The 2015 North American Soccer League season was the 48th season of Division II soccer in the United States and the fifth season of the North American Soccer League. It was contested by eleven teams including two from Canada. Jacksonville Armada FC made their NASL debut this season. The defending Soccer Bowl champions were the San Antonio Scorpions, while Minnesota United FC were the defending North American Supporters' Trophy winners. A split season format was used for the 2015 season.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Personnel and sponsorship
Team Head coach Captain Kit producer Shirt sponsorAtlanta Silverbacks Gary Smith Simon MensingReto SportsCarolina RailHawks Colin Clarke Connor TobinAdidasBlue Cross Blue Shield of NCFC Edmonton Colin Miller Albert WatsonAdidasThe Fath GroupFort Lauderdale Strikers Günter Kronsteiner Iván GuerreroNikeAzul AirlinesIndy Eleven Tim Regan (interim) Kristian NichtDiadoraHondaJacksonville Armada FC Eric Dade (interim) Marcos FloresNikeWinn-DixieMinnesota United FC Manny Lagos Aaron PitchkolanInariaAtomic Data / Mall of AmericaNew York Cosmos Giovanni Savarese Carlos MendesNikeEmiratesOttawa Fury FC Marc Dos Santos Richie RyanAdmiralThe Heart and CrownSan Antonio Scorpions Alen Marcina Adrian CannNikeToyotaTampa Bay Rowdies Stuart Campbell Marcelo SaragosaNikeHard Rock
Player transfers
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Atlanta Silverbacks Alejandro PomboEnd of interim periodNovember 2, 2014Pre-Season Gary SmithDecember 23, 2014 Fort Lauderdale Strikers Günter KronsteinerNot ReturningDecember 5, 2014Pre-Season Marcelo NeveleffJanuary 19, 2015 Jacksonville ArmadaExpansion team June 14, 2014 Tampa Bay Rowdies FiredNovember 18, 2014Pre-Season December 3, 2014 Jacksonville Armada ResignedMay 22, 20156th June 14, 2015 Indy Eleven FiredJune 2, 201511th (interim) June 2, 2015 Fort Lauderdale Strikers ResignedJune 7, 201510th (interim) June 7, 2015 Fort Lauderdale Strikers (interim)End of interim periodJune 30, 20158th Günter Kronsteiner June 30, 2015 Tampa Bay Rowdies FiredAugust 21, 201510th Stuart Campbell August 26, 2015 Jacksonville Armada FiredSeptember 21, 201511th Eric Dade (interim) September 21, 2015
Spring season
The Spring season began on April 4 and ended on June 13. The schedule featured a single round robin format with each team playing every other team in the league a single time. Each team hosted 5 home games and played 5 road games. The winner of the Spring season earned one of four berths in the playoffs, known as The Championship.
Standings
Results
Fall season The Fall season began on July 4 and ended on November 1. The schedule featured each team playing every other team in the league once at home and once away. The winner of the Fall season earned one of four berths in The Championship.
Standings
Results
Playoffs The Championship, culminating with Soccer Bowl 2015, was contested by the winners of the spring and fall seasons hosting the next best two teams in the full year regular season table. The half-season champions earned the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, with the higher seed going to the team with the better full-season record. The two next-best teams earned the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds. The semi-finals had the No. 1 seed hosting the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed hosting the No. 3 seed. The winners met in the Soccer Bowl 2015 hosted by the team with the higher seed.
Combined standings
The Championship
Participants New York Cosmos (Spring season champion) Ottawa Fury (Fall season champion) Minnesota United Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Bracket
Semifinals
Soccer Bowl 2015
Attendance
ClubIndy Eleven 15 10,5248,500 %Minnesota United 15 9,418 5,890 %Jacksonville Armada 15 16,164 5,652 N/ASan Antonio Scorpions 15 8,053 4,105 %Tampa Bay Rowdies 15 7,010 4,219 %Ottawa Fury 15 6,899 3,023 %New York Cosmos 15 12,550 3,326 %Carolina RailHawks 15 7,217 3,055 %Fort Lauderdale Strikers 15 11,691 1,278 %Atlanta Silverbacks 15 5,511 2,302 %FC Edmonton 15 4,2401,112% Total 165 16,164 1,112 % Source: NASL
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Stefano Pinho Fort Lauderdale Strikers162 Christian Ramirez Minnesota United123 Nacho Novo Carolina RailHawks114 Omar Cummings San Antonio Scorpions105 Rafael Castillo San Antonio Scorpions8 Leo Fernandes New York Cosmos Daryl Fordyce Edmonton Marlon Freitas Fort Lauderdale Strikers Tom Heinemann Ottawa Fury Lance Laing Edmonton Raúl New York Cosmos Source:
Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Georgi Hristov Tampa Bay Rowdies9 Tiyi Shipalane Carolina RailHawks3 Billy Forbes San Antonio Scorpions84 Jaime Chavez Atlanta Silverbacks7 Lance Laing Edmonton Stefano Pinho Fort Lauderdale Strikers Siniša Ubiparipović Ottawa Fury8 Khalif Alhassan Minnesota United6 Junior Burgos Atlanta Silverbacks Christian Ramirez Minnesota United Kevin Venegas Minnesota United
Source:
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleanSheets1 Romuald PeiserOttawa Fury142 Jimmy MaurerNew York Cosmos123 Sammy NdjockMinnesota United7 Matt PickensTampa Bay Rowdies5 Matt Van OekelEdmonton66 Steward CeusAtlanta Silverbacks57 Daniel FernandesSan Antonio Scorpions4 Akira FitzgeraldCarolina RailHawks Miguel GallardoJacksonville Armada David MevesFort Lauderdale Strikers Source: NASL
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Fort Lauderdale Strikers Indy Eleven 7–1 Fort Lauderdale Strikers San Antonio Scorpions 4–2
Awards
Monthly awards MonthNASL Player of the MonthPlayerClubStatsRefApril Jimmy Maurer New York Cosmos 12SV, 1GAMay Raúl New York Cosmos 3GJune Romuald PeiserOttawa Fury 9SV, 0GAJuly Christian RamirezMinnesota United 4G, 2AAugust Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers 6G, 1ASeptember Romuald PeiserOttawa Fury 11SV, 2GAOctober Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers 4G, 3A
Weekly awards WeekNASL Player of the WeekNASL Play of the Week Player Club Player Club Week 1 Stefan AntonijevicTampa Bay Rowdies Jemal JohnsonJacksonville Armada Week 2 PCFort Lauderdale Strikers PCFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 3 Sainey NyassiFC Edmonton Sergio PeñaIndy Eleven Week 4 Maicon SantosTampa Bay Rowdies Zourab TsiskaridzeSan Antonio Scorpions Week 5 Alhassane KeitaJacksonville Armada Omar CummingsSan Antonio Scorpions Week 6 Carlos MendesNew York Cosmos Bochy HoyosJacksonville Armada Week 7 Billy ForbesSan Antonio Scorpions Andrés FloresNew York Cosmos Week 8 RaúlNew York Cosmos Nicki PatersonOttawa Fury Week 9 Kyle HylandIndy Eleven Lionel BrownFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 10 Victor PinedaIndy Eleven Brian ShriverTampa Bay Rowdies Week 11 Pascal MillienJacksonville Armada Hagop ChirishianNew York Cosmos Week 12 Lance LaingFC Edmonton Wojciech WojcikIndy Eleven Week 13 Omar CummingsSan Antonio Scorpions Wojciech WojcikIndy Eleven Week 14 Nacho NovoCarolina RailHawks Jaime ChavezAtlanta Silverbacks Week 15 Carl HaworthOttawa Fury Dylan MaresIndy Eleven Week 16 Rafael AlvesOttawa Fury Pedro MendesAtlanta Silverbacks Week 17 Pedro MendesAtlanta Silverbacks Junior BurgosAtlanta Silverbacks Week 18 Jaime CastrillónJacksonville Armada Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 19 Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Justin DavisMinnesota United Week 20 Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Week 21 Zach SteinbergerIndy Eleven Marvin CeballosIndy Eleven Week 22 Rafael CastilloSan Antonio Scorpions Pablo CamposMinnesota United Week 23 Siniša UbiparipovićOttawa Fury Pedro MendesAtlanta Silverbacks Week 24 Tom HeinemannOttawa Fury Kalif AlhassanMinnesota United Week 25 Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Kris TyrpakSan Antonio Scorpions Week 26 Pablo CamposMinnesota United Giuseppe GentileSan Antonio Scorpions Week 27 Stefano PinhoFort Lauderdale Strikers Brad RingIndy Eleven Week 28 Richard MenjivarTampa Bay Rowdies Mechack JérômeJacksonville Armada Week 29 RaúlNew York Cosmos Junior BurgosAtlanta Silverbacks
League awards
Golden Ball (MVP): Stefano Pinho (Fort Lauderdale Strikers) Golden Boot: Stefano Pinho (Fort Lauderdale Strikers) Golden Glove: Romuald Peiser (Ottawa Fury) Coach of the Year: Marc Dos Santos (Ottawa Fury) Goal of the Year: Junior Burgos (Atlanta Silverbacks) Young (U24) Player of the Year: Leo Fernandes (New York Cosmos) Humanitarian of the Year: Drew Beckie (Ottawa Fury) Fair Play Award: Ottawa Fury
NASL Best XIPositionPlayerTeam Goalkeeper Romuald Peiser Ottawa Fury Defense Rafael Alves Ottawa Fury Defense Justin Davis Minnesota United Defense Carlos Mendes New York Cosmos Defense Kevin Venegas Minnesota United Midfield Richie Ryan Ottawa Fury Midfield Lance Laing FC Edmonton Midfield Ibson Minnesota United Midfield James Marcelin Fort Lauderdale Strikers Forward Stefano Pinho Fort Lauderdale Strikers Forward Christian Ramirez Minnesota United
References
External links