1976 NASL Indoor tournament

Last updated

North American Soccer League
-1976 Indoor Tournament-
NASL Indoor Tournament
Tournament details
DatesMarch 12, 1976 –
March 27, 1976
Teams12
Final positions
Champions Tampa Bay Rowdies (1st title)
Runners-up Rochester Lancers
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored175 (10.94 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of the United States.svg Juli Veee (8 goals)
Best player(s) Flag of Bermuda.svg Clyde Best (Tampa Bay)
← 1975
1978 →

Over the course of three weekends in March 1976, the North American Soccer League hosted its second league-wide indoor soccer tournament. Twelve of the twenty NASL teams participated.

Contents

Overview

In 1976, instead of playing a full indoor schedule (and despite the hopes of Tampa Bay owner George Strawbridge, Jr.), [1] the North American Soccer League opted to stage a two-tiered indoor tournament for the second consecutive year. Of the league's 20 teams, 12 participated in three regions, which was down from 16 in four regions in the previous year's tournament. The regional winners along with the "best" second-place team would advance to the final four in St. Petersburg, Florida. While the goals remained 4 × 16, the games would be shortened to three 15-minute periods, instead of the 20-minute frames played the previous year. [2] [3] [4] [5] The tournament also saw the first-ever indoor overtime and penalty shootout, as Miami and Boston played to a 6–6 draw in the opening match. After 45 minutes of regulation time and two 5-minute golden goal extra sessions, the match was ultimately decided by spot kicks. [6]

Playing in their home arena, the Bayfront Center, the Tampa Bay Rowdies defeated the Rochester Lancers 6–4 in the Championship Final. Juli Veee of San Jose scored eight goals to lead the tournament, while Clyde Best of Tampa Bay earned the MVP honors.

Map of clubs

Blue pog.svg Eastern Regional Red pog.svg Midwest Regional Green pog.svg Western Regional

1976 Indoor Regional tournaments

Eastern Regional

played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida [7] [8] [9]

March 12 Miami Toros 7–6(PK, 4–3) Boston Minutemen Attendance: 4,762
March 12 Tampa Bay Rowdies 9–5 Washington Diplomats
March 13 Washington Diplomats 9–3 Miami Toros Attendance: 5,785
March 13 Tampa Bay Rowdies 5–3 Boston Minutemen
PosTeamGWLGFGAGDPTS
1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 220148+64
2 Washington Diplomats 2111412+22
3 Miami Toros 211915–62
4 Boston Minutemen 202911–20

*Tampa Bay wins region, advances to semifinals

Midwest Regional

played at International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois [10]

March 13 Toronto Metros-Croatia 8–6 St. Louis Stars Attendance: 1,700 (est.) [11]
March 13 Rochester Lancers 5–2 Chicago Sting
March 14 Rochester Lancers 5–4 St. Louis Stars Attendance: 1,700 (est.) [11]
March 14 Chicago Sting 6–2 Toronto Metros-Croatia
PosTeamGWLGFGAGDPTS
1 Rochester Lancers 220106+44
2 Chicago Sting 21187+12
3 Toronto Metros-Croatia 2111012–22
4 St. Louis Stars 2021013–30

*Rochester wins region, advances to semifinals

West Regional

played at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California [15] [16] [17]

March 19 Dallas Tornado 5–2 San Diego Jaws Attendance: 6,671 [18]
March 19 San Jose Earthquakes 18–6 Vancouver Whitecaps
March 21 Dallas Tornado 11–2 Vancouver Whitecaps Attendance: 5,438 [19]
March 21 San Jose Earthquakes 8–4 San Diego Jaws
PosTeamGWLGFGAGDPTS
1 San Jose Earthquakes 2202610+164
2 Dallas Tornado 220164+124
3 San Diego Jaws 202613–70
4 Vancouver Whitecaps 202829–210

*San Jose wins region on goal differential, while Dallas is the top second-place team in any region, so both advance to semifinals

1976 Indoor Final Four

Bracket

SemifinalsChampionship Final
      
M1 Rochester Lancers 6
W1 San Jose Earthquakes 4
M1 Rochester Lancers 4
E1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6
E1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6
W2 Dallas Tornado 2 Third place
W1 San Jose Earthquakes 5
W2 Dallas Tornado 2

Semi-finals

played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida [21]

March 26 Rochester Lancers 6–4 San Jose Earthquakes Attendance: 5,365
March 26 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6–2 Dallas Tornado

Third-place match

played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida

March 27 San Jose Earthquakes 5–2 Dallas Tornado

Championship final

Tampa Bay Rowdies 6–4 Rochester Lancers
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg3:37' (Scullion)
Lindsay Soccerball shade.svg12:43'
Best Soccerball shade.svg20:11'
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg30:26' (Best)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg41:42'
Best Soccerball shade.svg44:58' (Scullion)		 Report 1
Report 2 		Garcia Soccerball shade.svg2:31' (Escos)
Escos Soccerball shade.svg9:54'
Silva Soccerball shade.svg
Moia Soccerball shade.svg35:43'
Bayfront Center, St. Petersburg, Florida , St. Petersburg, Florida
Attendance: 5,787 [22]
Referee: Larry King / Gino D'Ippolito / Rene Imar

1975 NASL Indoor Champions: Tampa Bay Rowdies

Final Four awards

Final team rankings

G = Games, W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, GD = Goal Differential

PosTeamGWLGFGAGD
1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 4402614+12
2 Rochester Lancers 4312016+4
3 San Jose Earthquakes 4313518+17
4 Dallas Tornado 4222015+5
5 Washington Diplomats 2111412+2

Non-tournament matches

In addition to the tournament itself, a few teams staged other indoor matches as tune-ups for both the outdoor season and the indoor tournament itself.

Match reports

March 6, 19761 Int'l friendly Tampa Bay Rowdies 11–4 Santos F.C. (Jamaica) St. Petersburg, Florida
7:30 PM (EST) Wark Soccerball shade.svg8:08' (Garber)
Austin Soccerball shade.svg14:11' (Marsh)
Lindsay Soccerball shade.svg17:19' (Marsh)
Best Soccerball shade.svg24:13' (Garber)
Marsh Soccerball shade.svg25:54' (Auguste)
Marsh Soccerball shade.svg26:31' (Bleum)
Best Soccerball shade.svg27:40'
Best Soccerball shade.svg29:23' (Scullion)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg35:28' (Marsh)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg51:34' (Marsh)
Best Soccerball shade.svg55:18' (Wark)		 Report 1
Report 2 		P. Marston Soccerball shade.svg13:56' (Taylor)
L. Anderson Soccerball shade.svg30:57' (Taylor)
E. Reid Soccerball shade.svg39:29' (Taylor)
McKenzie Soccerball shade.svg41:46' (Blair)		Stadium: Bayfront Center
Attendance: 5,620
April 8, 19763 Philadelphia Atoms 4–3 Washington Diplomats Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Herrada Soccerball shade.svg7:05' (Camacho)
Navarro Soccerball shade.svg21:53'
Galati Soccerball shade.svg32:05' (Lopez)
López Soccerball shade.svg39:45'		 Report 1
Report 2
Report 3 		Minor Soccerball shade.svg26:52'
Grell Soccerball shade.svg27:04'
Minor Soccerball shade.svg33:40'		Stadium: Spectrum
Attendance: 4,234 [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983)</span> American soccer team (1977–1983)

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers was a professional soccer team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1977 to 1983. They played their home matches at Lockhart Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Tampa Bay Rowdies were an American professional soccer team based in Tampa, Florida, that competed in the original North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They enjoyed broad popular support in the Tampa Bay area until the NASL folded in 1984, after which the team played in various minor indoor and outdoor leagues before finally folding on January 31, 1994. The Rowdies played nearly all of their outdoor home games at Tampa Stadium and nearly all of their indoor games at the Bayfront Center Arena in nearby St. Petersburg, Florida. Although San Diego played indoors until 1996, the Rowdies were the last surviving NASL franchise that played outdoor soccer on a regular basis.

The 1984 North American Soccer League season was the 72nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 17th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada. It would be the 17th and final season of the NASL.

Derek Smethurst is a retired South African soccer forward who played professionally in South Africa, England and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Earthquakes (1974–1988)</span> Defunct American soccer club

The San Jose Earthquakes were a professional soccer club that played from 1974 to 1988. The team began as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL), and was originally set to play in San Francisco; but slow season ticket sales led to a late switch to San Jose's Spartan Stadium. The switch to sports-starved San Jose was an immediate hit, and the Earthquakes led the league with attendance over 15,000 per game in 1974, double the league average. The team's success led Spartan Stadium to be chosen as site of the first NASL Soccer Bowl in 1975. From 1983 to 1984, the team was known as the Golden Bay Earthquakes. During this time, it also played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League and in the NASL's indoor circuit, winning the first ever NASL indoor tournament in 1975. Their indoor games were first played at the Cow Palace and later at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

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

The 1981–82 season was the North American Soccer League's third indoor soccer season.

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the first season of the club's existence.

In early 1975, the North American Soccer League hosted its first league-wide indoor soccer tournament over the course of seven weeks. All but four NASL teams participated.

The 1983 NASL Grand Prix of Indoor Soccer was an indoor soccer tournament staged by four franchises of the North American Soccer League.

The 1975 Miami Toros indoor season was the first season of the new team in the new North American Soccer League indoor tournament. It was part of the club's ninth season in professional soccer. This year, the team finished in second place in Region 3, losing on goal-differential. They did not make the playoffs as only the top team in each of the four regions were selected.

The 1976 Miami Toros indoor season was the second season of the team in the North American Soccer League indoor tournament. It was part of the club's tenth season in professional soccer. This year, the team finished in third place in the Eastern Regional. They did not make the playoffs as only the top team in each of the four regions were selected. This was the last season of the indoor team and the tournament, as the NASL organized a new indoor league three years later in 1979.

The 1979 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season was part of the club's twelfth season in professional soccer.

The 1979 NASL Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational was a four-team indoor soccer tournament held at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida on the final weekend of January 1979.

The 1978 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the fourth indoor season of the club's existence.

The 1976 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the second indoor season of the club's existence. The Rowdies were able to replicate their 1975 outdoor success by winning the North American Soccer League's 1976 indoor championship.

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the first indoor season of the club's existence. It also marked the first time the expansion Rowdies participated in any North American Soccer League sanctioned competition.

The 1979 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the fifth indoor season of the club's existence.

The 1979–80 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the sixth indoor season of the club's existence.

The 1983 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the ninth indoor season of the team's existence. The Rowdies captured the Indoor Grand Prix title. Although they would play for another 10 years, including two more indoors in 1983–84 and 1986–87, this would be the final trophy won by the original club.

References

  1. ↑ "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  2. ↑ "History of Indoor Soccer in the USA". RSSSF . Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  3. ↑ "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993)".
  4. ↑ "The Year in American Soccer - 1976". Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  5. ↑ "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993)".
  6. ↑ "Sarasota Journal - Google News Archive Search".
  7. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search".
  8. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  9. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search".
  10. ↑ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment".
  11. 1 2 "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Chicago Tribune: Chicago news, sports, weather, entertainment".
  13. ↑ "15 Mar 1976, Page 10 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch at". Newspapers.com. March 15, 1976. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York on March 15, 1976 · Page 27".
  15. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search".
  17. ↑ "St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search".
  18. ↑ "Quakes Romp". The Petaluma Argus-Courier. March 20, 1976. p. 5A. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  19. ↑ Chittenden, Ed (March 22, 1976). "Quakes Capture Title". The Times (San Mateo, CA). p. 15. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ Hunt, Tim (March 22, 1976). "Quakes work for 8–4 win". The Argus (Fremont, CA). p. 16. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  21. ↑ Rowdies win 6-2
  22. ↑ Rowdies whip Rochester to win the indoor title
  23. ↑ "NASL-Clyde Best". www.nasljerseys.com. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  24. ↑ Faraudo, Jeff (March 18, 1976). "Quakes erupt in first period". The Argus (Fremont, CA). p. 17. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  25. ↑ McKee, Don (April 9, 1976). "'New' Atoms win, 4-3, in indoor exhibition". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 2D. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.