| Competition: | North American Soccer League |
| Season: | 2012 |
| Winners: | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
| Shieldtitle: | North American Supporters' Trophy |
| Shield: | San Antonio Scorpions |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League (CFU) |
| Continentalcup1 Qualifiers: | Puerto Rico Islanders |
| Matches: | 112 |
| Total Goals: | 294 |
| League Topscorer: | Pablo Campos (20 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | SAS 8–0 CAR (July 28) |
| Biggest Away Win: | SAS 0–4 PRI (April 15) |
| Highest Scoring: | CAR 4–4 ATL (April 14) FTL 5–3 ATL (July 28) SAS 8–0 CAR (July 28) |
| Longest Wins: | 4 matches: San Antonio Carolina Tampa Bay |
| Longest Unbeaten: | 9 matches: Minnesota San Antonio |
| Longest Winless: | 9 matches: Carolina Atlanta Minnesota |
| Longest Losses: | 5 matches: Atlanta |
| Highest Attendance: | 13,151 PRI @ SAS |
| Lowest Attendance: | 520 EDM @ PRI |
| Average Attendance: | 3,810[1] |
| Prevseason: | 2011 |
| Nextseason: | 2013 |
The 2012 North American Soccer League season was the 45th season of Division II soccer in the United States and the second season of the revived North American Soccer League. It was contested by eight teams including one from Canada and one from Puerto Rico. The Montreal Impact were self-promoted to Major League Soccer as an expansion franchise and the expansion San Antonio Scorpions were added to the NASL. The NASL received full sanctioning from the United States Soccer Federation on March 3, 2012 at their annual meeting.[2] The defending Soccer Bowl champions were the NSC Minnesota Stars, while the Carolina Railhawks were the defending North American Supporters' Trophy winners.
| Team | Head Coach | Captain | Shirt sponsor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico Islanders | Toyota | |||
| Carolina RailHawks | BCBSA | |||
| FC Edmonton | Sears Canada | |||
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Reto Sports | |||
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Joma | |||
| Minnesota Stars | Admiral | |||
| San Antonio Scorpions | Nike | |||
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Mainsail Suites / United World Soccer |
| Abbreviation and Color Key: Atlanta Silverbacks – ATL • Carolina RailHawks FC – CAR • FC Edmonton – EDM • Fort Lauderdale Strikers – FTL Minnesota Stars FC – MIN • Puerto Rico Islanders – PRI • San Antonio Scorpions FC – SAS • Tampa Bay Rowdies – TAM Win Loss Draw Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Match | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28< | --Win : bgcolor=#DFE7FF | scoreLoss: bgcolor=#FFDFDF | scoreDraw: bgcolor=#FFFFDD | score--> |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | SAS | CAR | TAM | MIN | MIN | EDM | PRI | TAM | FTL | EDM | SAS | CAR | PRI | SAS | CAR | MIN | PRI | EDM | FTL | FTL | TAM | MIN | CAR | EDM | TAM | FTL | SAS | PRI | |||
| 0–0 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–5 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | ||||
| Carolina RailHawks | MIN | ATL | TAM | PRI | SAS | FTL | EDM | MIN | PRI | PRI | MIN | ATL | EDM | FTL | ATL | FTL | MIN | SAS | TAM | FTL | EDM | ATL | PRI | SAS | EDM | SAS | TAM | TAM | |||
| 0–0 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–8 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | ||||
| FC Edmonton | FTL | TAM | PRI | MIN | CAR | ATL | SAS | SAS | ATL | FTL | FTL | CAR | PRI | SAS | PRI | TAM | ATL | TAM | MIN | SAS | PRI | CAR | MIN | ATL | MIN | CAR | TAM | FTL | |||
| 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | ||||
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | EDM | MIN | SAS | PRI | TAM | CAR | PRI | MIN | ATL | TAM | EDM | EDM | MIN | CAR | TAM | CAR | SAS | MIN | SAS | ATL | ATL | CAR | PRI | SAS | TAM | PRI | ATL | EDM | |||
| 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | bgcolor=#DFE7FF | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 2–2 | bgcolor=#DFE7FF | 2–1 | 0–1 | bgcolor=#DFE7FF | 5–3 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | |
| Minnesota Stars FC | CAR | FTL | EDM | ATL | ATL | CAR | FTL | TAM | SAS | CAR | TAM | FTL | TAM | PRI | ATL | TAM | FTL | CAR | PRI | EDM | SAS | ATL | EDM | SAS | EDM | PRI | PRI | SAS | |||
| 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | ||||
| Puerto Rico Islanders | TAM | SAS | EDM | CAR | FTL | FTL | ATL | CAR | CAR | TAM | SAS | ATL | EDM | MIN | EDM | SAS | ATL | TAM | MIN | SAS | EDM | FTL | TAM | CAR | FTL | MIN | MIN | ATL | |||
| 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | ||||
| San Antonio Scorpions FC | ATL | PRI | FTL | CAR | TAM | TAM | EDM | EDM | MIN | ATL | PRI | TAM | ATL | EDM | PRI | FTL | FTL | CAR | PRI | EDM | MIN | TAM | FTL | MIN | CAR | CAR | ATL | MIN | |||
| 0–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 8–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | ||||
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | PRI | EDM | CAR | ATL | FTL | SAS | SAS | ATL | MIN | FTL | PRI | MIN | SAS | MIN | FTL | MIN | EDM | PRI | EDM | CAR | ATL | SAS | PRI | FTL | ATL | EDM | CAR | CAR | |||
| 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | ||||
The six qualifying teams were seeded 1 through 6, with the top team in the standings receiving the number 1 seed.
The format of the playoffs consisted of quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. The quarterfinals were single games while the semifinals and final were each a two-game series with each team playing at home once and the team with the greater number of aggregate goals in both games winning the series.
The number 1 seed and the number 2 seed received byes while the number 3 seed hosted the number 6 seed and the number 4 seed hosted the number 5 seed in the quarterfinal.
For the semifinal, the number 1 seed was paired with the lower seeded team to qualify from the quarterfinal and the number 2 seed paired with the higher seeded team to qualify from the quarterfinal.
The winners of each semifinal met in the final, known as the Soccer Bowl. In the event of a draw in either quarterfinal game, a 30-minute extra time period was to be played (with the golden goal rule not in effect). If the teams were still locked in a draw following the extra time period, the winner was to be determined by a penalty shootout.
In each semifinal and in the final, if the teams are tied on the number of aggregate goals scored in the series at the conclusion of the second game, the teams were to play a 30-minute extra time period. As in the quarterfinal, the golden goal rule was not in effect. If the teams were still locked in a draw following the extra time period, the winner of the series was to be determined by a penalty shootout.
Tampa Bay Rowdies win 5–4 on aggregate.
Minnesota Stars win 2–1 on aggregate.
Tied 3–3 on aggregate. Tampa Bay Rowdies win Soccer Bowl 2012, 3–2 on penalties.
| Rank | Player | Nation | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pablo Campos | San Antonio Scorpions | 20 | |
| 2 | Nick Zimmerman | Carolina RailHawks | 15 | |
| 3 | Mark Anderson | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 11 | |
| 4 | Matt Horth | Atlanta Silverbacks | 10 | |
| 5 | Nicholas Addlery | Puerto Rico Islanders | 9 | |
| 6 | Andy Herron | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 8 | |
| 7 | Shaun Saiko | FC Edmonton | 7 | |
| Amani Walker | Minnesota Stars | 7 | ||
| Dan Antoniuk | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 7 | ||
| 10 | Mike Ambersley | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6 | |
| Esteban Bayona | San Antonio Scorpions | 6 | ||
| David Foley | Puerto Rico Islanders | 6 | ||
| Aly Hassan | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 6 | ||
| Reinaldo Navia | Atlanta Silverbacks | 6 | ||
| Wálter Restrepo | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 6 | ||
| Tsuyoshi Yoshitake |  Japan | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6 | |
| Rank | Player | Nation | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Ambersley | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 8 | |
| Wálter Restrepo | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 8 | ||
| 3 | Mike Palacio | Carolina Railhawks | 6 | |
| Walter Ramírez | San Antonio Scorpions | 6 | ||
| Shaun Saiko | FC Edmonton | 6 | ||
| 6 | Pablo Campos | San Antonio Scorpions | 5 | |
| Esteban Bayona | San Antonio Scorpions | 5 | ||
| Jonathan Faña |  Dominican Republic | Puerto Rico Islanders | 5 | |
| Luke Mulholland | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 5 | ||
| Keith Savage | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 5 | ||
| Tiyi Shipalane | Carolina RailHawks | 5 | ||
| Abe Thompson | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 5 | ||
| Amani Walker | Minnesota Stars | 5 | ||
(Minimum of 1260 Minutes Played)
| Rank | Goalkeeper | Club | MINS | SVS | GA | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Daryl Sattler | San Antonio Scorpions | 2151 | 66 | 19 | 0.795 | |
| 2 | Jeff Attinella | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2520 | 118 | 30 | 1.071 | |
| 3 | Richard Martin | Puerto Rico Islanders | 2340 | 106 | 28 | 1.077 | |
| 4 | Matt Van Oekel | Minnesota Stars FC | 2250 | 77 | 30 | 1.200 | |
| 5 | Lance Parker | FC Edmonton | 1440 | 42 | 21 | 1.313 | |
| 6 | Matt Glaeser | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 2430 | 108 | 44 | 1.630 | |
| 7 | Ray Burse | Carolina RailHawks | 2160 | 82 | 41 | 1.708 | |
| 8 |  Dániel Illyés | Atlanta Silverbacks | 1980 | 86 | 39 | 1.773 |
| NASL Best XI[15] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Players | Team | ||||
| Goalkeeper | Jeff Attinella | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Defense | Kyle Altman | Minnesota United FC | ||||
| Defense | Ryan Cochrane | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||
| Defense |  Paul Hamilton | FC Edmonton | ||||
| Defense | Takuya Yamada | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Midfield | Luke Mulholland | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Midfield | Walter Ramírez | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||
| Midfield |  Walter Restrepo | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||||
| Midfield | Nick Zimmerman | Carolina RailHawks | ||||
| Forward | Mark Anderson | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||||
| Forward |  Pablo Campos | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||
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