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Soccer Bowl '78

Summary

Soccer Bowl '78 was the North American Soccer League's championship final for the 1978 season. It was the fourth NASL championship under the Soccer Bowl name.[1][2]

Soccer Bowl '78
EventSoccer Bowl
New York Cosmos Tampa Bay Rowdies
3 1
DateAugust 27, 1978 (1978-08-27)
VenueGiants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Man of the MatchDennis Tueart
RefereeJim Highet (Canada)
Attendance74,901
← 1977
1979 →

The match was played at Giants Stadium in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 27 between the American Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies and the National Conference champion and defending Soccer Bowl champion New York Cosmos (who had dropped "New York" from their name to simply "Cosmos" for only the 1977–78 seasons).

Seeing the large home crowds the Cosmos had drawn during the 1977 NASL season, the league awarded Soccer Bowl hosting duties to the club.[3] The match drew a Soccer Bowl-record 74,901 fans, more than doubling the previous year's attendance at Portland's Civic Stadium. To date, it remains the largest crowd for a professional club soccer championship game in North America.

The Cosmos won the match by a 3–1 score, capturing their third league title and becoming the first repeat champion in NASL history.

Background edit

 
Giants Stadium was the venue for Soccer Bowl '78

Tampa Bay Rowdies edit

The Rowdies started off 5-8, but would eventually tie the New England Tea Men for first place in the American Conference's Eastern Division with 165 points. New England won the division on the NASL's total wins tiebreaker (19 to the Rowdies' 18), and relegated Tampa Bay to fourth place in the American Conference's playoff standings.[4] After beating the Chicago Sting in the first round,[5] the San Diego Sockers were defeated by a Rodney Marsh overtime goal in a mini-game tiebreaker[6] and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers fell in a mini-game shootout in the American Conference finals.[7] It would be the Rowdies' second trip to the Soccer Bowl in four years. Marsh led Tampa Bay in scoring with 18 goals and 16 assists for 52 points, good for fourth in the league. Near the end of the deciding match between the Rowdies and Strikers, he had gotten spiked in the shin by Maurice Whittle of Fort Lauderdale. There was concern about his playing status, but all indications leading up to match day had looked positive.

New York Cosmos edit

While Tampa Bay encountered trouble on the way to Giants Stadium, the Cosmos hit cruise control in early May and never looked back. A 7–0 crushing of the Strikers in the team's opener heralded a run of dominance not seen in the NASL before.[8] A 24-6 record and a league-high 212 points led to a first-place finish in the National Conference Eastern Division as the team looked to become the first back-to-back champions in NASL history. Giorgio Chinaglia's 34 goals and 79 points set league records. The Seattle Sounders fell at the first playoff hurdle,[9] but the Minnesota Kicks proved to be quite a challenge. The Kicks won their playoff opener 9–2 behind Alan Willey's five goals to immediately put the Cosmos on the brink of elimination.[10] However, a 4–0 win in the second game and a dramatic mini-game shootout victory helped the team from New York move on.[11] Two shutout wins over the Portland Timbers in the National Conference championship allowed the Cosmos to become the only team in league history to play in the Soccer Bowl in their own stadium.[12]

Broadcasters edit

The game was broadcast live in the United States on the TVS network. Jon Miller handled play-by-play duties, while Paul Gardner was the color analyst.[13] This would be the final NASL game broadcast by the network, as the league signed a deal with ABC Sports in the fall of 1978.[14] Gardner would continue as the color analyst for ABC's coverage, while Miller would move on to a long career announcing Major League Baseball.

Game summary edit

As it turned out, Marsh's shin injury had become infected and he was unable to play. An early-morning run in Central Park confirmed Tampa Bay's worst fears.[15] The Cosmos didn't take advantage early, but Dennis Tueart's goal at 30:42 broke the deadlock. Defender Bob Iarusci broke up an offensive rush, saw Steve Hunt open for a pass and Hunt spotted Tueart standing unmarked to the left of Rowdie goalkeeper Winston DuBose and Tueart made it 1–0.[16] Giorgio Chinaglia's 39th goal of the season made it 2–0 just before halftime. Hunt raced through the Rowdies defense, took a shot which DuBose saved, and the rebound came out to Chinaglia. The league's scoring leader put it away despite the presence of defender Mike Connell, who deflected the ball slightly with his head.[17]

A Mirandinha goal got the Rowdies on the board with fresh hope and 17 minutes left. Tampa Bay midfielder David Robb, switched from forward to defense due to Frantz St. Lot's injury, stole a pass from Tueart in the Cosmos' end and found Mirandinha. The Brazilian fired a low shot off of the Giants Stadium post and past Cosmos goalie Jack Brand to halve the deficit.[18] Tueart closed out the scoring four minutes later by taking a pass from Werner Roth and sliding it past the diving DuBose for the final 3–1 margin.[19]

Dennis Tueart won Soccer Bowl MVP honors for his two-goal efforts, while Pino Wilson was named the defensive player of the game.[20] After missing 10 games due to various injuries, Tueart led the NASL in playoff scoring with six goals and five assists for 17 points in six playoff games.

Match details edit

New York Cosmos [note 1]3–1Tampa Bay Rowdies
Tueart   31', 77'
Chinaglia   45'		 Report 1
Report 2		 Mirandinha   74'
Attendance: 74,901
Referee: Jim Highet (Canada)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New York Cosmos
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tampa Bay Rowdies
GK 0   Jack Brand
D 19   Bob Iarusci
DF 4   Werner Roth (c)
DF 5   Carlos Alberto   20:38'
DF 23   Giuseppe Wilson
MF 15   Vito Dimitrijević   80:39'
MF 6   Franz Beckenbauer
MF 8   Vladislav Bogićević   77:36'
FW 7   Dennis Tueart   83:35'
FW 9   Giorgio Chinaglia
FW 11   Steve Hunt
Substitutes:
MF 12   Seninho   80:39'
MF 14   Terry Garbett   77:36'
FW 24   Garry Ayre   83:35'
MF 3   Nelsi Morais
MF 17   Rick Davis
FW 18   Fred Grgurev
FW 21   Gary Etherington
DF 25   Santiago Formoso
GK 1   Erol Yasin
Manager:
  Eddie Firmani
GK 18   Winston DuBose
DF 19   Frantz St. Lot   56:43'
DF 3   Jim Fleeting
DF 6   Mike Connell
DF 4   Arsène Auguste   41:15'
MF 13   Mick McGuire   67:30'
MF 8   Wes McLeod
MF 11   Graham Paddon
FW 7   Steve Wegerle
FW 5   David Robb
FW 12   Peter Anderson (c)
Substitutes:
MF 26   Mirandinha   56:43'
FW 14   Joey Fink   67:30'
DF 23   Tony Crudo[21]
MF 20   Boris Bandov[22]
MF 21   Perry Van der Beck[23]
DF 15   Luis Papandrea
DF 17   Kevin Eagan
DF 22   Sandje Ivanchukov
GK 27   Nicky Johns
Manager:
  Gordon Jago

1978 NASL Champions: Cosmos

Soccer Bowl MVP:
Dennis Tueart (Cosmos)
Assistant referees:[24]
  Jim Ross
  David Socha

Television: TVS
Announcers: Jon Miller, Paul Gardner

  1. ^ The team had shortened its name from "New York Cosmos" to "Cosmos" for only the 1977–78 seasons.

Match statistics edit

First half[25]
Statistic Cosmos Tampa Bay
Goals scored 2 0
Total shots 11 5
Shots on target 6 2
Saves 2 4
Corner kicks 3 4
Fouls x x
Offsides x x
Yellow cards 1 1
Red cards 0 0
Second half[26]
Statistic Cosmos Tampa Bay
Goals scored 1 1
Total shots 9 14
Shots on target 2 6
Saves 5 1
Corner kicks 6 3
Fouls x x
Offsides x x
Yellow cards 0 0
Red cards 0 0
Overall[27]
Statistic Cosmos Tampa Bay
Goals scored 3 1
Total shots 20 19
Shots on target 8 8
Saves 7 5
Corner kicks 9 7
Fouls 15 12
Offsides 6 4
Yellow cards 1 1
Red cards 0 0

Bibliography edit

  • 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.

References edit

  1. ^ NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl – History – Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
  2. ^ NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League.
  3. ^ Tierney, Mike (January 10, 1978). "Rowdies, Strikers Mates – But Not Cosmos". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  4. ^ Schneider, Dick (August 4, 1978). "Rowdies Face Sting". Sarasota Journal. p. 4-D. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  5. ^ Tierney, Mike (August 9, 1978). "Rowdies are too powerful for Sting 3-1". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  6. ^ Tierney, Mike (August 18, 1978). "Rowdies in sudden heaven". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  7. ^ Meyer, John (August 24, 1978). "A Fitting Show For Broadway". Evening Independent. p. 1C. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  8. ^ "Minus A Star, Cosmos Shine". Evening Independent. April 3, 1978. p. 2-C. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  9. ^ "Timbers work overtime for victory". Vancouver Sun. August 10, 1978. p. C1. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  10. ^ "Willey's Five Goals Propel Kicks". Ocala Star-Banner. August 15, 1978. p. 5B. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  11. ^ "Express Fall To Strikers In OT". Lakeland Ledger. August 17, 1978. p. 4D. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "Cosmos Cut Up Timbers". Evening Independent. August 24, 1978. p. 2-C. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  13. ^ "NASL TV: A Short History". Kenn Tomasch. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  14. ^ Kleiman, Carol (May 9, 1979). "Banking on American dollars, ABC to televise NASL soccer games". Boca Raton News. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  15. ^ Meyer, John (August 28, 1978). "Rowdies Were Mugged". Evening Independent. p. 1C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  16. ^ Gammon, Clive (September 4, 1978). "Two In A Row For The Cosmos". Sports Illustrated. pp. 18–21. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  17. ^ Schneider, Dick (August 28, 1978). "Rowdies' Mistakes Not Forgiven". Lakeland Ledger. p. 1D. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  18. ^ Tierney, Mike (August 28, 1978). "Cosmos still rulers of NASL". St. Petersburg Times. p. 5-C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  19. ^ "Cosmos triumph over Tampa Bay". Montreal Gazette. August 28, 1978. p. 44. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  20. ^ "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search".
  21. ^ "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993): Rowdies Memorabilia - Tony Crudo's Game Worn Jersey". June 22, 2009.
  22. ^ "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993): Rowdies Memorabilia - Boris Bandov's Game Worn Jersey". June 22, 2009.
  23. ^ "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993): Rowdies Memorabilia - Perry van der Beck Game Worn Jersey". August 2012.
  24. ^ TVS Broadcast footage
  25. ^ TVS Broadcast footage
  26. ^ Subtracted final stats from TVS halftime stats
  27. ^ Tierney, Mike (August 28, 1978). "Cosmos still rulers of NASL". St. Petersburg Times. p. 5-C. Retrieved June 17, 2012.

External links edit

  • Highlights of the game on YouTube
  • The Year in American Soccer – 1978

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