Statistics of North American Soccer League

North American Soccer League

North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...

 in season 1979. This was the 12th season of the NASL.

Overview

The league comprised 24 teams.

ABC Sports began covering the NASL.

The Vancouver Whitecaps

Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)

The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...

 defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the finals on August 27 to win the championship.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, T= Ties GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts= point system

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

Eastern Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
New York Cosmos New York Cosmos The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...	24	6	84	52	216
Washington Diplomats Washington Diplomats The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...	19	11	68	50	172
Toronto Blizzard Toronto Blizzard (NASL) The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....	14	16	52	65	133
Rochester Lancers Rochester Lancers The Rochester Lancers were a soccer team based in Rochester, New York that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1969 and the North American Soccer League from 1970 to 1980 at Aquinas Stadium...	15	15	43	57	132

Central Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
Minnesota Kicks Minnesota Kicks Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota from 1976 to 1981. The team was a member of the now defunct North American Soccer League. The team had relocated to Minnesota after having been based in Denver, Colorado as the Denver Dynamos...	21	9	67	48	184
Dallas Tornado Dallas Tornado Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...	17	13	53	51	152
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa Roughnecks -NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...	14	16	61	56	139
Atlanta Chiefs Atlanta Chiefs The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...	12	18	60	60	121

Western Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...	20	10	54	34	172
Los Angeles Aztecs Los Angeles Aztecs The Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...	18	12	62	47	162
Seattle Sounders Seattle Sounders (NASL) The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...	13	17	58	52	125
Portland Timbers Portland Timbers (NASL) The Portland Timbers were a team in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1982. The name has been used by two other soccer franchises: the Timbers of the WSA/APSL, Portland Timbers of the USL and the current team which began play as part of Major League Soccer in 2011.-History:In January...	11	19	50	75	122

Eastern Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
Tampa Bay Rowdies	19	11	67	46	169
Fort Lauderdale Strikers	17	13	75	65	165
Philadelphia Fury Philadelphia Fury The Philadelphia Fury was a soccer team based in Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Among the club's investors were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton and Paul Simon. The team played at Veterans Stadium....	10	20	55	60	111
New England Tea Men New England Tea Men The New England Tea Men were a soccer team based out of Foxboro, MA that played in the NASL from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was Schaefer Stadium....	12	18	41	56	110

Central Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
Houston Hurricane Houston Hurricane The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of Houston that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the Astrodome. Their colors were orange, white and red....	22	8	61	46	187
Chicago Sting Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...	16	14	70	62	159
Detroit Express Detroit Express The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...	14	16	60	56	133
Memphis Rogues Memphis Rogues The Memphis Rogues were a professional soccer team in the former North American Soccer League. They operated in the 1978, 1979, and 1980 seasons and played their home games in Memphis' Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.-History:...	6	24	38	74	73

Western Division

	W	L	GF	GA	PT
California Surf California Surf The California Surf were a soccer club based in Anaheim, California who played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1981. Their home field was Anaheim Stadium.They originally were the St. Louis Stars...	15	15	53	56	140
San Diego Sockers	15	15	59	55	140
Edmonton Drillers	8	22	43	78	88
San Jose Earthquakes San Jose Earthquakes (NASL) San Jose Earthquakes was a professional soccer club that played from 1974 to 1984. The team began as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League. From 1983 to 1984, the team was known as the Golden Bay Earthquakes...	8	22	41	74	86

First round

Game 1	Game 2	Shootout
Philadelphia Fury Philadelphia Fury The Philadelphia Fury was a soccer team based in Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Among the club's investors were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton and Paul Simon. The team played at Veterans Stadium....	-	Houston Hurricane Houston Hurricane The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of Houston that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the Astrodome. Their colors were orange, white and red....	2 - 1	2 - 1		August 14 , 20
Detroit Express Detroit Express The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...	-	Tampa Bay Rowdies	0 - 3	3 - 1		August 15 , 19
Chicago Sting Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...	-	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	2 - 0	0 - 0		August 15 , 18
San Diego Sockers	-	California Surf California Surf The California Surf were a soccer club based in Anaheim, California who played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1981. Their home field was Anaheim Stadium.They originally were the St. Louis Stars...	4 - 2	7 - 2		August 15 , 18
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa Roughnecks -NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...	-	Minnesota Kicks Minnesota Kicks Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota from 1976 to 1981. The team was a member of the now defunct North American Soccer League. The team had relocated to Minnesota after having been based in Denver, Colorado as the Denver Dynamos...	2 - 1	2 - 1		August 15 , 19
Dallas Tornado Dallas Tornado Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...	-	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...	3 - 2	1 - 2		August 15 , 18
Los Angeles Aztecs Los Angeles Aztecs The Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...	-	Washington Diplomats Washington Diplomats The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...	3 - 1	4 - 1		August 15 , 19
Toronto Blizzard Toronto Blizzard (NASL) The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....	-	New York Cosmos New York Cosmos The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...	1 - 3	0 - 2		August 16 , 20

Conference Semifinals

Game 1	Game 2	Shootout
San Diego Sockers	-	Chicago Sting Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...	2 - 0	1 - 0		August 22 , 25
Los Angeles Aztecs Los Angeles Aztecs The Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...	-	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...	3 - 2	0 - 1	0 - 1	August 22 , 25
Philadelphia Fury Philadelphia Fury The Philadelphia Fury was a soccer team based in Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Among the club's investors were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton and Paul Simon. The team played at Veterans Stadium....	-	Tampa Bay Rowdies	2 - 3	0 - 1		August 23 , 25
Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa Roughnecks -NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...	-	New York Cosmos New York Cosmos The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...	3 - 0	0 - 3	0 - 3	August 23 , 26

Conference Championships

Game 1	Game 2	Shootout
Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...	-	New York Cosmos New York Cosmos The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...	2 - 0	2 - 3	1 - 0	August 29 , September 1
San Diego Sockers	-	Tampa Bay Rowdies	2 - 1	2 - 3	0 - 1	August 30 , September 2

Soccer Bowl '79

September 8	Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL) The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...	2 – 1	Tampa Bay Rowdies	East Rutherford (NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... ), Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...

Post season awards

• Most Valuable Player: Johan Cruyff
  Johan Cruyff
  Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON , known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with...
  
  , Los Angeles
• Coach of the year: Timo Liekoski
  Timo Liekoski
  Timo Liekoski is a Finnish soccer coach who managed teams in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and Major League Soccer...
  
  , Houston
• Rookie of the year: Larry Hulcer
  Larry Hulcer
  Larry Hulcer is a former U.S. soccer forward and midfielder. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eight caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980.-College:Hulcer attended St. Louis...
  
  , Los Angeles