Soccer league season
Football league season
Statistics ofNorth American Soccer League in season 1976. This was the 9th season of the NASL.
The league's twenty teams were divided into two conferences (Atlantic or Pacific), playing a total of 240 matches. Each team's 24 matches were divided between a round-robin with other teams in the same conference and six matches against different teams in the other conference.Points were awarded for wins (six) and each goal (up to three) regardless of results; ties in regulation were decided by 15 minutes ofsudden death overtime followed by apenalty shootout from 35 yards (105 ft). The playoffs were expanded from eight to twelve teams with automatic berths for the top two teams in each of the four divisions and twowild card slots per conference for the remaining best finishing teams.[ 1]
TheToronto Metros-Croatia defeated theMinnesota Kicks in theSoccer Bowl on August 28 to win the championship. The match was hosted at theKingdome inSeattle , the new home of theSeattle Sounders . TheTampa Bay Rowdies 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 theSoccer Bowl in August 1975, theNASL indoor cup in March 1976, and theregular season shield orpremiership in August 1976. Since NASL teams at that time did not participate in theU.S. Open Cup , this would be the closest one would ever come to achieving any sort of a North Americantreble .
Changes from the previous season [ edit ] Baltimore Comets to San Diego Jaws Denver Dynamos to Minnesota Kicks Northern Division
Eastern Division
Southern Division
Western Division
Pld = Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, GD = Goal Differential, BP = Bonus Points, Pts= total points
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.
-Premiers (most points). -Other playoff teams.Atlantic Conference [ edit ] First Team[ 2] Position Second Team Honorable Mention[ 3] Arnie Mausser , Tampa BayG Eric Martin , WashingtonPaolo Cimpiel , TorontoKeith Eddy , New YorkD Stewart Jump , Tampa BayDave Gillett , SeattleBobby Moore , San AntonioD George Ley , DallasFrank Spraggon , MinnesotaTommy Smith , Tampa BayD Ron Webster , MinnesotaJim Holton , MiamiMike England , SeattleD Bob Smith , PhiladelphiaBruce Wilson , VancouverRodney Marsh , Tampa BayM Alan West , MinnesotaDave Clements , New YorkRamón Mifflin , New YorkM Bobby Hope , DallasWolfgang Sühnholz , TorontoAntónio Simões , San JoseM Al Trost , St. LouisCharlie Cooke , Los AngelesPelé , New YorkF Derek Smethurst , Tampa BayJimmy Robertson , SeattleGeorge Best , Los AngelesF Jeff Bourne , DallasMark Liveric , San JoseGiorgio Chinaglia , New YorkF Stewart Scullion , Tampa BayTommy Ord , Vancouver
All playoff games in all rounds includingSoccer Bowl '76 were single game elimination match ups.
Conference semifinals [ edit ]
Conference Championships [ edit ]
1976 NASL Champions: Toronto Metros-Croatia
Seasons Soccer Bowls Predecessors Indoor seasons Conferences Related Clubs