1977 North American Soccer League playoffs

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Main article: 1977 North American Soccer League season
1977 North American Soccer League Playoffs
CountryUnited States
Canada
Teams12
Defending championsToronto Metros-Croatia
ChampionsCosmos
Runners-upSeattle Sounders
Matches played17
Goals scored54 (3.18 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Italy Giorgio Chinaglia
(9 goals)
←
1978 →

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.

Playoff format[]

The top three teams in each division would quality for the playoffs, similar to the 1976 playoffs.[1] The first round and the Soccer Bowl were single games, but the division championships and conference championships were two-game series. If 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.[2]

Playoff seeds[]

Atlantic Conference[]

Eastern Division[]

  1. Fort Lauderdale Strikers – Eastern Division champions, 161 points
  2. Cosmos – 140 points
  3. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 131 points

Northern Division[]

  1. Toronto Metros-Croatia – Northern Division champions, 111 points
  2. St. Louis Stars – 104 points
  3. Rochester Lancers – 99 points

Pacific Conference[]

Southern Division[]

  1. Dallas Tornado – Southern Division champions, 161 points
  2. Los Angeles Aztecs – 147 points
  3. San Jose Earthquakes – 119 points

Western Division[]

  1. Minnesota Kicks – Western Division champions, 137 points
  2. Vancouver Whitecaps – 124 points
  3. Seattle Sounders – 119 points

Bracket[]

  First Round Division Championships Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '77
                                     
Cosmos 3  
Tampa Bay Rowdies 0  
  Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3 2(0) –  
  Cosmos 8 3(3) –  
  Cosmos 2 4 –  
  Rochester Lancers 1 1 –  
St. Louis Stars 0(2)  
Rochester Lancers 1(4)  
  Toronto Metros-Croatia 0(2) 0 –
  Rochester Lancers 1(3) 1 –  
 
  Cosmos 2
  Seattle Sounders 1
Los Angeles Aztecs 2  
San Jose Earthquakes 1  
  Dallas Tornado 1 1 –
  Los Angeles Aztecs 3 5 –  
 
  Los Angeles Aztecs 1 0 –
  Seattle Sounders 3 1 –  
Vancouver Whitecaps 0  
Seattle Sounders 2  
  Minnesota Kicks 1 0 –
  Seattle Sounders 2 1 –  
 

First round[]

Atlantic Conference[]

(E2) Cosmos vs. (E3) Tampa Bay Rowdies[]

Cosmos3–0Tampa Bay Rowdies
Pelé Goal 58:16' (Hunt)
Chinaglia Goal 70:24' (Hunt, Field)
Pelé Goal 89:51' (Hunt, Chinaglia)		 Report
Attendance: 57,828

(N2) St. Louis Stars vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers[]

St. Louis Stars0–1(SO)Rochester Lancers
Penalties
Burnett Penalty scored
Matteson Penalty scored
Evans Penalty missed
Binney Penalty missed		 2–4 Penalty missed
Penalty scored Pollihan
Penalty scored Reynolds
Penalty scored
Penalty scored Stojanovic
Francis Field, St. Louis
Attendance: 7,137

Pacific Conference[]

(S2) Los Angeles Aztecs vs. (S3) San Jose Earthquakes[]

Los Angeles Aztecs2–1(OT)San Jose Earthquakes
Best Goal 85:06'
Mihailovich Golden goal 92:28' 		Mitic Goal 60:57'
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 4,038

(W2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders[]

Vancouver Whitecaps0–2Seattle Sounders
Machin Goal 18:17' (Ord)
Ord Goal 83:34' (Robertson)
Attendance: 21,925

Division Finals[]

Atlantic Conference[]

(E1) Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. (E2) Cosmos[]

Cosmos8–3Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Hunt Goal 1:37' (Chinaglia)
Beckenbauer Goal 11:37' (Hunt, Field)
Chinaglia Goal 16:19' (Beckenbauer)
Hunt Goal 25:14'
Field Goal 55:29' (Alberto, Roth)
Chinaglia Goal 56:23' (Alberto)
Chinaglia Goal 62:29' (Field)
Etherington Goal 67:49' (Morais)		 Whittle Goal 17:25'
Piper Goal 63:06' (Aguirre)
Whittle Goal 68:17'
Attendance: 77,691
Fort Lauderdale Strikers2–3(SO)Cosmos
Irving Goal 12:45' (Hudson)
Whittle Goal 62:15'		 Pelé Goal 61:09'
Chinaglia Goal 84:17' (Alberto)
Penalties
Piper Penalty missed
Nanchoff Penalty missed
Proctor Penalty missed		 0–3 Penalty scored Hunt
Penalty scored Sono
Penalty missed Mifflin
Penalty scored Garbett
Attendance: 14,152

Cosmos win series 2–0

(N1) Toronto Metros-Croatia vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers[]

Rochester Lancers1–0(SO)
(3-2)		Toronto Metros-Croatia
Attendance: 10,556
Toronto Metros-Croatia0–1Rochester Lancers
Bilecki Red card 78:35' report Costa Red card 19:32'
Fazlić Red card 43:56'
Goal 78:35'
Attendance: 8,362
Referee: John Davies (England)

Rochester wins series 2–0

Pacific Conference[]

(S1) Dallas Tornado vs. (S2) Los Angeles Aztecs[]

Los Angeles Aztecs2–1Dallas Tornado
Mihailovich Goal 23:12' (Best)
Cohen Goal 77:05' (Mihailovich)		 Pecher Goal 43:24' (Ryan)
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 5,295
Dallas Tornado1–5Los Angeles Aztecs
O'Hare Goal 72:13' Cohen Goal 40:30' (Best)
Best Goal 66:55' (Mihailovich)
Rys Goal 78:04'
Backos Goal 80:46'
Cooke Goal 81:33' (Best)
Attendance: 18,489

Los Angeles wins series 2–0

(W1) Minnesota Kicks vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders[]

Minnesota Kicks1–2(OT)Seattle Sounders
Futcher Goal 81:31' (Price, West) Ord Goal 86:24' (Butler)
Butler Golden goal 90:21'
Attendance: 35,889
Seattle Sounders1–0Minnesota Kicks
Ord Goal 58:28' (pen.)
Attendance: 42,091

Seattle wins series 2–0

Conference Finals[]

Atlantic Conference[]

(E2) Cosmos vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers[]

Rochester Lancers1–2Cosmos
Stojanovic Goal 16:50' (Costa, Escos) Chinaglia Goal 39:50' (Pelé, Field)
Hunt Goal 42:45' (Pelé)
Attendance: 20,005
Cosmos4–1Rochester Lancers
Chinaglia Goal 16:05' (Hunt)
Chinaglia Goal 22:59' (Hunt)
Dimitrijevic Goal 47:33' (Pelé)
Pelé Goal 59:11'		 Goal 53:41' (Pedro)
Attendance: 73,669

Cosmos win series 2–0

Pacific Conference[]

(S2) Los Angeles Aztecs vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders[]

Los Angeles Aztecs1–3Seattle Sounders
McAlinden Goal 15:33' (Cooke) Robertson Goal 38:45'
Buttle Goal 62:47' (McAlister)
Cave Goal 66:23' (Robertson)
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 9,115
Seattle Sounders1–0Los Angeles Aztecs
Scott Goal 13:29' (Robertson)
Attendance: 56,256

Seattle wins series 2–0

Soccer Bowl '77[]

Main article: Soccer Bowl '77
Cosmos2–1Seattle Sounders
Hunt Goal 19:05'
Chinaglia Goal 77:19' (Hunt)		 Ord Goal 23:13' (Cave)
Civic Stadium, Portland
Attendance: 35,548
Referee: Toros Kibritjan (USA)

References[]

  1. ^ "NASL Makes Changes In Schedule, Playoff". Evening Independent. October 15, 1976. p. 5-C. Retrieved 2015-04-08.
  2. ^ Saunders, Jack (August 17, 1977). "Some NASL Playoff Victories Worth More". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 5C. Retrieved 2015-04-08.

Henderson, Jim (1978). Volkswagen 1978 Pro Soccer Guide. Tampa, Florida: Snibbe Publications.

1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide. New York: North American Soccer League. 1979.

Jose, Colin (1989). NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League. Derby, England: Breedon Books.

Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press.

External links[]

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