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1978 North American Soccer League playoffs

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Main article: 1978 North American Soccer League season
1978 North American Soccer League Playoffs
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Canada
Teams16
Defending championsCosmos
Final positions
ChampionsCosmos
Runner-upTampa Bay Rowdies
Tournament statistics
Matches played21
Goals scored81 (3.86 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)England 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

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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.[1]

Playoff seeds

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American Conference

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  1. Detroit Express – Central Division champions, 176 points
  2. New England Tea Men – Eastern Division champions, 165 points
  3. San Diego Sockers – Western Division champions, 164 points
  4. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 165 points
  5. Chicago Sting – 123 points
  6. California Surf – 115 points
  7. Fort Lauderdale Strikers – 143 points
  8. Philadelphia Fury – 111 points

National Conference

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  1. Cosmos – Eastern Division champions, 212 points
  2. Vancouver Whitecaps – Western Division champions, 199 points
  3. Minnesota Kicks – Central Division champions, 156 points
  4. Portland Timbers – 167 points
  5. Washington Diplomats – 145 points
  6. Tulsa Roughnecks – 132 points
  7. Toronto Metros-Croatia – 144 points
  8. Seattle Sounders – 138 points

Bracket

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Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '78
            
A1 Detroit Express 1
A8 Philadelphia Fury 0
A1 Detroit Express 1
A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2
A2 New England Tea Men 1
A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3
A7 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1
American Conference
A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A3 San Diego Sockers 2
A6 California Surf 1
A3 San Diego Sockers 1
A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3
A5 Chicago Sting 1
A4 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1
N1 Cosmos 3
N1 Cosmos 5
N8 Seattle Sounders 2
N1 Cosmos 2
N3 Minnesota Kicks 1
N3 Minnesota Kicks 3
N6 Tulsa Roughnecks 1
N1 Cosmos 2
National Conference
N4 Portland Timbers 0
N2 Vancouver Whitecaps 4
N7 Toronto Metros-Croatia 0
N2 Vancouver Whitecaps 0
N4 Portland Timbers 2
N4 Portland Timbers 2
N5 Washington Diplomats 1

Conference Quarterfinals

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American Conference

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(1) Detroit Express vs. (8) Philadelphia Fury

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Detroit Express1–0Philadelphia Fury
Francis 35:57' (Davies)
Attendance: 22,456

(2) New England Tea Men vs. (7) Fort Lauderdale Strikers

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New England Tea Men1–3Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Ridley 24:46' (o.g.) Irving 61:04' (Best, Hudson)
Simpson 68:02' (o.g.)
Ronson 72:23' (Nanchoff)
Attendance: 18,672

(3) San Diego Sockers vs. (6) California Surf

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San Diego Sockers2–1California Surf
McCall 18:50' (Smethurst, van der Veen)
McCall 49:52' (Willrich, Smethurst)		 Suhnholz 3:30'
Attendance: 6,238

(4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (5) Chicago Sting

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Tampa Bay Rowdies3–1Chicago Sting
Marsh 26:48' (pen.)
Marsh 52:17' (Connell, McGuire)
Wegerle 74:08'		 Report Granitza 78:06' (Strenicer)
Attendance: 26,596
Referee: George Courtney (England)

National Conference

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(1) Cosmos vs. (8) Seattle Sounders

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Cosmos5–2Seattle Sounders
Bogicevic 39:32'
Bogicevic 57:46' (Dimitrijevic, Hunt)
Beckenbauer 58:13'
Dimitrijevic 58:34' (Beckenbauer)
Hunt 80:28' (Tueart, Davis)		 England 56:31' (Crossley)
Wallace 74:58' (Scott)
Attendance: 47,780

(2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (7) Toronto Metros-Croatia

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Vancouver Whitecaps4–0Toronto Metros-Croatia
Campbell 16:04' (Hinton)
Hinton 17:52' (Hector, B. Lenarduzzi)
Campbell 39:55' (Hector, B. Lenarduzzi)
B. Lenarduzzi 57:10' (Campbell, Bolitho)
Attendance: 30,811
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)

(3) Minnesota Kicks vs. (6) Tulsa Roughnecks

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Minnesota Kicks3–1Tulsa Roughnecks
Futcher 28:03' (Hamilton, Moran)
Willey 63:24' (Hamilton, Morgan)
Willey 82:11' (Morgan)		 Caskey 48:21'
Attendance: 36,478
Referee: John Davies (England)

(4) Portland Timbers vs. (5) Washington Diplomats

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Portland Timbers2–1(OT)Washington Diplomats
McNeill 58:57' (Bain)
Bain gold-colored soccer ball 96:41' (Seale)		 Stokes 89:30'
Attendance: 14,030

Conference semifinals

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American Conference

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(1) Detroit Express vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers4–3(SO)Detroit Express
Irving 59:10'
Whittle 65:41' (Best)
Irving 69:31' (Hudson, Whittle)		 Francis 3:27' (Brazil)
Francis 41:55'
Tinnion 67:11'
Penalties
Whelan soccer ball with check mark
Fowles soccer ball with check mark
Hudson soccer ball with red X
Irvingsoccer ball with red X
Whittle soccer ball with check mark		 3–2 soccer ball with red X Francis
soccer ball with red X Furphy
soccer ball with check mark Bradford
soccer ball with red X Tinnion
soccer ball with check mark Davies
Attendance: 11,517
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)
Detroit Express1–0Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Brazil 42:34' (Francis)
Attendance: 32,819
Detroit Express0–1Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Nanchoff gold-colored soccer ball 20:36' (Hudson)

Fort Lauderdale wins series 2–1

(3) San Diego Sockers vs. (4) Tampa Bay Rowdies

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San Diego Sockers0–1Tampa Bay Rowdies
Report Auguste 60:31'
Attendance: 8,014
Tampa Bay Rowdies1–2San Diego Sockers
Anderson 64:42' (Paddon, Marsh) Report Harsanyi 48:25'
McCall 67:49'
Attendance: 32,495
Referee: Tony Nobile
Tampa Bay Rowdies1–0San Diego Sockers
Marsh gold-colored soccer ball 3:41' (Auguste) Report

Tampa Bay wins series 2–1

National Conference

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(1) Cosmos vs. (3) Minnesota Kicks

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Minnesota Kicks9–2Cosmos
George 0:52' (Morgan, Want)
Roth 18:32' (o.g.)
Willey 29:28' (Hamilton, Morgan)
Ntsoelengoe 53:14' (George)
Willey 63:28' (Morgan)
Willey 69:05' (Hamilton, Price)
Willey 77:27' (George, Rosul)
Willey 84:44' (Hamilton, Lettieri)
Hamilton 89:06'		 Chinaglia 48:19'
Etherington 83:30' (Bogicevic, Hunt)
Attendance: 45,863
Cosmos4–0Minnesota Kicks
Chinaglia 10:12' (Tueart, Bogicevic)
Tueart 12:23' (Bogicevic)
Chinaglia 23:22' (Bogicevic, Tueart)
Tueart 50:56'
Attendance: 60,199
Cosmos1–0(SO)Minnesota Kicks
Penalties
Bogicevic soccer ball with red X
Tueart soccer ball with red X
Hunt soccer ball with red X
Morais soccer ball with red X
Alberto soccer ball with check mark
Beckenbauer soccer ball with check mark		 2–1 soccer ball with check mark Hamilton
soccer ball with red X Futcher
soccer ball with red X George
soccer ball with red X Ntsoelengoe
soccer ball with red X Villa
soccer ball with red X Merrick

New York wins series 2–1

(2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (4) Portland Timbers

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Portland Timbers1–0Vancouver Whitecaps
Best 54:53' (Anderson)
Attendance: 16,437
Vancouver Whitecaps1–2Portland Timbers
Kember 47:11' (Hinton) Best 21:19' (Charles)
Anderson 40:44' (Scullion, Bain)
Attendance: 32,666

Portland wins series 2–0

Conference finals

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American Conference

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(4) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. (7) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers3–2Tampa Bay Rowdies
Whittle 45:44' (pen.)
Irving 46:25' (Jones)
Best 50:41'		 Report Robb 30:31' (Paddon)
McLeod 89:45' (Paddon)
Attendance: 16,286
Tampa Bay Rowdies3–1Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Anderson 34:07' (McLeod, Marsh)
Robb 65:00' (Marsh, Wegerle)
Wegerle 83:36'		 Report Irving 88:34'
Attendance: 37,360
Referee: John Davies
Tampa Bay Rowdies1–0 (SO)Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Report
Penalties
Anderson soccer ball with red X
Wegerle soccer ball with check mark
Paddon soccer ball with red X
Robb soccer ball with red X
Marsh soccer ball with check mark		 2–1 soccer ball with red X Whelan
soccer ball with red X Irving
soccer ball with red X Hudson
soccer ball with check mark Fowles
soccer ball with red X Whittle
Referee: John Davies

Tampa Bay wins series 2–1

National Conference

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(1) Cosmos vs. (4) Portland Timbers

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Portland Timbers0–1New York Cosmos
Tueart 46:03' (Hunt)
Attendance: 24,515
Cosmos5–0Portland Timbers
Chinaglia 32:07' (Tueart)
Tueart 76:06' (Dimitrijevic)
Hunt 77:28' (Tueart)
Beckenbauer 80:44'
Seninho 88:29' (Beckenbauer, Chinaglia)
Attendance: 57,128

New York wins series 2–0

Soccer Bowl '78

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Main article: Soccer Bowl '78
Cosmos3–1Tampa Bay Rowdies
Tueart 30:42' (Iarusci, Hunt)
Chinaglia 44:38'
Tueart 76:49' (Iarusci, Roth)		 Report Mirandinha 73:34' (Robb)
Attendance: 74,901
Referee: Jim Highet (Canada)

1978 NASL Champions: Cosmos

Playoff Statistics

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Mini-games are not counted as games played when compiling individual statistics. They are included in the minutes played category.

Scoring

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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

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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 SO
Phil Parkes Vancouver Whitecaps 3 270 3 1.00 1 2 1
Alan Mayer San Diego Sockers 3 225 3 1.00 1 1 0
Steve 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

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  1. ^ 1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide. 1979. p. 367.

Henderson, Jim (1979). Dr. Pepper 1979 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.

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