1978 North American Soccer League season explained

Competition:North American Soccer League
Country:
Confed:CONCACAF
Season:1978
Winners:Cosmos
(3rd title)
Premiers:Cosmos
(2nd title)
Matches:360
Total Goals:1240
League Topscorer:Giorgio Chinaglia
(34 goals)
Biggest Home Win:DET 10–0 SJ
(July 12)[1]
Biggest Away Win:LA 0–5 MIN
(August 2)[2]
Highest Scoring:DET 10–0 SJ
(July 12)[3]
TOR 8–2 OAK
(June 30)[4]
Longest Wins:13, Vancouver
(June 22 – August 6)[5]
Longest Losses:13, San Jose
(May 31 – July 19)[6]
Highest Attendance:71,219
Seattle at Cosmos
(May 21)
[7]
Lowest Attendance:1,538
N.E. at Chicago (May 7)[8]
Average Attendance:13,084[9]
Prevseason:1977
Nextseason:1979

The 1978 North American Soccer League season was the 66th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 11th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada.

Changes from the previous season

New teams

Teams folding

Teams moving

Name changes

Map of clubs

Season recap

Bolstered by the success of the previous season, the league added six teams to reach 24 in total.[10] The Colorado Caribous launched in Denver,[11] the Detroit Express[12] and Houston Hurricane[13] became the second and third teams to play in fully enclosed indoor stadiums, the Philadelphia Fury brought soccer back to Philadelphia,[14] the New England Tea Men would be the third attempt to have NASL soccer succeed in the Boston area and the Memphis Rogues would bring pro soccer to Tennessee.

There were also the usual franchise movements. Team Hawaii became the Tulsa Roughnecks,[15] the Las Vegas Quicksilver became the San Diego Sockers, the Connecticut Bicentennials became the Oakland Stompers and the St. Louis Stars moved to Anaheim to become the California Surf.

With so many new clubs, the NASL realigned into a six-division format while expanding the playoffs to include 16 teams. The new alignment was a direct copy of the NFL's setup, as the new three-division conferences were called the 'American Soccer Conference' and the 'National Soccer Conference', respectively. Each conference had East, Central and West divisions as well.[16]

The top two teams in each division would quality for the playoffs. The other spots would go to the next best two teams in the conference, regardless of division. The top three seeds went to the division winners, seeds 4-6 went to the second place teams and the last two seeds were known as 'wild-cards' – another nod to the NFL. The winners of each successive round would be reseeded within the conference. The first round and the Soccer Bowl were single games, while the conference semifinals and championships were two-game series. As in the 1977 playoffs, if both teams were tied at one win apiece at the conclusion of Game 2, there would be a 30-minute sudden-death mini-game and a shootout if necessary.[17]

The Cosmos would set records for most wins and points in an NASL season, thanks to their 24-6 regular-season mark (shared with the Vancouver Whitecaps) and 212 points. The Cosmos beat the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, 7–0, on opening day[18] and never looked back, scoring 88 times while losing just three games in regulation. Giorgio Chinaglia scored 34 goals and 79 points, setting league records in the process. He did not win regular season MVP honors, however. That award went to New England's Mike Flanagan, who scored 30 goals and 68 points while leading the Tea Men to an unlikely ASC East title. At the age of 36, Alan Hinton of Vancouver set a league record of his own with 30 assists.[19]

Still, the Cosmos needed a major rally to beat the Minnesota Kicks in the NSC playoffs. The Kicks won the first game by an extraordinary 9–2 score behind Alan Willey's five goals,[20] but the Cosmos won Game 2, 4–0, back at Giants Stadium. The resulting mini-game went to a shootout, and Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer scored goals to keep the Cosmos alive.[21] The Portland Timbers were shut out over both games of the National Conference final,[22] and the Tampa Bay Rowdies were beaten before 74,901 fans at Giants Stadium in the Soccer Bowl.[23] The Cosmos became the first back-to-back champions in NASL history.

After the season the Colorado Caribous would move to Atlanta,[24] while the Oakland Stompers would move to Edmonton just two months before the start of the 1979 NASL season.[25] The Stompers had drawn over 32,000 for their opening game at the Oakland Coliseum,[26] but were drawing crowds under 10,000 by the end of the season. The Caribous had the worst record in the league and only drew one crowd bigger than 10,000 the entire year.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, BP = Bonus Points, Pts = Point System

6 points for a win,0 points for a loss,1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game.

-Premiers (most points). -Other playoff teams.

American Conference

Eastern DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
New England Tea Men (2)191162395116510-59-6
Tampa Bay Rowdies (4)181263485716511-47-8
161450594714312-34-11
Philadelphia Fury (8)12184058391117-85-10
Central DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
Detroit Express (1)201068365617610-510-5
Chicago Sting (5)12185764511237-85-10
Memphis Rogues10204358411018-72-13
Houston Hurricane1020376136965-105-10
Western DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
San Diego Sockers (3)181263565616412-36-9
California Surf (6)13174349371159-64-11
Oakland Stompers12183459311037-85-10
San Jose Earthquakes822368135834-114-11

National Conference

Eastern DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
Cosmos (1)24688396821214-110-5
Washington Diplomats (5)161455474914511-45-10
Toronto Metros-Croatia (7)16145847481449-67-8
Rochester Lancers141647524713110-54-11
Central DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
Minnesota Kicks (3)171358435415611-46-9
Tulsa Roughnecks (6)151549464213211-44-11
Dallas Tornado14165153471319-65-10
Colorado Caribous822346633815-103-12
Western DivisionW L GFGABPPtsHomeRoad
Vancouver Whitecaps (2)24668295519913-211-4
Portland Timbers (4)201050364716713-27-8
Seattle Sounders (8)151550454813811-44-11
Los Angeles Aztecs921366934883-126-9

NASL League Leaders

Scoring

GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points

PlayerTeamGPGAPts
align=left Giorgio Chinagliaalign=left Cosmos 30 34 11 79
align=left Mike Flanaganalign=left New England Tea Men 28 30 8 68
align=left Trevor Francisalign=left Detroit Express 20 22 10 54
align=left Kevin Hectoralign=left Vancouver Whitecaps 28 21 10 52
align=left Rodney Marshalign=left Tampa Bay Rowdies 26 18 16 52
align=left Jeff Bournealign=left Dallas Tornado 3021 8 50
align=left Karl-Heinz Granitzaalign=left Chicago Sting 22 19 9 47
align=left Alan Willeyalign=left Minnesota Kicks 30 21 3 45
align=left Ivan Lukačevićalign=left Toronto Metros-Croatia 17 16 5 37
align=left align=left Fort Lauderdale Strikers 28 16 5 37
align=left Bob Lenarduzzialign=left Vancouver Whitecaps 29 10 17 37
align=left Vladislav Bogićevićalign=left Cosmos 30 10 17 37

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWLSO
align=left Phil Parkesalign=left Vancouver Whitecaps 29 2650 28 0.95 23 6 10
align=left align=left Cosmos 22 1916 24 1.13 17 5 6
align=left Mick Poolealign=left Portland Timbers 30 2783 36 1.16 20 10 9
align=left align=left Detroit Express 30 2734 36 1.19 20 10 9
align=left align=left New England Tea Men29 2609 36 1.24 18 11 7
align=left align=left Tampa Bay Rowdies 15 1352 19 1.27 8 7 4
align=left align=left Toronto Metros-Croatia 17 1550 23 1.34 10 7 6
align=left align=left California Surf 17 1574 24 1.37 9 8 6
align=left align=left Tulsa Roughnecks 28 2531 39 1.39 17 11 10
align=left align=left Seattle Sounders28 2617 41 1.41 14 14 9

NASL All-Stars

First Team   Position   Second Team Honorable Mention
Kevin Keelan, New England align=center G Alan Mayer, San Diego Bill Irwin, Washington
Carlos Alberto, Cosmosalign=center D Bruce Wilson, Chicago Maurice Whittle, Fort Lauderdale
Mike England, Seattlealign=center D Arsene Auguste, Tampa Bay Werner Roth, Cosmos
Ray Evans, Californiaalign=center D John Craven, Vancouver Jim Steele, Washington
Chris Turner, New Englandalign=center D Alan Merrick, Minnesota Dave D'Errico, New England
Franz Beckenbauer, Cosmosalign=center M Vladislav Bogićević, Cosmos Ace Ntsoelengoe, Minnesota
Gerry Daly, New Englandalign=center M Alan Ball, Philadelphia George Best, Fort Lauderdale
Rodney Marsh, Tampa Bayalign=center M Ray Hudson, Fort Lauderdale József Horváth, Rochester
Mike Flanagan, New Englandalign=center F Steve Hunt, Cosmos Dennis Tueart, Cosmos
Trevor Francis, Detroitalign=center F Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago
Giorgio Chinaglia, Cosmosalign=center F Kevin Hector, Vancouver Clyde Best, Portland • Jorgen Kristensen, Chicago

Playoffs

See main article: 1978 North American Soccer League playoffs.

The first round and the Soccer Bowl were single game match ups, while the conference semifinals and championships were all two-game series.[27]

Bracket

Conference Quarterfinals

style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 8width=24% align=rightDetroit Expressalign=center width=13%1–0width=24%Philadelphia Furystyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topPontiac Silverdome • 22,456
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 9width=24% align=rightNew England Tea Menalign=center width=13%1–3width=24%Fort Lauderdale Strikersstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topSchaefer Stadium • 18,672
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 8width=24% align=rightSan Diego Sockersalign=center width=13%2–1width=24%California Surfstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topSan Diego Stadium • 6,238
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 8width=24% align=rightTampa Bay Rowdiesalign=center width=13%3–1width=24%Chicago Stingstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topTampa Stadium • 26,596
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 9width=24% align=rightCosmosalign=center width=13%5–2width=24%Seattle Soundersstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topGiants Stadium • 47,780
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 10width=24% align=rightMinnesota Kicksalign=center width=13%3–1width=24%Tulsa Roughnecksstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topMetropolitan Stadium • 36,478
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 9width=24% align=rightVancouver Whitecapsalign=center width=13%4–0width=24%Toronto Metros-Croatiastyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topEmpire Stadium • 30,811
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top
----
style=font-size:85% align=center rowspan=3 width=15%August 9width=24% align=rightPortland Timbersalign=center width=13%2–1 (OT)width=24%Washington Diplomatsstyle=font-size:85% rowspan=3 valign=topCivic Stadium • 14,230
align=right valign=topvalign=topalign=left valign=top

Conference semifinals

In 1978, if a playoff series was tied after two games, a 30 minute, golden goal, mini-game was played. If neither team scored in the mini-game, they would move on to a shoot-out to determine a series winner. *Teams were re-seeded for the Conference Semifinals based on regular season point totals. This affected only one of the four series; Tampa Bay versus San Diego.[28]

width=180Higher seedwidth=5width=180Lower seedwidth=80Game 1width=80Game 2width=100Mini-gamewidth=270(lower seed hosts Game 1)
Detroit Express- Fort Lauderdale Strikers3–4 (SO, 2–3) 1–0 0–1 August 13 • Lockhart Stadium • 11,517
August 16 • Pontiac Silverdome • 32,219
- San Diego Sockers1–0 1–2 1–0 August 14 • San Diego Stadium • 8,014
August 17 • Tampa Stadium • 32,495
Cosmos- Minnesota Kicks2–9 4–0 1– 0 (SO, 2–1)August 14 • Metropolitan Stadium • 45,863
August 16 • Giants Stadium • 60,199
Vancouver Whitecaps- Portland Timbers0–1 1–2 x August 12 • Civic Stadium • 16,437
August 16 • Empire Stadium • 32,266

Conference Championships

width=180Higher seedwidth=5width=180Lower seedwidth=80Game 1width=80Game 2width=100Mini-gamewidth=270(lower seed hosts Game 1)
Tampa Bay Rowdies- Fort Lauderdale Strikers2–3 3–1 1–0 (SO, 2–1) August 20 • Lockhart Stadium • 16,286
August 23 • Tampa Stadium • 37,249
Cosmos- Portland Timbers1–0 4–0 x August 18 • Civic Stadium • 24,515
August 23 • Giants Stadium • 65,287

Soccer Bowl '78

See main article: Soccer Bowl '78.

1978 NASL Champions: Cosmos

Playoff Statistics

Mini-games are not counted as games played when compiling individual statistics. They are included in the minutes played category.

Scoring

GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points

PlayerTeamGPGAPts
align=left Dennis Tueartalign=left Cosmos 6 6 5 17
align=left Alan Willeyalign=left Minnesota Kicks 3 7 0 14
align=left Giorgio Chinagliaalign=left Cosmos 6 5 2 12
align=left David Irvingalign=left Fort Lauderdale Strikers 5 5 0 10
align=left Rodney Marshalign=left Tampa Bay Rowdies 5 3 3 9

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWLSO
align=left Phil Parkesalign=left Vancouver Whitecaps 3 270 3 1.00 1 2 1
align=left align=left San Diego Sockers 3 225 3 1.00 1 10
align=left align=left Detroit Express 3 306 4 1.33 2 1 2
align=left align=left Portland Timbers 5 457 8 1.60 3 2 1
align=left align=left Tampa Bay Rowdies 6 574 10 1.67 3 3 1

Post season awards

Team attendance totals

GamesTotalAverage[30]
Cosmos15717,84247,856
Minnesota Kicks15462,90430,860
Seattle Sounders15338,67722,578
Tampa Bay Rowdies15271,85618,124
Vancouver Whitecaps15235,86615,724
San Jose Earthquakes15214,77714,318
Detroit Express15182,90612,194
New England Tea Men15180,95412,064
Oakland Stompers15178,94111,929
Portland Timbers15177,04911,803
Tulsa Roughnecks15168,83411,256
California Surf15167,56911,171
Washington Diplomats15161,74110,783
Fort Lauderdale Strikers15157,18810,479
Los Angeles Aztecs15139,5149,301
Memphis Rogues15135,4829,032
Dallas Tornado15128,1498,543
Philadelphia Fury15121,1278,075
Houston Hurricane15116,2477,750
Colorado Caribous15111,2667,418
Rochester Lancers15101,4026,760
Toronto Metros-Croatia1593,5016,233
San Diego Sockers1577,1855,146
Chicago Sting1569,2674,618
OVERALL3604,710,24413,084

References

Book: 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide . North American Soccer League . 1979 . New York.

Book: Jose, Colin . NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League . Breedon Books . 1989 . Derby, England.

Book: Jose, Colin . North American Soccer League Encyclopedia . St. Johann Press . 2003 . Haworth, New Jersey.

Book: Wangerin, David . Soccer In A Football World . Temple University Press . 2008 . Philadelphia.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Francis steals Express' show . July 13, 1978. Windsor Star. 26 . 2012-06-18.
  2. Book: NASL: A Complete Record Of The North American Soccer League . 1989 . 196.
  3. Book: 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide . 1979 . 152.
  4. Book: NASL: A Complete Record Of The North American Soccer League . 1989 . 199.
  5. News: NASL prepares for playoff wars . August 7, 1978. St. Petersburg Times. 7C . 2012-06-18.
  6. Book: NASL: A Complete Record Of The North American Soccer League . 1989 . 204.
  7. News: Chinaglia powers Cosmos . May 22, 1978. The Spokesman-Review. 20 . 2012-06-18.
  8. Book: NASL: A Complete Record Of The North American Soccer League . 1989 . 188.
  9. Web site: Attendance Project: NASL. Kenn Tomasch. June 13, 2012.
  10. Book: Soccer In A Football World . 2008 . 186–187.
  11. News: NASL May Add Six Teams . August 31, 1977. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 3-C . 2012-06-12.
  12. News: Soccer League Eyes Expansion . October 13, 1977. The Spokesman-Review. 26 . 2012-06-12.
  13. News: Houston May Be Alive And Kicking In NASL . January 5, 1978. Evening Independent. 2-C . 2012-06-12.
  14. News: NASL Song: Rock Stars Get In Act . November 16, 1977. Evening Independent. 2-C . 2012-06-12.
  15. News: Tulsa Gets Team Hawaii . November 16, 1977. Milwaukee Sentinel. 16 . 2012-06-12.
  16. News: Tierney . Mike . Rowdies, Strikers Mates – But Not Cosmos . January 10, 1978. St. Petersburg Times. 1C . 2012-06-12.
  17. Book: 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide . 1979 . 367.
  18. News: Minus A Star, Cosmos Shine . April 3, 1978. Evening Independent. 2-C . 2012-06-12.
  19. News: Pentz . Matt . In his own endearing way, Alan Hinton deals with cancer battle . February 13, 2015 . . 2015-02-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150215072437/http://seattletimes.com/html/sounders/2025695980_soundershinton14xml.html . 2015-02-15 .
  20. News: Willey's Five Goals Propel Kicks . August 15, 1978. Ocala Star-Banner. 5B . 2012-06-12.
  21. News: Express Fall To Strikers In OT . August 17, 1978. Lakeland Ledger. 4D . 2012-06-12.
  22. News: Cosmos Cut Up Timbers . August 24, 1978. Evening Independent. 2-C . 2012-06-12.
  23. News: Tierney . Mike . Cosmos Spoil Rowdies' Bid For Crown . August 28, 1978. St. Petersburg Times. 1A . 2012-06-12.
  24. News: Sale Of NASL Caribous Approved . October 4, 1978. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 4-D. 2012-06-12.
  25. News: NASL owners okay move to Edmonton . February 23, 1979. Lewiston Morning Tribune. 7B. 2012-06-12.
  26. News: Shootout Thriller: 32,000 See Stompers Edge Earthquakes . April 3, 1978. The Modesto Bee. B-3 . 2012-06-12.
  27. Book: 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide . 1979 . 367 .
  28. News: Rosenblatt . Richard . Complicated Playoffs May Kick Out Best NASL Team . August 16, 1978. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 1-C. 2013-07-03.
  29. News: NASL all-star team picked . August 26, 1978. Ellensburg Daily Record. 8 . 2013-07-02.
  30. Web site: Attendance Project: NASL. Kenn Tomasch. March 3, 2023. August 6, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120806220915/http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?page_id=496. bot: unknown.