Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1980. This was the 13th season of the NASL.
Overview The league comprised 24 teams; for the only time in NASL history, the lineup of teams was identical to the year before, with no clubs joining or dropping out, franchise shifts or even name changes. The New York Cosmos defeated the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the finals on September 21 to win the championship. For the third time in league history the team with the most wins (Seattle) did not win the regular season due to the NASL's system of awarding bonus points for goals scored.
Changes from the previous season The 1980 season saw the regular season expand from 30 games to 32 games. Three North Americans were required to be among the eleven playing in the match for each team, up from two during the previous season.
New teams None
Teams folding None
Teams moving None
Name changes None
Map of clubs
Regular season W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= point system
6 points for a win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game. -Premiers (most points). -Best record. -Other playoff teams.
American Conference Eastern DivisionWLGFGAPTTampa Bay Rowdies (2)19136150168Fort Lauderdale Strikers (4)18146155163New England Tea Men (7)18145456154Philadelphia Fury1022426898
Central DivisionWLGFGAPTChicago Sting (1)21118050187Houston Hurricane (6)14185669130Detroit Express14185152129Memphis Rogues14184957126
Western DivisionWLGFGAPTEdmonton Drillers (3)17155851149California Surf (5)15176167144San Diego Sockers (8)16165351140San Jose Earthquakes 9234568 95
National Conference Eastern DivisionWLGFGAPTNew York Cosmos (1)24 88741213Washington Diplomats (5)17157261159Toronto Blizzard14184965128Rochester Lancers12204267109
Central DivisionWLGFGAPTDallas Tornado (3)18145758157Minnesota Kicks (6)16166656147Tulsa Roughnecks (8)15175662139Atlanta Chiefs 725348474
Western DivisionWLGFGAPTSeattle Sounders (2)25 77431207Los Angeles Aztecs (4)20126152174Vancouver Whitecaps (7)16165247139Portland Timbers15175053133
NASL All-Stars
First Team Position Second Team Honorable Mention Phil Parkes, Chicago G Jack Brand, Seattle Jan van Beveren, Fort Lauderdale Carlos Alberto, New York D Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles David Nish, Seattle Mike Connell, Tampa Bay D Wim Rijsbergen, New York John Gorman, Tampa Bay Rudi Krol, Vancouver D Peter Nogly, Edmonton Frantz Mathieu, Chicago Bruce Rioch, Seattle D John Ryan, Seattle Andranik Eskandarian, New York Franz Beckenbauer, New York M Arno Steffenhagen, Chicago Ray Hudson, Ft. Lauderdale Vladislav Bogićević, New York M Johan Neeskens, New York Ace Ntsoelengoe, Minnesota Teófilo Cubillas, Fort Lauderdale M Alan Hudson, Seattle Jomo Sono, Toronto Giorgio Chinaglia, New York F Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay Tommy Hutchison, Seattle Johan Cruyff, Washington F Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago Alan Green, Washington Roger Davies, Seattle F Luis Fernando, Los Angeles Julio César Romero, New York
Playoffs
The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs automatically. The last two spots would go to the next best teams in the conference, regardless of division. The top three conference seeds went to the division winners, seeds 4-6 went to the second place teams and the last two seeds were given wild-card berths. The winners of each successive round would be reseeded within the conference by regular season point total, regardless of first-round seeding. The Soccer Bowl remained a single game final.
In 1979 and 1980, if a playoff series was tied at one win apiece, a full 30 minute mini-game was played. If there was no winner after the 30 minutes ended, the teams would then move on to a shoot-out to determine a series winner.
Bracket
First round Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Mini-game(lower seed hosts Game 1)Minnesota Kicks - Dallas Tornado 0–1 0–2 x August 27 • Metropolitan Stadium • 17,461August 31 • Texas Stadium • 8,674San Diego Sockers - Chicago Sting 2–1 2 - 3 2–1 (SO, 3–0) August 27 • San Diego Stadium • 12,125August 30 • Comiskey Park • 12,267New England Tea Men - Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–1 0–4 x August 27 • Schaefer Stadium • 17,121August 30 • Tampa Stadium • 26,368Vancouver Whitecaps - Seattle Sounders 1–2 (OT) 1 –3 x August 27 • Empire Stadium • 27,231August 30 • Kingdome • 35,254Washington Diplomats - Los Angeles Aztecs 1–0 1–2 (SO, 4–5) 0–2 August 27 • RFK Stadium • 20,231August 30 • Rose Bowl • 14,163Houston Hurricane - Edmonton Drillers 1–2 1–0 0–1 August 27 • Astrodome • 3,902August 31 • Commonwealth Stadium • 22,059California Surf - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1–2 2–0 0–1 (SO, 2–3) August 28 • Anaheim Stadium • 2,929August 31 • Lockhart Stadium • 15,282Tulsa Roughnecks - New York Cosmos 1–3 1–8 x August 28 • Skelly Stadium • 22,890August 31 • Giants Stadium • 40,285
Conference semifinals Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Mini-game(lower seed hosts Game 1)Los Angeles Aztecs - Seattle Sounders 3–0 0–4 2–1 (SO, 2–0) September 3 • Rose Bowl • 13,466September 5 • Kingdome • 32,564Edmonton Drillers - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0–1 3–2 (SO, 2–1) 0 - 3 September 3 • Commonwealth Stadium • 18,029September 6 • Lockhart Stadium • 17,380Dallas Tornado - New York Cosmos 2–3 3–0 0–3 September 3 • Texas Stadium • 7,459September 7 • Giants Stadium • 45,153San Diego Sockers - Tampa Bay Rowdies 6–3 0–6 2–1 (SO, 2–0) September 4 • San Diego Stadium • 20,109September 7 • Tampa Stadium • 25,852
Conference Championships Lower seedHigher seedGame 1Game 2Mini-game(lower seed hosts Game 1)San Diego Sockers - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1–2 4–2 0–2 September 11 • San Diego Stadium • 27,635September 13 • Lockhart Stadium • 18,420Los Angeles Aztecs - New York Cosmos 1–2 1–3 x September 10 • Rose Bowl • 25,487September 13 • Giants Stadium • 42,324
Soccer Bowl '80
1980 NASL Champions: New York Cosmos
Post season awards Most Valuable Player: Roger Davies, Seattle Coach of the year: Alan Hinton, Seattle Rookie of the year: Jeff Durgan, New York North American Player of the Year: Jack Brand, Seattle
Average home attendance
TeamAverageNew York Cosmos 42,754Tampa Bay Rowdies 28,345Vancouver Whitecaps 26,834Seattle Sounders 24,246Tulsa Roughnecks 19,787Washington Diplomats 19,205Minnesota Kicks 18,279Toronto Blizzard 15,043Fort Lauderdale Strikers 14,279San Jose Earthquakes 13,169San Diego Sockers 12,753Los Angeles Aztecs 12,057Chicago Sting 11,672Detroit Express 11,198Edmonton Drillers 10,920Portland Timbers 10,210Memphis Rogues 9,864New England Tea Men 8,748Rochester Lancers 7,757California Surf 7,593Dallas Tornado 6,752Houston Hurricane 5,818Atlanta Chiefs 4,884Philadelphia Fury 4,465
References
External links Video of 1980 goals of the year Complete Results and Standings