1979 Vancouver Whitecaps season

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Vancouver Whitecaps
1979 season
Chairman Herb Capozzi
Head coach Tony Waiters
North American
Soccer League		 Division: 1st
Conference: 3rd
Overall: 4th
NASL Playoffs Champions
Challenge Trophy Ineligible[lower-alpha 1]
Top goalscorer League: Kevin Hector (15)
All: Kevin Hector (17)
Highest home attendance 32,875 vs NYC
NASL Playoffs (8/29)
Lowest home attendance 16,965 vs SD
NASL (5/02)
Biggest win
  • * VAN 4–1 NYC
    NASL (6/16)
    • VAN 3–0 TOR
      NASL (7/21)
Biggest defeat LA 2–0 VAN
NASL (8/04)
Home colours
Away colours
← 1978 1980 →

The 1979 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the the club's sixth season in the North American Soccer League.

Roster

The 1979 squad coached by Tony Waiters:[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 England GK Phil Parkes
2 England MF Ray Lewington
3 England DF Bob McNab
4 England DF John Craven
5 Canada DF Robert Lenarduzzi
6 England DF Roger Kenyon
7 Canada MF Buzz Parsons
8 England MF Jon Sammels
9 England FW Trevor Whymark
10 Canada MF Bob Bolitho
11 England FW Kevin Hector
12 Canada DF Paul Nelson
17 England DF Peter Daniel
18 Canada DF Dan Lenarduzzi
No. Position Player
20 Scotland FW Willie Johnston
21 Canada FW Carl Valentine
22 Zimbabwe GK Bruce Grobbelaar
23 England FW Alan Ball
23 Canada MF Drew Ferguson
24 England FW Derek Possee
25 Canada MF David McCaig
26 Canada MF David McGill
27 Scotland MF Gerry Gray
28 Canada FW Steve Nesin
29 Canada DF Carl Shearer
30 Canada DF Alan Soundraal
31 Canada FW Ralston Dunlop
32 Canada FW Brent Barling

North American Soccer League

Competition Record
Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
Regular season

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Playoffs 9 7 2 13 8 +5 77.78
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Total

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Last updated: 4 August 2023
Source: Competitions

Regular season

Standings

    -Playoffs via division standings.     -Playoffs via wildcard.

North American Soccer League
Season 1979
Champions Vancouver Whitecaps
(1st title)
Premiers New York Cosmos
(3rd title)
Matches played 360
Goals scored 1374 (3.82 per match)
Top goalscorer Giorgio Chinaglia
(26 goals)
Biggest home win SEA 9-0 EDM
(August 1)[2]
Biggest away win MEM 0-6 ATL
(July 21)[3]
SJ 0-6 SD
(August 11)[4]
Highest scoring DET 6-5 (SO) CHI
(July 7)[5]
DET 8-2 FL
(June 27)[6]
Longest winning run 8, New York
(July 8 – August 12)[7]
Longest losing run 14, Edmonton
(May 26 – July 18)[8]
Highest attendance 76,031 (Tulsa at New York) (August 26)[9]
Lowest attendance 653 (N.E. at Houston) (April 19)[10]
Average attendance 14,201[11]
← 1978
1980 →

The 1979 North American Soccer League season was the 67th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer and the 12th with a national first-division league in the United States and Canada.

Season recap

Compared to the previous season's upheaval, 1979 was a relatively tranquil year. The league format remained unchanged with 24 teams in six divisions and a 16-team playoff. A rule modifications required that each squad play two U.S. or Canadian players and that each 17-man roster carry six such players.[12] A slight modification to the first round of the playoffs, from a single game to the two-game format used in later rounds, was made. Also the minigame, used to decide tied playoff series, no longer ended on a golden goal (sudden death). Instead, the entire 30 minutes was played.[13]

Still, there were issues to be sorted out. There was a brief players' strike on April 14, as the league refused to recognize the newly formed Players Association.[14] However, since the majority of NASL players were foreign and unsure of American and Canadian labor laws, support was minimal.[15] An estimated three quarters of NASL players crossed the picket line once the Justice Department implied that foreign players would be subject to deportation. [16]

The Cosmos decided to put "New York" back into their name after a two-year absence. With a change in ownership, the Toronto franchise was now called the Toronto Blizzard, while Toronto Croatia (who had merged with the Metros back in 1975) returned to their old league, the National Soccer League. The Colorado Caribous moved to Atlanta to become the reborn Atlanta Chiefs in October 1978,[17] while the Oakland Stompers would move to Edmonton just a month before the start of the season.[18] Both teams struggled, finishing last in their respective divisions. The new Edmonton Drillers were particularly bad, setting a record for most consecutive losses in league history with 14. [19]

At the other end of the table, the Houston Hurricane went from worst to first in the American Conference, going undefeated in their 15 home matches at the Astrodome and earning Timo Liekoski Coach of the Year honors. [20] However, the Hurricane were upset in the first round of the ASC playoffs, as the Philadelphia Fury, who were winless on the road during the regular season, won the deciding game in Houston. [21]

That meant the door was opened for the Tampa Bay Rowdies to win their second straight ASC title, sweeping the Fury [22] and outlasting the San Diego Sockers in a minigame at Tampa Stadium. [23] The Rowdies were led by Oscar Fabbiani's 25 goals and a defense that gave up 46 goals, the second-fewest in the league.

The two-time defending champion Cosmos kept rolling, posting another 24-6 record and surpassing their league record for points with 216. Johan Cruyff joined the team in the fall of 1978 for a few exhibitions, but the Los Angeles Aztecs bought out his NASL option for $600,000 to bring him to the West Coast.[24] Cruyff scored two goals against the Rochester Lancers on his debut,[25] while leading the Aztecs to a nine-win turnaround. Despite their second-round playoff loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps,[26] he earned league MVP honors for his efforts.

New York proved that they didn't need him to score goals, as Giorgio Chinaglia led the league for the third straight year. However, he lost out on the scoring title by a point to Fabbiani.[27] As befitting their status within the league, the Cosmos had the honor of playing in the first game of ABC Sports' three-year TV contract with the league in May;[28] a Soccer Bowl '78 rematch in which they lost 3-2 at Tampa Bay. The network would cover nine regular-season and playoff games per year. This included coverage of the next three Soccer Bowls.[29]

However, the league's dream of the Cosmos hosting another Soccer Bowl in front of a national TV audience went up in smoke when New York lost to Vancouver in a memorable playoff matchup. After the Whitecaps won the first game of the National Conference final in Vancouver,[30] the teams played for three and a half hours at Giants Stadium three days later on ABC. The Cosmos won the regular game in a shootout, tying the series at one. The deciding minigame would also go to a shootout, where Derek Possee gave Vancouver the lead. After the Cosmos' Ricky Davis and the Whitecaps' Alan Ball missed on their chances, New York's Nelsi Morais was unable to beat the five-second clock and his goal was waved off, giving Vancouver the win.[31]

Vancouver went on to beat the Rowdies a week later in the Soccer Bowl. Trevor Whymark scored both Vancouver goals and earned game MVP honors,[32] while Tampa Bay suffered their second straight loss in the championship game.[33] Attendance at Giants Stadium was well below projections, as 50,699 showed up despite 66,843 tickets having been sold.[34] The Whitecaps' Alan Ball was named playoff MVP for his seven-assist effort in Vancouver's championship run.[35] Attendance estimates vary (they range from 60,000 to 150,000 people),[36] but the resulting championship parade is still considered the largest public demonstration in Vancouver civic history.[37]

Another positive sign for the league was that this would be the first offseason in NASL history where no franchises folded or moved.

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.

American Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Tampa Bay Rowdies 19 11 67 46 55 169 14-1 5-10
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 17 13 75 64 63 165 9-6 8-7
Philadelphia Fury 10 20 55 60 51 111 10-5 0-15
New England Tea Men 12 18 41 56 41 110 8-7 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Houston Hurricane 22 8 61 46 55 187 15-0 7-8
Chicago Sting 16 14 70 61 63 159 9-6 7-8
Detroit Express 14 16 60 56 49 132 10-5 4-11
Memphis Rogues 6 24 38 74 37 73 3-12 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
San Diego Sockers* 15 15 59 55 50 140 7-8 8-7
California Surf 15 15 53 56 50 140 9-6 6-9
Edmonton Drillers 8 22 43 78 40 88 7-8 1-14
San Jose Earthquakes 8 22 41 74 38 86 4-11 4-11

*San Diego and California finished the season with identical records and point totals. San Diego was awarded the division title due to a better goal differential.[38]

National Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
New York Cosmos 24 6 84 52 72 216 13-2 11-4
Washington Diplomats 19 11 68 50 59 172 12-3 7-8
Toronto Blizzard 14 16 52 65 49 133 9-6 5-10
Rochester Lancers 15 15 43 57 42 132 11-4 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Minnesota Kicks 21 9 67 48 58 184 14-1 7-8
Dallas Tornado 17 13 53 51 50 152 9-6 8-7
Tulsa Roughnecks 14 16 61 56 55 139 11-4 3-12
Atlanta Chiefs 12 18 59 61 49 121 9-6 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Vancouver Whitecaps 20 10 54 34 52 172 12-3 8-7
Los Angeles Aztecs 18 12 62 47 54 162 10-5 8-7
Seattle Sounders 13 17 58 52 47 125 9-6 4-11
Portland Timbers 11 19 50 75 46 112 6-9 5-10

NASL League Leaders

Scoring

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

Player Team GP G A Pts
Oscar Fabbiani Tampa Bay Rowdies 26 25 8 58
Giorgio Chinaglia New York Cosmos 27 26 5 57
Gerd Müller Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 25 19 17 55
David Robb Philadelphia Fury 30 16 20 52
Jeff Bourne Atlanta Chiefs 29 18 15 51
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting 30 20 10 50
Teófilo Cubillas Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 30 16 18 50
Alan Willey Minnesota Kicks 29 21 7 49
Dennis Tueart New York Cosmos 27 16 16 48
Laurie Abrahams California/Tulsa 25 18 9 45
Johan Cruyff Los Angeles Aztecs 23 13 16 42

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP Min SV GA GAA W L SO
Phil Parkes Vancouver Whitecaps 29 2704 100 29 0.96 20 9 7
Victor Nogueira Atlanta Chiefs 17 1432 79 20 1.26 8 8 5
Željko Bilecki Tampa Bay Rowdies 17 1549 93 22 1.28 12 5 5
Mike Ivanow Seattle Sounders 28 2517 149 39 1.39 13 15 2
Bill Irwin Washington Diplomats 28 2603 134 42 1.45 17 11 4
Paul Hammond Houston Hurricane 29 2705 215 44 1.46 21 8 6
Volkmar Gross San Diego/Minnesota 24 2132 137 38 1.604 17 7 6
Kevin Keelan New England Tea Men 25 2242 133 40 1.605 12 13 2
Colin Boulton Los Angeles/Tulsa 30 2746 109 49 1.606 16 14 7
Tino Lettieri Minnesota Kicks 16 1368 95 25 1.63 10 5 2

NASL All-Stars

First Team   Position   Second Team Honorable Mention
Phil Parkes, Vancouver G Paul Hammond, Houston Alan Mayer, San Diego
Carlos Alberto, New York D Marinho, New York Steve Litt, Minnesota
Bruce Wilson, Chicago D John Gorman, Tampa Bay Bob Smith, San Diego
Wim Rijsbergen, New York D Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles Wim Suurbier, Los Angeles
Mike Connell, Tampa Bay D Bob Lenarduzzi, Vancouver Artur, New England
Franz Beckenbauer, New York M Teófilo Cubillas, Ft. Lauderdale Rodney Marsh, Tampa Bay
Johan Neeskens, New York M Vladislav Bogićević, New York Alan Hudson, Seattle
Ace Ntsoelengoe, Minnesota M Alan Ball, Vancouver Gerry Daly, New England
Johan Cruyff, Los Angeles F Óscar Fabbiani, Tampa Bay Jorgen Kristensen, Chicago
Trevor Francis, Detroit F Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay
Giorgio Chinaglia, New York F Gerd Müller, Ft. Lauderdale Dennis Tueart, New York

Playoffs

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Main article: 1979 North American Soccer League playoffs

The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs automatically. The two highest remaining point totaled teams in each conference also qualified for the playoffs as wild cards and were given the lowest first round seeds. Playoff match-ups and home/away status were reset after each round, based on regular season point totals.

In 1979 and 1980, if a playoff series was tied at one victory each, a full 30 minute mini-game was played. If neither team held an advantage after the 30 minutes, the teams would then move on to an NASL shoot-out to determine a series winner.

Bracket

Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '79
                       
A1 Houston Hurricane 0
A8 Philadelphia Fury 2
A8 Philadelphia Fury 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A7 Detroit Express 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A3 San Diego Sockers 1
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A6 California Surf 0
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A5 Chicago Sting 0
A4 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0
A5 Chicago Sting 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N8 Toronto Blizzard 0
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 1
N2 Minnesota Kicks 0
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 2
N1 New York Cosmos 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N6 Dallas Tornado 0
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 1
N4 Washington Diplomats 0
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 2

First round

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Philadelphia Fury - Houston Hurricane 2 - 1 2 - 1 x August 14 -3,337 • August 20 -7,530
Detroit Express - Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 - 3 1 - 3 x August 15 -21,539 • August 19 -27,210
Chicago Sting - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 15 -10,019 • August 18 -13,691
San Diego Sockers - California Surf 4 - 2 7 - 2 x August 16 -8,460 • August 18 -10,225
Tulsa Roughnecks - Minnesota Kicks 2 - 1 (OT) 2 - 1 (OT) x August 15 -14,105 • August 19 -28,996
Dallas Tornado - Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 3 1 - 2 x August 15 -8,829 • August 18 -30,328
Los Angeles Aztecs - Washington Diplomats 3 - 1 4 - 3 (OT)[39] x August 15 -12,042 • August 19 -14,802
Toronto Blizzard - New York Cosmos 1 - 3 0 - 2 x August 16 -30,356 • August 19 -46,531

Conference Semifinals

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
San Diego Sockers - Chicago Sting 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 22 -11,561 • August 25 -15,379
Los Angeles Aztecs - Vancouver Whitecaps 3 - 2 (SO, 2–1) 0 - 1 0 - 1 August 22 -21,213[40] • August 25 -32,375
Philadelphia Fury - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 3 (SO, 0–2) 0 - 1 x August 23 -10,395 • August 25 -21,112
Tulsa Roughnecks - New York Cosmos 3 - 0 0 - 3 1 - 3 August 23 -26,011 • August 26 -76,031

Conference Championships

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Vancouver Whitecaps - New York Cosmos 2 - 0 2 - 3 (SO, 1–3) 1 - 0 (SO, 3–2) August 29 -32,875 • September 1 -44,109
San Diego Sockers - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 1 2 - 3 (SO, 0–3) 0 - 1 August 30 -20,267 • September 2 -38,766

Soccer Bowl '79

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Main article: Soccer Bowl '79

September 8
2 pm EDT
Vancouver Whitecaps 2–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies
Whymark Goal 12:37'
Whymark (Ball) Goal 59:37'		 Van der Veen (Anderson) Goal 22:25'
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Attendance: 50,699
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)[41]

1979 NASL Champions: Vancouver Whitecaps

Post season awards

References

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  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ http://www.nasl.com/page/slug/a-review-of-the-golden-era#.Uzqzk4WAfY0
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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External links

  1. REDIRECT Template:North American Soccer League (1968–1984)
North American Soccer League
Season 1979
Champions Vancouver Whitecaps
(1st title)
Premiers New York Cosmos
(3rd title)
Matches played 360
Goals scored 1374 (3.82 per match)
Top goalscorer Giorgio Chinaglia
(26 goals)
Biggest home win SEA 9-0 EDM
(August 1)[1]
Biggest away win MEM 0-6 ATL
(July 21)[2]
SJ 0-6 SD
(August 11)[3]
Highest scoring DET 6-5 (SO) CHI
(July 7)[4]
DET 8-2 FL
(June 27)[5]
Longest winning run 8, New York
(July 8 – August 12)[6]
Longest losing run 14, Edmonton
(May 26 – July 18)[7]
Highest attendance 76,031 (Tulsa at New York) (August 26)[8]
Lowest attendance 653 (N.E. at Houston) (April 19)[9]
Average attendance 14,201[10]
← 1978
1980 →

The 1979 North American Soccer League season was the 67th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer and the 12th with a national first-division league in the United States and Canada.

Season recap

Compared to the previous season's upheaval, 1979 was a relatively tranquil year. The league format remained unchanged with 24 teams in six divisions and a 16-team playoff. A rule modifications required that each squad play two U.S. or Canadian players and that each 17-man roster carry six such players.[11] A slight modification to the first round of the playoffs, from a single game to the two-game format used in later rounds, was made. Also the minigame, used to decide tied playoff series, no longer ended on a golden goal (sudden death). Instead, the entire 30 minutes was played.[12]

Still, there were issues to be sorted out. There was a brief players' strike on April 14, as the league refused to recognize the newly formed Players Association.[13] However, since the majority of NASL players were foreign and unsure of American and Canadian labor laws, support was minimal.[14] An estimated three quarters of NASL players crossed the picket line once the Justice Department implied that foreign players would be subject to deportation. [15]

The Cosmos decided to put "New York" back into their name after a two-year absence. With a change in ownership, the Toronto franchise was now called the Toronto Blizzard, while Toronto Croatia (who had merged with the Metros back in 1975) returned to their old league, the National Soccer League. The Colorado Caribous moved to Atlanta to become the reborn Atlanta Chiefs in October 1978,[16] while the Oakland Stompers would move to Edmonton just a month before the start of the season.[17] Both teams struggled, finishing last in their respective divisions. The new Edmonton Drillers were particularly bad, setting a record for most consecutive losses in league history with 14. [18]

At the other end of the table, the Houston Hurricane went from worst to first in the American Conference, going undefeated in their 15 home matches at the Astrodome and earning Timo Liekoski Coach of the Year honors. [19] However, the Hurricane were upset in the first round of the ASC playoffs, as the Philadelphia Fury, who were winless on the road during the regular season, won the deciding game in Houston. [20]

That meant the door was opened for the Tampa Bay Rowdies to win their second straight ASC title, sweeping the Fury [21] and outlasting the San Diego Sockers in a minigame at Tampa Stadium. [22] The Rowdies were led by Oscar Fabbiani's 25 goals and a defense that gave up 46 goals, the second-fewest in the league.

The two-time defending champion Cosmos kept rolling, posting another 24-6 record and surpassing their league record for points with 216. Johan Cruyff joined the team in the fall of 1978 for a few exhibitions, but the Los Angeles Aztecs bought out his NASL option for $600,000 to bring him to the West Coast.[23] Cruyff scored two goals against the Rochester Lancers on his debut,[24] while leading the Aztecs to a nine-win turnaround. Despite their second-round playoff loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps,[25] he earned league MVP honors for his efforts.

New York proved that they didn't need him to score goals, as Giorgio Chinaglia led the league for the third straight year. However, he lost out on the scoring title by a point to Fabbiani.[26] As befitting their status within the league, the Cosmos had the honor of playing in the first game of ABC Sports' three-year TV contract with the league in May;[27] a Soccer Bowl '78 rematch in which they lost 3-2 at Tampa Bay. The network would cover nine regular-season and playoff games per year. This included coverage of the next three Soccer Bowls.[28]

However, the league's dream of the Cosmos hosting another Soccer Bowl in front of a national TV audience went up in smoke when New York lost to Vancouver in a memorable playoff matchup. After the Whitecaps won the first game of the National Conference final in Vancouver,[29] the teams played for three and a half hours at Giants Stadium three days later on ABC. The Cosmos won the regular game in a shootout, tying the series at one. The deciding minigame would also go to a shootout, where Derek Possee gave Vancouver the lead. After the Cosmos' Ricky Davis and the Whitecaps' Alan Ball missed on their chances, New York's Nelsi Morais was unable to beat the five-second clock and his goal was waved off, giving Vancouver the win.[30]

Vancouver went on to beat the Rowdies a week later in the Soccer Bowl. Trevor Whymark scored both Vancouver goals and earned game MVP honors,[31] while Tampa Bay suffered their second straight loss in the championship game.[32] Attendance at Giants Stadium was well below projections, as 50,699 showed up despite 66,843 tickets having been sold.[33] The Whitecaps' Alan Ball was named playoff MVP for his seven-assist effort in Vancouver's championship run.[34] Attendance estimates vary (they range from 60,000 to 150,000 people),[35] but the resulting championship parade is still considered the largest public demonstration in Vancouver civic history.[36]

Another positive sign for the league was that this would be the first offseason in NASL history where no franchises folded or moved.

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.

American Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Tampa Bay Rowdies 19 11 67 46 55 169 14-1 5-10
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 17 13 75 64 63 165 9-6 8-7
Philadelphia Fury 10 20 55 60 51 111 10-5 0-15
New England Tea Men 12 18 41 56 41 110 8-7 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Houston Hurricane 22 8 61 46 55 187 15-0 7-8
Chicago Sting 16 14 70 61 63 159 9-6 7-8
Detroit Express 14 16 60 56 49 132 10-5 4-11
Memphis Rogues 6 24 38 74 37 73 3-12 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
San Diego Sockers* 15 15 59 55 50 140 7-8 8-7
California Surf 15 15 53 56 50 140 9-6 6-9
Edmonton Drillers 8 22 43 78 40 88 7-8 1-14
San Jose Earthquakes 8 22 41 74 38 86 4-11 4-11

*San Diego and California finished the season with identical records and point totals. San Diego was awarded the division title due to a better goal differential.[37]

National Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
New York Cosmos 24 6 84 52 72 216 13-2 11-4
Washington Diplomats 19 11 68 50 59 172 12-3 7-8
Toronto Blizzard 14 16 52 65 49 133 9-6 5-10
Rochester Lancers 15 15 43 57 42 132 11-4 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Minnesota Kicks 21 9 67 48 58 184 14-1 7-8
Dallas Tornado 17 13 53 51 50 152 9-6 8-7
Tulsa Roughnecks 14 16 61 56 55 139 11-4 3-12
Atlanta Chiefs 12 18 59 61 49 121 9-6 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Vancouver Whitecaps 20 10 54 34 52 172 12-3 8-7
Los Angeles Aztecs 18 12 62 47 54 162 10-5 8-7
Seattle Sounders 13 17 58 52 47 125 9-6 4-11
Portland Timbers 11 19 50 75 46 112 6-9 5-10

NASL League Leaders

Scoring

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

Player Team GP G A Pts
Oscar Fabbiani Tampa Bay Rowdies 26 25 8 58
Giorgio Chinaglia New York Cosmos 27 26 5 57
Gerd Müller Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 25 19 17 55
David Robb Philadelphia Fury 30 16 20 52
Jeff Bourne Atlanta Chiefs 29 18 15 51
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting 30 20 10 50
Teófilo Cubillas Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 30 16 18 50
Alan Willey Minnesota Kicks 29 21 7 49
Dennis Tueart New York Cosmos 27 16 16 48
Laurie Abrahams California/Tulsa 25 18 9 45
Johan Cruyff Los Angeles Aztecs 23 13 16 42

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP Min SV GA GAA W L SO
Phil Parkes Vancouver Whitecaps 29 2704 100 29 0.96 20 9 7
Victor Nogueira Atlanta Chiefs 17 1432 79 20 1.26 8 8 5
Željko Bilecki Tampa Bay Rowdies 17 1549 93 22 1.28 12 5 5
Mike Ivanow Seattle Sounders 28 2517 149 39 1.39 13 15 2
Bill Irwin Washington Diplomats 28 2603 134 42 1.45 17 11 4
Paul Hammond Houston Hurricane 29 2705 215 44 1.46 21 8 6
Volkmar Gross San Diego/Minnesota 24 2132 137 38 1.604 17 7 6
Kevin Keelan New England Tea Men 25 2242 133 40 1.605 12 13 2
Colin Boulton Los Angeles/Tulsa 30 2746 109 49 1.606 16 14 7
Tino Lettieri Minnesota Kicks 16 1368 95 25 1.63 10 5 2

NASL All-Stars

First Team   Position   Second Team Honorable Mention
Phil Parkes, Vancouver G Paul Hammond, Houston Alan Mayer, San Diego
Carlos Alberto, New York D Marinho, New York Steve Litt, Minnesota
Bruce Wilson, Chicago D John Gorman, Tampa Bay Bob Smith, San Diego
Wim Rijsbergen, New York D Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles Wim Suurbier, Los Angeles
Mike Connell, Tampa Bay D Bob Lenarduzzi, Vancouver Artur, New England
Franz Beckenbauer, New York M Teófilo Cubillas, Ft. Lauderdale Rodney Marsh, Tampa Bay
Johan Neeskens, New York M Vladislav Bogićević, New York Alan Hudson, Seattle
Ace Ntsoelengoe, Minnesota M Alan Ball, Vancouver Gerry Daly, New England
Johan Cruyff, Los Angeles F Óscar Fabbiani, Tampa Bay Jorgen Kristensen, Chicago
Trevor Francis, Detroit F Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay
Giorgio Chinaglia, New York F Gerd Müller, Ft. Lauderdale Dennis Tueart, New York

Playoffs

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Main article: 1979 North American Soccer League playoffs

The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs automatically. The two highest remaining point totaled teams in each conference also qualified for the playoffs as wild cards and were given the lowest first round seeds. Playoff match-ups and home/away status were reset after each round, based on regular season point totals.

In 1979 and 1980, if a playoff series was tied at one victory each, a full 30 minute mini-game was played. If neither team held an advantage after the 30 minutes, the teams would then move on to an NASL shoot-out to determine a series winner.

Bracket

Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '79
                       
A1 Houston Hurricane 0
A8 Philadelphia Fury 2
A8 Philadelphia Fury 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A7 Detroit Express 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A3 San Diego Sockers 1
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A6 California Surf 0
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A5 Chicago Sting 0
A4 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0
A5 Chicago Sting 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N8 Toronto Blizzard 0
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 1
N2 Minnesota Kicks 0
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 2
N1 New York Cosmos 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N6 Dallas Tornado 0
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 1
N4 Washington Diplomats 0
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 2

First round

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Philadelphia Fury - Houston Hurricane 2 - 1 2 - 1 x August 14 -3,337 • August 20 -7,530
Detroit Express - Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 - 3 1 - 3 x August 15 -21,539 • August 19 -27,210
Chicago Sting - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 15 -10,019 • August 18 -13,691
San Diego Sockers - California Surf 4 - 2 7 - 2 x August 16 -8,460 • August 18 -10,225
Tulsa Roughnecks - Minnesota Kicks 2 - 1 (OT) 2 - 1 (OT) x August 15 -14,105 • August 19 -28,996
Dallas Tornado - Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 3 1 - 2 x August 15 -8,829 • August 18 -30,328
Los Angeles Aztecs - Washington Diplomats 3 - 1 4 - 3 (OT)[38] x August 15 -12,042 • August 19 -14,802
Toronto Blizzard - New York Cosmos 1 - 3 0 - 2 x August 16 -30,356 • August 19 -46,531

Conference Semifinals

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
San Diego Sockers - Chicago Sting 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 22 -11,561 • August 25 -15,379
Los Angeles Aztecs - Vancouver Whitecaps 3 - 2 (SO, 2–1) 0 - 1 0 - 1 August 22 -21,213[39] • August 25 -32,375
Philadelphia Fury - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 3 (SO, 0–2) 0 - 1 x August 23 -10,395 • August 25 -21,112
Tulsa Roughnecks - New York Cosmos 3 - 0 0 - 3 1 - 3 August 23 -26,011 • August 26 -76,031

Conference Championships

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Vancouver Whitecaps - New York Cosmos 2 - 0 2 - 3 (SO, 1–3) 1 - 0 (SO, 3–2) August 29 -32,875 • September 1 -44,109
San Diego Sockers - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 1 2 - 3 (SO, 0–3) 0 - 1 August 30 -20,267 • September 2 -38,766

Soccer Bowl '79

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: Soccer Bowl '79

September 8
2 pm EDT
Vancouver Whitecaps 2–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies
Whymark Goal 12:37'
Whymark (Ball) Goal 59:37'		 Van der Veen (Anderson) Goal 22:25'
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Attendance: 50,699
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)[40]

1979 NASL Champions: Vancouver Whitecaps

Post season awards

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://www.nasl.com/page/slug/a-review-of-the-golden-era#.Uzqzk4WAfY0
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

North American Soccer League
Season 1979
Champions Vancouver Whitecaps
(1st title)
Premiers New York Cosmos
(3rd title)
Matches played 360
Goals scored 1374 (3.82 per match)
Top goalscorer Giorgio Chinaglia
(26 goals)
Biggest home win SEA 9-0 EDM
(August 1)[1]
Biggest away win MEM 0-6 ATL
(July 21)[2]
SJ 0-6 SD
(August 11)[3]
Highest scoring DET 6-5 (SO) CHI
(July 7)[4]
DET 8-2 FL
(June 27)[5]
Longest winning run 8, New York
(July 8 – August 12)[6]
Longest losing run 14, Edmonton
(May 26 – July 18)[7]
Highest attendance 76,031 (Tulsa at New York) (August 26)[8]
Lowest attendance 653 (N.E. at Houston) (April 19)[9]
Average attendance 14,201[10]
← 1978
1980 →

The 1979 North American Soccer League season was the 67th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer and the 12th with a national first-division league in the United States and Canada.

Season recap

Compared to the previous season's upheaval, 1979 was a relatively tranquil year. The league format remained unchanged with 24 teams in six divisions and a 16-team playoff. A rule modifications required that each squad play two U.S. or Canadian players and that each 17-man roster carry six such players.[11] A slight modification to the first round of the playoffs, from a single game to the two-game format used in later rounds, was made. Also the minigame, used to decide tied playoff series, no longer ended on a golden goal (sudden death). Instead, the entire 30 minutes was played.[12]

Still, there were issues to be sorted out. There was a brief players' strike on April 14, as the league refused to recognize the newly formed Players Association.[13] However, since the majority of NASL players were foreign and unsure of American and Canadian labor laws, support was minimal.[14] An estimated three quarters of NASL players crossed the picket line once the Justice Department implied that foreign players would be subject to deportation. [15]

The Cosmos decided to put "New York" back into their name after a two-year absence. With a change in ownership, the Toronto franchise was now called the Toronto Blizzard, while Toronto Croatia (who had merged with the Metros back in 1975) returned to their old league, the National Soccer League. The Colorado Caribous moved to Atlanta to become the reborn Atlanta Chiefs in October 1978,[16] while the Oakland Stompers would move to Edmonton just a month before the start of the season.[17] Both teams struggled, finishing last in their respective divisions. The new Edmonton Drillers were particularly bad, setting a record for most consecutive losses in league history with 14. [18]

At the other end of the table, the Houston Hurricane went from worst to first in the American Conference, going undefeated in their 15 home matches at the Astrodome and earning Timo Liekoski Coach of the Year honors. [19] However, the Hurricane were upset in the first round of the ASC playoffs, as the Philadelphia Fury, who were winless on the road during the regular season, won the deciding game in Houston. [20]

That meant the door was opened for the Tampa Bay Rowdies to win their second straight ASC title, sweeping the Fury [21] and outlasting the San Diego Sockers in a minigame at Tampa Stadium. [22] The Rowdies were led by Oscar Fabbiani's 25 goals and a defense that gave up 46 goals, the second-fewest in the league.

The two-time defending champion Cosmos kept rolling, posting another 24-6 record and surpassing their league record for points with 216. Johan Cruyff joined the team in the fall of 1978 for a few exhibitions, but the Los Angeles Aztecs bought out his NASL option for $600,000 to bring him to the West Coast.[23] Cruyff scored two goals against the Rochester Lancers on his debut,[24] while leading the Aztecs to a nine-win turnaround. Despite their second-round playoff loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps,[25] he earned league MVP honors for his efforts.

New York proved that they didn't need him to score goals, as Giorgio Chinaglia led the league for the third straight year. However, he lost out on the scoring title by a point to Fabbiani.[26] As befitting their status within the league, the Cosmos had the honor of playing in the first game of ABC Sports' three-year TV contract with the league in May;[27] a Soccer Bowl '78 rematch in which they lost 3-2 at Tampa Bay. The network would cover nine regular-season and playoff games per year. This included coverage of the next three Soccer Bowls.[28]

However, the league's dream of the Cosmos hosting another Soccer Bowl in front of a national TV audience went up in smoke when New York lost to Vancouver in a memorable playoff matchup. After the Whitecaps won the first game of the National Conference final in Vancouver,[29] the teams played for three and a half hours at Giants Stadium three days later on ABC. The Cosmos won the regular game in a shootout, tying the series at one. The deciding minigame would also go to a shootout, where Derek Possee gave Vancouver the lead. After the Cosmos' Ricky Davis and the Whitecaps' Alan Ball missed on their chances, New York's Nelsi Morais was unable to beat the five-second clock and his goal was waved off, giving Vancouver the win.[30]

Vancouver went on to beat the Rowdies a week later in the Soccer Bowl. Trevor Whymark scored both Vancouver goals and earned game MVP honors,[31] while Tampa Bay suffered their second straight loss in the championship game.[32] Attendance at Giants Stadium was well below projections, as 50,699 showed up despite 66,843 tickets having been sold.[33] The Whitecaps' Alan Ball was named playoff MVP for his seven-assist effort in Vancouver's championship run.[34] Attendance estimates vary (they range from 60,000 to 150,000 people),[35] but the resulting championship parade is still considered the largest public demonstration in Vancouver civic history.[36]

Another positive sign for the league was that this would be the first offseason in NASL history where no franchises folded or moved.

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.

American Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Tampa Bay Rowdies 19 11 67 46 55 169 14-1 5-10
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 17 13 75 64 63 165 9-6 8-7
Philadelphia Fury 10 20 55 60 51 111 10-5 0-15
New England Tea Men 12 18 41 56 41 110 8-7 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Houston Hurricane 22 8 61 46 55 187 15-0 7-8
Chicago Sting 16 14 70 61 63 159 9-6 7-8
Detroit Express 14 16 60 56 49 132 10-5 4-11
Memphis Rogues 6 24 38 74 37 73 3-12 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
San Diego Sockers* 15 15 59 55 50 140 7-8 8-7
California Surf 15 15 53 56 50 140 9-6 6-9
Edmonton Drillers 8 22 43 78 40 88 7-8 1-14
San Jose Earthquakes 8 22 41 74 38 86 4-11 4-11

*San Diego and California finished the season with identical records and point totals. San Diego was awarded the division title due to a better goal differential.[37]

National Conference

Eastern Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
New York Cosmos 24 6 84 52 72 216 13-2 11-4
Washington Diplomats 19 11 68 50 59 172 12-3 7-8
Toronto Blizzard 14 16 52 65 49 133 9-6 5-10
Rochester Lancers 15 15 43 57 42 132 11-4 4-11
Central Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Minnesota Kicks 21 9 67 48 58 184 14-1 7-8
Dallas Tornado 17 13 53 51 50 152 9-6 8-7
Tulsa Roughnecks 14 16 61 56 55 139 11-4 3-12
Atlanta Chiefs 12 18 59 61 49 121 9-6 3-12
Western Division W L GF GA BP Pts Home Road
Vancouver Whitecaps 20 10 54 34 52 172 12-3 8-7
Los Angeles Aztecs 18 12 62 47 54 162 10-5 8-7
Seattle Sounders 13 17 58 52 47 125 9-6 4-11
Portland Timbers 11 19 50 75 46 112 6-9 5-10

NASL League Leaders

Scoring

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

Player Team GP G A Pts
Oscar Fabbiani Tampa Bay Rowdies 26 25 8 58
Giorgio Chinaglia New York Cosmos 27 26 5 57
Gerd Müller Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 25 19 17 55
David Robb Philadelphia Fury 30 16 20 52
Jeff Bourne Atlanta Chiefs 29 18 15 51
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting 30 20 10 50
Teófilo Cubillas Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 30 16 18 50
Alan Willey Minnesota Kicks 29 21 7 49
Dennis Tueart New York Cosmos 27 16 16 48
Laurie Abrahams California/Tulsa 25 18 9 45
Johan Cruyff Los Angeles Aztecs 23 13 16 42

Goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP Min SV GA GAA W L SO
Phil Parkes Vancouver Whitecaps 29 2704 100 29 0.96 20 9 7
Victor Nogueira Atlanta Chiefs 17 1432 79 20 1.26 8 8 5
Željko Bilecki Tampa Bay Rowdies 17 1549 93 22 1.28 12 5 5
Mike Ivanow Seattle Sounders 28 2517 149 39 1.39 13 15 2
Bill Irwin Washington Diplomats 28 2603 134 42 1.45 17 11 4
Paul Hammond Houston Hurricane 29 2705 215 44 1.46 21 8 6
Volkmar Gross San Diego/Minnesota 24 2132 137 38 1.604 17 7 6
Kevin Keelan New England Tea Men 25 2242 133 40 1.605 12 13 2
Colin Boulton Los Angeles/Tulsa 30 2746 109 49 1.606 16 14 7
Tino Lettieri Minnesota Kicks 16 1368 95 25 1.63 10 5 2

NASL All-Stars

First Team   Position   Second Team Honorable Mention
Phil Parkes, Vancouver G Paul Hammond, Houston Alan Mayer, San Diego
Carlos Alberto, New York D Marinho, New York Steve Litt, Minnesota
Bruce Wilson, Chicago D John Gorman, Tampa Bay Bob Smith, San Diego
Wim Rijsbergen, New York D Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles Wim Suurbier, Los Angeles
Mike Connell, Tampa Bay D Bob Lenarduzzi, Vancouver Artur, New England
Franz Beckenbauer, New York M Teófilo Cubillas, Ft. Lauderdale Rodney Marsh, Tampa Bay
Johan Neeskens, New York M Vladislav Bogićević, New York Alan Hudson, Seattle
Ace Ntsoelengoe, Minnesota M Alan Ball, Vancouver Gerry Daly, New England
Johan Cruyff, Los Angeles F Óscar Fabbiani, Tampa Bay Jorgen Kristensen, Chicago
Trevor Francis, Detroit F Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay
Giorgio Chinaglia, New York F Gerd Müller, Ft. Lauderdale Dennis Tueart, New York

Playoffs

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: 1979 North American Soccer League playoffs

The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs automatically. The two highest remaining point totaled teams in each conference also qualified for the playoffs as wild cards and were given the lowest first round seeds. Playoff match-ups and home/away status were reset after each round, based on regular season point totals.

In 1979 and 1980, if a playoff series was tied at one victory each, a full 30 minute mini-game was played. If neither team held an advantage after the 30 minutes, the teams would then move on to an NASL shoot-out to determine a series winner.

Bracket

Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '79
                       
A1 Houston Hurricane 0
A8 Philadelphia Fury 2
A8 Philadelphia Fury 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A7 Detroit Express 0
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A3 San Diego Sockers 1
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A6 California Surf 0
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A5 Chicago Sting 0
A4 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0
A5 Chicago Sting 2
A2 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N8 Toronto Blizzard 0
N1 New York Cosmos 2
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 1
N2 Minnesota Kicks 0
N7 Tulsa Roughnecks 2
N1 New York Cosmos 1
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N6 Dallas Tornado 0
N3 Vancouver Whitecaps 2
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 1
N4 Washington Diplomats 0
N5 Los Angeles Aztecs 2

First round

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Philadelphia Fury - Houston Hurricane 2 - 1 2 - 1 x August 14 -3,337 • August 20 -7,530
Detroit Express - Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 - 3 1 - 3 x August 15 -21,539 • August 19 -27,210
Chicago Sting - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 15 -10,019 • August 18 -13,691
San Diego Sockers - California Surf 4 - 2 7 - 2 x August 16 -8,460 • August 18 -10,225
Tulsa Roughnecks - Minnesota Kicks 2 - 1 (OT) 2 - 1 (OT) x August 15 -14,105 • August 19 -28,996
Dallas Tornado - Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 3 1 - 2 x August 15 -8,829 • August 18 -30,328
Los Angeles Aztecs - Washington Diplomats 3 - 1 4 - 3 (OT)[38] x August 15 -12,042 • August 19 -14,802
Toronto Blizzard - New York Cosmos 1 - 3 0 - 2 x August 16 -30,356 • August 19 -46,531

Conference Semifinals

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
San Diego Sockers - Chicago Sting 2 - 0 1 - 0 x August 22 -11,561 • August 25 -15,379
Los Angeles Aztecs - Vancouver Whitecaps 3 - 2 (SO, 2–1) 0 - 1 0 - 1 August 22 -21,213[39] • August 25 -32,375
Philadelphia Fury - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 3 (SO, 0–2) 0 - 1 x August 23 -10,395 • August 25 -21,112
Tulsa Roughnecks - New York Cosmos 3 - 0 0 - 3 1 - 3 August 23 -26,011 • August 26 -76,031

Conference Championships

Game 1 Game 2 Mini-game (lower seed hosts first game)
Vancouver Whitecaps - New York Cosmos 2 - 0 2 - 3 (SO, 1–3) 1 - 0 (SO, 3–2) August 29 -32,875 • September 1 -44,109
San Diego Sockers - Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 - 1 2 - 3 (SO, 0–3) 0 - 1 August 30 -20,267 • September 2 -38,766

Soccer Bowl '79

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: Soccer Bowl '79

September 8
2 pm EDT
Vancouver Whitecaps 2–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies
Whymark Goal 12:37'
Whymark (Ball) Goal 59:37'		 Van der Veen (Anderson) Goal 22:25'
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Attendance: 50,699
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)[40]

1979 NASL Champions: Vancouver Whitecaps

Post season awards

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://www.nasl.com/page/slug/a-review-of-the-golden-era#.Uzqzk4WAfY0
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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External links

Results

Match record by division
Conference West Central East Total
National Conference 4–2 (0–0) 4–2 (0–1) 4–2 (0–0) 12–6 (0–1)
American Conference 6–2 (0–1) 1–1 (1–0) 1–1 (0–1) 8–4 (1–2)
Total 10–4 (0–1) 5–3 (1–1) 5–3 (0–1) 20–10 (1–3)

Matches

Playoffs

Conference Quarterfinals – vs Dallas (N6)

Vancouver won series 2–0.

Conference Semifinals – vs Los Angeles (N5)

Series tied 1–1, Vancouver won tiebreaking mini-game.

Conference Championships – vs New York (N1)

Series tied 1–1, Vancouver won tiebreaking mini-game.

Soccer Bowl – vs Tampa Bay (A2)

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Main article: Soccer Bowl '79

References

  1. ↑ A national championship tournament for professional clubs was not organized by Canada Soccer in 1979, or any year until 2008.
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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Warning: Default sort key "Vancouver Whitecaps" overrides earlier default sort key "1979 North American Soccer League Season".

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