Event | NASL Final | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
(Best-of-three series) | |||||||
Game 1 | |||||||
| |||||||
after extra time | |||||||
Date | September 12, 1971 | ||||||
Venue | Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||
Attendance | 3,218 | ||||||
Game 2 | |||||||
| |||||||
Date | September 15, 1971 | ||||||
Venue | Franklin Stadium, Dallas | ||||||
Attendance | 6,456 | ||||||
Game 3 | |||||||
| |||||||
Date | September 19, 1971 | ||||||
Venue | Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||
Attendance | 4,687 | ||||||
NASL Final 1971 was the championship series of the 1971 season. It was contested as a best-of-three series between the Dallas Tornado and the Atlanta Chiefs. The matches were held on September 9, 15, and 19, 1971. Games one and three were played at Atlanta Stadium, in Atlanta, Georgia. Game two was played at Franklin Stadium of Hillcrest High School in Dallas. A combined 14,361 people attended the three game series. [1] The Chiefs won game one, while the Tornado won games two and three to claim their first NASL championship. [2] [3]
The Dallas Tornado qualified for the playoffs by virtue of having the highest non-division-winning point total in the league (119 points). They defeated the defending league champion Rochester Lancers 2–1 in a marathon best-of-three semifinal series. The series featured two of the longest matches in the sport's history due to the NASL's adoption of a sudden death rule to replace the penalty shootout. The first leg ended shortly before midnight on September 1 with a victory for Rochester after 176 minutes and required six overtime periods; the third leg lasted 148 minutes with four overtime periods and sent the Tornado to the final with a 2–1 win. [4] [5]
The Atlanta Chiefs qualified for the playoffs by winning the Southern Division with 120 points. The Chiefs then defeated the New York Cosmos in the semifinals with two wins and no goals conceded.
Champion | Runner-up | Game 1 | Venue 1 | Game 2 | Venue 2 | Game 3 | Venue 3 | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dallas Tornado | Atlanta Chiefs | 1–2 | Atlanta Stadium | 4–1 | Franklin Stadium | 2–0 | Atlanta Stadium | 2–1 [note 1] |
Atlanta Chiefs | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Dallas Tornado |
---|---|---|
da Veiga 72' Motaung 124' | Report | Molnár 41' |
Atlanta Chiefs | Dallas Tornado |
Dallas Tornado | 4–1 | Atlanta Chiefs |
---|---|---|
Tinney 45' Juracy 54', 76' Tony McLoughlin | Report 1 Report 2 | Largie 44' |
Dallas Tornado [6] | Atlanta Chiefs |
Atlanta Chiefs | 0–2 | Dallas Tornado [7] |
---|---|---|
Report 1 Report 2 | Renshaw 3' Moffat 45' |
Atlanta Chiefs [8] | Dallas Tornado |
|
|
1971 NASL Champions: Dallas Tornado
The Atlanta Chiefs were an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team competed in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1968 to 1973 and again from 1979 to 1981. For the 1973 season, the team played as the Atlanta Apollos.
The Dallas Tornado was a soccer team based in Dallas, Texas that played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1967 to 1981. Of the twelve teams that comprised the U.S. in 1967, the Tornado franchise played the longest–15 seasons.
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.
The 1968 North American Soccer League season was the 56th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States and Canada, and the 1st with a national first-division league with the inaugural season of the NASL.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1970. This was the 3rd season of the NASL.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1971. This was the 4th season of the NASL.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1973. This was the 6th season of the NASL.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1982. This was the 15th season of the NASL.
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Soccer Bowl '79 was the championship final of the 1979 NASL season. The National Conference champion Vancouver Whitecaps played the American Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies. The match was played on September 8, 1979, at Giants Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This was the second straight year that Giants Stadium hosted the Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps won the match, 2–1, to claim their first North American championship.
Soccer Bowl '80 was the championship final of the 1980 NASL season. The New York Cosmos took on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The match was played on September 21, 1980 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The Cosmos won, 3–0, to claim their fourth league championship, and third in the past four seasons.
Soccer Bowl '81 was the championship final of the 1981 NASL season, between the Chicago Sting and the New York Cosmos. The match was played on September 26, 1981, at Exhibition Stadium, in Toronto, Ontario. Following regulation and 15 minutes of golden goal overtime, the match remained tied, 0–0. With that, the game moved to a shoot-out. The Sting won the shoot-out, 2–1, and were crowned the 1981 NASL champions. This was Chicago's first NASL title.
NASL Final 1974 was the championship match of the 1974 season, between the expansion Los Angeles Aztecs and the Miami Toros. The match was played on August 25, 1974 at the Orange Bowl, in Miami, Florida. The teams played to a, 3–3, draw, and after a short break the game moved directly to a penalty shoot-out. Los Angeles won the shoot-out, 5–3, and were crowned the 1974 champions. This was the second consecutive year that an expansion team won the NASL title
NASL Final 1973 was the championship match of the 1973 North American Soccer League season, between the expansion Philadelphia Atoms and the Dallas Tornado. The match was played on August 25, 1973 at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The Philadelphia Atoms won the match, 2–0, and were crowned the 1973 North American Soccer League champions.
NASL Final 1970 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 1970 season. As no championship game was played for the 1969 season, it was the first championship game since the 1968 season. The event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Rochester Lancers and the Washington Darts. The first leg was held on September 5, 1970 at Aquinas Memorial Stadium in Rochester, New York, with the Lancers victorious by a score of 3–0. The second leg was played on September 13, 1970 at Brookland Stadium in Washington, D.C. That day the Darts came out on top by the score of 3–1. Renato Costa, who played under the alias of "Raul Herrera" that year, scored three of Rochester's four goals. With the two-legged competition completed, the Rochester Lancers held a 4–3 aggregate lead and were crowned the 1970 NASL champions.
NASL Final 1968 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 1968 season, and the first championship final for the NASL. The event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Atlanta Chiefs and the San Diego Toros. The first leg was played to a, 0–0, draw on September 21, 1968, at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California. The return leg was contested on September 28, 1968, at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia with the Chiefs winning by the score of 3–0. After the two-day competition was completed, the Atlanta Chiefs held a 3–0 aggregate lead and were crowned the 1968 NASL champions.
The 1970 Washington Darts season was the team's first season in the North American Soccer League, and the club's fourth season in professional soccer. Previously the club fielded a team in the American Soccer League. In their initial run in the NASL, the team earned first place in the Southern Division and finished with the top record in the league. As division champions they automatically qualified for the championship game known as the NASL Final.
The 1977 North American Soccer League playoffs began on August 10 and ended on August 28 with Soccer Bowl '77 at Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon. 12 out of 18 teams qualified after a 26-match regular season, six from each conference.
The 1971 NASL Professional Hoc-Soc Tournament was the first indoor variant of soccer sanctioned by the North American Soccer League. It was held in St. Louis, Missouri on the evening of March 19, 1971 and involved four of the league's eight franchises.