1978 North American Soccer League playoffs

August 2023 1978 North American Soccer League season North American Soccer League Playoffs 1978 United StatesCanada 16 Cosmos Tampa Bay Rowdies 21 81 ENG Alan Willey (7 goals) 1977 1979 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 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.1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide 1979 367 Playoff seeds American Conference 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 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 American Conference National Conference Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '78 25 150px A1 Detroit Express 1 A8 Philadelphia Fury 0 A2 New England Tea Men 1 A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3 A3 San Diego Sockers 2 A6 California Surf 1 A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3 A5 Chicago Sting 1 N1 Cosmos 5 N8 Seattle Sounders 2 N3 Minnesota Kicks 3 N6 Tulsa Roughnecks 1 N2 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 N7 Toronto Metros-Croatia 0 N4 Portland Timbers 2 N5 Washington Diplomats 1 A1 Detroit Express 1 A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2 A3 San Diego Sockers 1 A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 N1 Cosmos 2 N3 Minnesota Kicks 1 N2 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 N4 Portland Timbers 2 A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1 A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 N1 Cosmos 2 N4 Portland Timbers 0 A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 N1 Cosmos 3 Conference Quarterfinals American Conference (1) Detroit Express vs. (8) Philadelphia Fury August 8 Detroit Express 1–0 Philadelphia Fury Francis 35:57 Davies Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac 22,456 (2) New England Tea Men vs. (7) Fort Lauderdale Strikers August 9 New England Tea Men 1–3 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Ridley 24:46 o.g. Irving 61:04 Best, HudsonSimpson 68:02 o.g.Ronson 72:23 Nanchoff Schaefer Stadium, Boston 18,672 (3) San Diego Sockers vs. (6) California Surf August 8 San Diego Sockers 2–1 California Surf McCall 18:50 Smethurst, van der VeenMcCall 49:52 Willrich, Smethurst Suhnholz 3:30 San Diego Stadium, San Diego 6,238 (4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (5) Chicago Sting August 8 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/335371088/?terms=Rowdies Chicago Sting Marsh 26:48 pen.Marsh 52:17 Connell, McGuire Wegerle 74:08 Granitza 78:06 Strenicer Tampa Stadium, Tampa 26,596 George Courtney (England) National Conference (1) Cosmos vs. (8) Seattle Sounders August 9 Cosmos 5–2 Seattle Sounders Bogićević 39:32 Bogićević 57:46 Dimitrijević, Hunt Beckenbauer 58:13 Dimitrijević 58:34 Beckenbauer Hunt 80:28 Tueart, Davis England 56:31 CrossleyWallace 74:58 Scott Giants Stadium, East Rutherford 47,780 (2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (7) Toronto Metros-Croatia August 9 Vancouver Whitecaps 4–0 Toronto Metros-Croatia Campbell 16:04 HintonHinton 17:52 Hector, B. LenarduzziCampbell 39:55 Hector, B. Lenarduzzi B. Lenarduzzi 57:10 Campbell, Bolitho Empire Stadium, Vancouver 30,811 Gino D'Ippolito (USA) (3) Minnesota Kicks vs. (6) Tulsa Roughnecks August 10 Minnesota Kicks 3–1 Tulsa Roughnecks Futcher 28:03 Hamilton, MoranWilley 63:24 Hamilton, MorganWilley 82:11 Morgan Caskey 48:21 Metropolitan Stadium, Minneapolis 36,478 John Davies (England) (4) Portland Timbers vs. (5) Washington Diplomats August 9 Portland Timbers 2–1(OT) Washington Diplomats McNeill 58:57 BainBain 96:41 Seale Stokes 89:30 Civic Stadium, Portland 14,030 Conference semifinals American Conference (1) Detroit Express vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers August 13Game 1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 4–3(SO) Detroit Express Irving 59:10Whittle 65:41 BestIrving 69:31 Hudson, Whittle Francis 3:27 BrazilFrancis 41:55Tinnion 67:11 Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale 11,517 Gino D'Ippolito (USA) Whelan Fowles Hudson IrvingWhittle 3–2 Francis Furphy Bradford Tinnion Davies August 16 Detroit Express 1–0 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Brazil 42:34 Francis Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac 32,819 Mini-game Detroit Express 0–1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Nanchoff 20:36 Hudson Fort Lauderdale wins series 2–1 (3) San Diego Sockers vs. (4) Tampa Bay Rowdies August 14Game 1 San Diego Sockers 0–1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/319032874/?terms=Rowdies Tampa Bay Rowdies Auguste 60:31 San Diego Stadium, San Diego 8,014 August 17Game 2 Tampa Bay Rowdies https://www.newspapers.com/image/335425138/?terms=Rowdies 1–2 San Diego Sockers Anderson 64:42 Paddon, Marsh Harsanyi 48:25McCall 67:49 Tampa Stadium, Tampa 32,495 Tony Nobile Mini-game Tampa Bay Rowdies https://www.newspapers.com/image/335425138/?terms=Rowdies 1–0 San Diego Sockers Marsh 3:41 Auguste Tampa Bay wins series 2–1 National Conference (1) Cosmos vs. (3) Minnesota Kicks August 14Game 1 Minnesota Kicks 9–2 Cosmos George 0:52 Morgan, WantRoth 18:32 o.g.Willey 29:28 Hamilton, MorganNtsoelengoe 53:14 GeorgeWilley 63:28 MorganWilley 69:05 Hamilton, PriceWilley 77:27 George, RosulWilley 84:44 Hamilton, LettieriHamilton 89:06 Chinaglia 48:19 Etherington 83:30 Bogićević, Hunt Metropolitan Stadium, Minneapolis 45,863 August 16Game 2 Cosmos 4–0 Minnesota Kicks Chinaglia 10:12 Tueart, Bogićević Tueart 12:23 BogićevićChinaglia 23:22 Bogićević, TueartTueart 50:56 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford 60,199 Mini-game Cosmos 1–0(SO) Minnesota Kicks Bogićević Tueart Hunt Morais Alberto Beckenbauer 2–1 Hamilton Futcher George Ntsoelengoe Villa Merrick New York wins series 2–1 (2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (4) Portland Timbers August 12Game 1 Portland Timbers 1–0 Vancouver Whitecaps Best 54:53 Anderson Civic Stadium, Portland 16,437 August 16Game 2 Vancouver Whitecaps 1–2 Portland Timbers Kember 47:11 Hinton Best 21:19 CharlesAnderson 40:44 Scullion, Bain Empire Stadium, Vancouver 32,666 Portland wins series 2–0 Conference finals American Conference (4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers August 20Game 1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers https://www.newspapers.com/image/335382889/ 3–2 Tampa Bay Rowdies Whittle 45:44 pen.Irving 46:25 JonesBest 50:41 Robb 30:31 PaddonMcLeod 89:45 Paddon Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale 16,286 August 23Game 2 Tampa Bay Rowdies https://www.newspapers.com/image/335387650/?terms=Rowdies 3–1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Anderson 34:07 McLeod, MarshRobb 65:00 Marsh, WegerleWegerle 83:36 Irving 88:34 Tampa Stadium, Tampa 37,360 John Davies Mini-game Tampa Bay Rowdies https://www.newspapers.com/image/335387650/?terms=Rowdies 1–0 (SO) Fort Lauderdale Strikers John Davies Anderson Wegerle Paddon Robb Marsh 2–1 Whelan Irving Hudson Fowles Whittle Tampa Bay wins series 2–1 National Conference (1) Cosmos vs. (4) Portland Timbers August 18Game 1 Portland Timbers 0–1 New York Cosmos Tueart 46:03 Hunt Civic Stadium, Portland 24,515 August 23Game 2 Cosmos 5–0 Portland Timbers Chinaglia 32:07 Tueart Tueart 76:06 DimitrijevićHunt 77:28 TueartBeckenbauer 80:44Seninho 88:29 Beckenbauer, Chinaglia Giants Stadium, East Rutherford 57,128 New York wins series 2–0 Soccer Bowl '78 Soccer Bowl '78 August 27 4 pm Cosmos 3–1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/319023950/?terms=scoring%2BRowdies Tampa Bay Rowdies Tueart 30:42 Iarusci, Hunt Chinaglia 44:38 Tueart 76:49 Iarusci, Roth Mirandinha 73:34 Robb Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 74,901 Jim Highet (Canada) 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 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 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 SOPhil Parkes Vancouver Whitecaps 3 270 3 1.00 1 2 1Alan Mayer San Diego Sockers 3 225 3 1.00 1 1 0Steve 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 30em Henderson Jim Dr. Pepper 1979 Pro Soccer Guide Snibbe Publications 1979 Tampa, Florida 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide North American Soccer League 1979 New York NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League Jose Colin Breedon Books 1989 Derby, England North American Soccer League Encyclopedia Jose Colin St. Johann Press 2003 Haworth, New Jersey External links The Year in American Soccer – 1978 Chris Page's NASL Archive Complete NASL Results and Standings Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) playoffs