The 1980–81 season was the North American Soccer League's second indoor soccer season.
Overview A total of 19 of a possible 21 NASL teams participated. New York and Montreal (who was moving from Philadelphia) were the only hold-outs this indoor season. Just as the season was getting underway, the Jacksonville Tea Men relocated from New England. Teams played an 18-game regular season. The four Canadian teams were realigned into one division and forced to play only one another during the regular season. This was due to early season litigation which restricted NASL teams' travel between the U.S. and Canada. The Edmonton Drillers won the championship in a two-game finals-sweep of the Chicago Sting. This was the Drillers' first, and only, NASL indoor title. Kai Haaskivi of Edmonton won both the regular season and playoff MVP awards.
Map of clubs
Regular season W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games behind 1st place, % = Winning percentage, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against1983 Official North American Soccer League Guide Eastern DivisionWLGB%GFGA Atlanta Chiefs135 – .7229775 Tampa Bay Rowdies994.500126120Jacksonville Tea Men8105.44496 102Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1 1712.056 58 125
Central DivisionWLGB%GFGAChicago Sting135 – .722146103Minnesota Kicks1261.6679373 Detroit Express7 116.389 90106
Southern DivisionWLGB%GFGA California Surf 108 – .556104118Tulsa Roughnecks9 91.500111113 Dallas Tornado 7113.389110125San Diego Sockers6 124.333106121
Northern DivisionWLGB%GFGA Vancouver Whitecaps117 – .6119196 Edmonton Drillers 108 1.556 128 109 Calgary Boomers1081.55610094 Toronto Blizzard5136.278101121
Western DivisionWLGB%GFGALos Angeles Aztecs 117 – .61111899 Portland Timbers1081.55611093San Jose Earthquakes1081.556118115 Seattle Sounders992.50010698
NASL All-Stars All-star selections were made, by region, by the NASL coaches and general managers. Each voter cast ballots for one goalie and five outfield players regardless of position. All-North team Position All-East team Position All-West team Bruce Grobbelaar, Vancouver G Tino Lettieri, Minnesota G Mike Hewitt, San Jose – D Björn Nordqvist, Minnesota D Mihalj Keri, Los Angeles Gerry Gray, Vancouver M – M Alan Hudson, Seattle Carl Valentine, Vancouver F Steve Wegerle, Tampa Bay F Stuart Lee, Portland Kai Haaskivi, Edmonton F Pato Margetic, Detroit F George Best, San Jose Drew Ferguson, Edmonton F Keith Furphy, Atlanta F Juli Veee, San Diego Juan Carlos Molina, Calgary F Karl-Heinz Granitza, Chicago F Chris Dangerfield, Los Angeles Bobby Prentice, Toronto F
Playoffs
Bracket
1st round If a playoff series is tied after two games, a 15 minute, tie breaker mini-game is played. Higher seedLower seedGame 1Game 2Mini-gameAttendanceEdmonton Drillers - Los Angeles Aztecs 8–3 10–6 x February 16 • L.A. Sports Arena • 1,621February 19 • Northlands Coliseum • 4,310Vancouver Whitecaps - California Surf 0–3 8–5 4–0 February 18 • Long Beach Arena • 472February 21 • Pacific Coliseum • 8,496Atlanta Chiefs - Minnesota Kicks 10–8 5–4 (OT) x February 16 • Met Center • 6,354February 20 • The Omni • 6,150Chicago Sting - Portland Timbers#6–2 8–7 (OT) x February 17 • Chicago Stadium • 3,254February 19 • Chicago Stadium • 6,286#Scheduling conflicts at the Portland Coliseum forced both games to be played in Chicago.
Semi-finals Higher seedLower seedGame 1Game 2Mini-gameAttendanceVancouver Whitecaps - Edmonton Drillers 7–9 4–6 x February 24 • Northlands Coliseum • 3,420 February 28 • Pacific Coliseum • 11,758Chicago Sting - Atlanta Chiefs 8–3 5–9 4–2 February 25 • The Omni • 9,187 February 28 • Chicago Stadium • 12,376
Championship finals Higher seedLower seedGame 1Game 2Mini-gameAttendanceChicago Sting - Edmonton Drillers *6–9 4–5 x March 2 • Edmonton Gardens • 5,089 March 7 • Chicago Stadium • 16,257*Scheduling conflicts at the Northlands Coliseum forced Game 1 of the Finals to be moved across the street to the Edmonton Gardens.
Championship match reports
1980–81 NASL indoor champions: Edmonton Drillers
Post season awards Most Valuable Player: Kai Haaskivi, Edmonton Finals MVP: Kai Haaskivi, Edmonton
References