
| width=180 | Higher Seed | width=50 | Aggregate | width=180 | Lower Seed | width=80 | First leg | width=80 | Second leg | width=280 | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Lightnin' | 4–3 | Pennsylvania Stoners | 3–1 | 1–2 | September 5 • Memorial Stadium • 6,021[2] September 9 • ASD Stadium • 2,207[3] | ||||||
| New York United | 2–2 (4–2) | Detroit Express | 1–1 | 1–1 PK (4–2) | September 8 • Pontiac Silverdome • 3,414[4] September 10 • Hofstra Stadium • 1,274[5] |
Tony Suarez, Carolina
Robert Benson, Carolina