1976 North American Soccer League season

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North American Soccer League -1976 Season-
Season 1976
Champions Toronto Metros-Croatia
Premiers Tampa Bay Rowdies
Matches played 240
Goals scored 760 (3.17 per match)
Top goalscorer Derek Smethurst
(20 goals)
Highest attendance 58,218 (NY @ Seattle)
Lowest attendance 531 (Chicago @ Boston)
Average attendance 10,295
← 1975
1977 →

Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1976. This was the 9th season of the NASL.

Overview

Twenty teams contested the league. The Toronto Metros-Croatia defeated the Minnesota Kicks in the finals on August 28 to win the championship. Tampa Bay finished the regular season with the best record, giving them consecutive titles in three different domestic NASL competitions. Though not in a calendar year, within 12 months they won the Soccer Bowl in August 1975, the NASL indoor cup in March 1976, and the regular season shield or premiership in August 1976. This would be the closest any NASL team would ever come to achieving a treble.

Changes from the Previous Season

  • Baltimore Comets moved to San Diego and were renamed the Jaws.
  • Denver Dynamos moved to Minnesota and were renamed the Kicks.

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= 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.

Atlantic Conference

Northern Division W L GF GA PT
Chicago Sting 15 9 52 32 132
Toronto Metros-Croatia 15 9 38 30 123
Rochester Lancers 13 11 36 32 114
Hartford Bicentennials 12 12 37 56 107
Boston Minutemen 7 17 35 64 74
Eastern Division W L GF GA PT
Tampa Bay Rowdies 18 6 58 30 154
New York Cosmos 16 8 65 34 148
Washington Diplomats 14 10 46 38 126
Philadelphia Atoms 8 16 32 49 80
Miami Toros 6 18 29 58 63

Pacific Conference

Western Division W L GF GA PT
Minnesota Kicks 15 9 54 33 138
Seattle Sounders 14 10 40 31 123
Vancouver Whitecaps 14 10 38 30 120
Portland Timbers 8 16 23 41 71
St. Louis Stars 5 19 29 57 58
Southern Division W L GF GA PT
San Jose Earthquakes 14 10 47 30 123
Dallas Tornado 13 11 44 45 117
Los Angeles Aztecs 12 12 43 44 108
San Antonio Thunder 12 12 38 32 107
San Diego Jaws 9 15 29 47 82

NASL All-Stars

First Team   Position   Second Team Honorable Mention[1]
Arnie Mausser, Tampa Bay G Eric Martin, Washington Paolo Cimpiel, Toronto
Keith Eddy, New York D Stewart Jump, Tampa Bay Dave Gillett, Seattle
Bobby Moore, San Antonio D George Ley, Dallas Frank Spraggon, Minnesota
Tommy Smith, Tampa Bay D Ron Webster, Minnesota Jim Holton, Miami
Mike England, Seattle D Bob Smith, Philadelphia Bob McNab, San Antonio
Rodney Marsh, Tampa Bay M Alan West, Minnesota Dave Clements, New York
Ramón Mifflin, New York M Bobby Hope, Dallas Wolfgang Sühnholz, Toronto
António Simões, San Jose M Al Trost, St. Louis Charlie Cooke, Los Angeles
Pelé, New York F Derek Smethurst, Tampa Bay Jimmy Robertson, Seattle
George Best, Los Angeles F Jeff Bourne, Dallas Mark Liveric, San Jose
Giorgio Chinaglia, New York F Stewart Scullion, Tampa Bay Tommy Ord, Vancouver

Playoffs

Bracket

  First Round Division Championships Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '76
                                     
E2  New York Cosmos 2  
E3  Washington Diplomats 0  
  E1  Tampa Bay Rowdies 3  
    E2  New York Cosmos 1  
      
        
  E1  Tampa Bay Rowdies 0  
  N2  Toronto Metros-Croatia 2  
N2  Toronto Metros-Croatia 2  
N3  Rochester Lancers 1  
  N1  Chicago Sting 2(1)
    N2  Toronto Metros-Croatia 2(3)  
      
        
  N2  Toronto Metros-Croatia 3
  W1  Minnesota Kicks 0
S2  Dallas Tornado 2  
S3  Los Angeles Aztecs 0  
  S1  San Jose Earthquakes 2
    S2  Dallas Tornado 0  
      
        
  S1  San Jose Earthquakes 1
  W1  Minnesota Kicks 3  
W2  Seattle Sounders 1  
W3  Vancouver Whitecaps 0  
  W1  Minnesota Kicks 3
    W2  Seattle Sounders 0  
      

First round

August 17 Washington Diplomats 0 – 2 New York Cosmos Shea Stadium • Att. 22,698[2]
August 18 Los Angeles Aztecs 0 – 2 Dallas Tornado Ownby Stadium • Att. 9,413
August 18 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 – 1 Seattle Sounders Kingdome • Att. 30,406
August 18 Rochester Lancers 1 – 2 Toronto Metros-Croatia Varsity Stadium • Att. 6,852

Conference Semifinals

August 20 Toronto Metros-Croatia 3 – 2 (PK, 3–1) Chicago Sting Soldier Field • Att. 8,150
August 20 New York Cosmos 1 – 3 Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Stadium • Att. 36,863
August 20 Dallas Tornado 0 – 2 San Jose Earthquakes Spartan Stadium • Att. 15,135
August 21 Seattle Sounders 0 – 3 Minnesota Kicks Metropolitan Stadium • Att. 41,405

Conference Championships

August 24 Toronto Metros-Croatia 2 – 0 Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Stadium • Att. 28,046
August 25 San Jose Earthquakes 1 – 3 Minnesota Kicks Metropolitan Stadium • Att. 49,572

Soccer Bowl '76

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Main article: Soccer Bowl '76

August 28
Toronto Metros-Croatia 3–0 Minnesota Kicks
Eusébio Goal 40:28'
Lukačević (Ferriera) Goal 53:57'
Ferriera Goal 82:43'
Kingdome, Seattle[3]
Attendance: 25,765
Referee: Dante Maglio[4]

1976 NASL Champions: Toronto Metros-Croatia

Post season awards

References

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External links

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