1978 North American Soccer League playoffs
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Country | United States Canada |
Teams | 16 |
Defending champions | Cosmos |
Final positions | |
Champions | Cosmos |
Runner-up | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 21 |
Goals scored | 81 (3.86 per match) |
Top goal scorer(s) | ![]() (7 goals) |
The 1978 North American Soccer League playoffs began on August 8 and ended on August 27 with Soccer Bowl '78 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 16 out of 24 teams qualified after a 30-match regular season, eight from each conference.
Playoff format
[edit]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', a nod to the NFL's playoff format. The winners of each successive round would be reseeded within the conference by point total. 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.[1]
Playoff seeds
[edit]American Conference
[edit]- Detroit Express – Central Division champions, 176 points
- New England Tea Men – Eastern Division champions, 165 points
- San Diego Sockers – Western Division champions, 164 points
- Tampa Bay Rowdies – 165 points
- Chicago Sting – 123 points
- California Surf – 115 points
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers – 143 points
- Philadelphia Fury – 111 points
National Conference
[edit]- Cosmos – Eastern Division champions, 212 points
- Vancouver Whitecaps – Western Division champions, 199 points
- Minnesota Kicks – Central Division champions, 156 points
- Portland Timbers – 167 points
- Washington Diplomats – 145 points
- Tulsa Roughnecks – 132 points
- Toronto Metros-Croatia – 144 points
- Seattle Sounders – 138 points
Bracket
[edit]Conference Quarterfinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Championships | Soccer Bowl '78 | ||||||||||||||||
A1 | Detroit Express | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A8 | Philadelphia Fury | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
A1 | Detroit Express | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A7 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
A2 | New England Tea Men | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A7 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
A7 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
American Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
A4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
A3 | San Diego Sockers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
A6 | California Surf | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A3 | San Diego Sockers | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
A4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
A5 | Chicago Sting | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
A4 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cosmos | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cosmos | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
N8 | Seattle Sounders | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cosmos | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
N3 | Minnesota Kicks | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
N3 | Minnesota Kicks | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
N6 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
N1 | Cosmos | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
National Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
N4 | Portland Timbers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
N2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
N7 | Toronto Metros-Croatia | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
N2 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
N4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
N4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
N5 | Washington Diplomats | 1 |
Conference Quarterfinals
[edit]American Conference
[edit](1) Detroit Express vs. (8) Philadelphia Fury
[edit]Detroit Express | 1–0 | Philadelphia Fury |
---|---|---|
Francis ![]() |
(2) New England Tea Men vs. (7) Fort Lauderdale Strikers
[edit]New England Tea Men | 1–3 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
---|---|---|
Ridley ![]() |
Irving ![]() Simpson ![]() Ronson ![]() |
(3) San Diego Sockers vs. (6) California Surf
[edit]San Diego Sockers | 2–1 | California Surf |
---|---|---|
McCall ![]() McCall ![]() |
Suhnholz ![]() |
(4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (5) Chicago Sting
[edit]Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–1 | Chicago Sting |
---|---|---|
Marsh ![]() Marsh ![]() Wegerle ![]() |
Report | Granitza ![]() |
National Conference
[edit](1) Cosmos vs. (8) Seattle Sounders
[edit]Cosmos | 5–2 | Seattle Sounders |
---|---|---|
Bogicevic ![]() Bogicevic ![]() Beckenbauer ![]() Dimitrijevic ![]() Hunt ![]() |
England ![]() Wallace ![]() |
(2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (7) Toronto Metros-Croatia
[edit]Vancouver Whitecaps | 4–0 | Toronto Metros-Croatia |
---|---|---|
Campbell ![]() Hinton ![]() Campbell ![]() B. Lenarduzzi ![]() |
(3) Minnesota Kicks vs. (6) Tulsa Roughnecks
[edit]Minnesota Kicks | 3–1 | Tulsa Roughnecks |
---|---|---|
Futcher ![]() Willey ![]() Willey ![]() |
Caskey ![]() |
(4) Portland Timbers vs. (5) Washington Diplomats
[edit]Portland Timbers | 2–1(OT) | Washington Diplomats |
---|---|---|
McNeill ![]() Bain ![]() |
Stokes ![]() |
Conference semifinals
[edit]American Conference
[edit](1) Detroit Express vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
[edit]Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 4–3(SO) | Detroit Express |
---|---|---|
Irving ![]() Whittle ![]() Irving ![]() |
Francis ![]() Francis ![]() Tinnion ![]() |
|
Penalties | ||
Whelan ![]() Fowles ![]() Hudson ![]() Irving ![]() Whittle ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Detroit Express | 1–0 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
---|---|---|
Brazil ![]() |
Detroit Express | 0–1 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
---|---|---|
Nanchoff ![]() |
Fort Lauderdale wins series 2–1
(3) San Diego Sockers vs. (4) Tampa Bay Rowdies
[edit]San Diego Sockers | 0–1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
---|---|---|
Report | Auguste ![]() |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–2 | San Diego Sockers |
---|---|---|
Anderson ![]() |
Report | Harsanyi ![]() McCall ![]() |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–0 | San Diego Sockers |
---|---|---|
Marsh ![]() |
Report |
Tampa Bay wins series 2–1
National Conference
[edit](1) Cosmos vs. (3) Minnesota Kicks
[edit]Minnesota Kicks | 9–2 | Cosmos |
---|---|---|
George ![]() Roth ![]() Willey ![]() Ntsoelengoe ![]() Willey ![]() Willey ![]() Willey ![]() Willey ![]() Hamilton ![]() |
Chinaglia ![]() Etherington ![]() |
Cosmos | 4–0 | Minnesota Kicks |
---|---|---|
Chinaglia ![]() Tueart ![]() Chinaglia ![]() Tueart ![]() |
Cosmos | 1–0(SO) | Minnesota Kicks |
---|---|---|
Penalties | ||
Bogicevic ![]() Tueart ![]() Hunt ![]() Morais ![]() Alberto ![]() Beckenbauer ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
New York wins series 2–1
(2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (4) Portland Timbers
[edit]Portland Timbers | 1–0 | Vancouver Whitecaps |
---|---|---|
Best ![]() |
Vancouver Whitecaps | 1–2 | Portland Timbers |
---|---|---|
Kember ![]() |
Best ![]() Anderson ![]() |
Portland wins series 2–0
Conference finals
[edit]American Conference
[edit](4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers
[edit]Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 3–2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
---|---|---|
Whittle ![]() Irving ![]() Best ![]() |
Report | Robb ![]() McLeod ![]() |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–1 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
---|---|---|
Anderson ![]() Robb ![]() Wegerle ![]() |
Report | Irving ![]() |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1–0 (SO) | Fort Lauderdale Strikers |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
Anderson ![]() Wegerle ![]() Paddon ![]() Robb ![]() Marsh ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tampa Bay wins series 2–1
National Conference
[edit](1) Cosmos vs. (4) Portland Timbers
[edit]Portland Timbers | 0–1 | New York Cosmos |
---|---|---|
Tueart ![]() |
Cosmos | 5–0 | Portland Timbers |
---|---|---|
Chinaglia ![]() Tueart ![]() Hunt ![]() Beckenbauer ![]() Seninho ![]() |
New York wins series 2–0
Soccer Bowl '78
[edit]Cosmos | 3–1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
---|---|---|
Tueart ![]() Chinaglia ![]() Tueart ![]() |
Report | Mirandinha ![]() |
1978 NASL Champions: Cosmos
Playoff Statistics
[edit]Mini-games are not counted as games played when compiling individual statistics. They are included in the minutes played category.
Scoring
[edit]GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points
Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dennis Tueart | Cosmos | 6 | 6 | 5 | 17 |
Alan Willey | Minnesota Kicks | 3 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Giorgio Chinaglia | Cosmos | 6 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
David Irving | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
Rodney Marsh | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 5 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Goalkeeping
[edit]Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts
Player | Team | GP | Min | GA | GAA | W | L | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phil Parkes | Vancouver Whitecaps | 3 | 270 | 3 | 1.00 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Alan Mayer | San Diego Sockers | 3 | 225 | 3 | 1.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Steve Hardwick | Detroit Express | 3 | 306 | 4 | 1.33 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Mick Poole | Portland Timbers | 5 | 457 | 8 | 1.60 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Winston DuBose | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6 | 574 | 10 | 1.67 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
References
[edit]- ^ 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide. 1979. p. 367.
Henderson, Jim (1979). Dr. Pepper 1979 Pro Soccer Guide. Tampa, Florida: Snibbe Publications.
1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide. New York: North American Soccer League. 1979.
Jose, Colin (1989). NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League. Derby, England: Breedon Books.
Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press.