Soccer Bowl '82 was the championship final of the 1982 NASL season. The New York Cosmos advanced to the Soccer Bowl for the third consecutive year and took on the Seattle Sounders in a rematch of Soccer Bowl '77. The match was played on September 18, 1982, at Jack Murphy Stadium, in San Diego, California. New York won, 1–0, and were crowned the 1982 NASL champions. This was the Cosmos' fifth North American championship and fourth in the past six years.
Background
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos won the Eastern Division with a 23-9 record and a total of 203 points. They defeated the Tulsa Roughnecks in the quarterfinals by two game to one. By virtue of their two-game sweep in the semifinals against the San Diego Sockers, the Cosmos advanced to the NASL championship final for the sixth time in franchise history.
Seattle Sounders The Seattle Sounders qualified for the playoffs as the Western Division champions with an 18-14 record and a total of 166 points. In the quarterfinals they needed all three games to get past the Toronto Blizzard. Likewise their semifinal match-up took three games to decide a winner. Seattle's two games to one defeat of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers earned the Sounders their second ever trip to the Soccer Bowl.
Game summary Usual Cosmos starters Steve Moyers, Johan Neeskens and Wim Rijsbergen were injured and unavailable for the match.Fritz the Flood: Soccer Bowl 1982 New York Cosmos Seattle Sounders, November 21, 2011. Seattle dominated the first half outshooting New York, 10–5. Numerous Sounders' chances were either squandered with shots slightly off the mark, or gobbled up by Cosmos goalie, Hubert Birkenmeier. In the 31st minute, and against the run of play, New York sweeper, Carlos Alberto, picked up the ball in midfield and passed it to Julio César Romero. Romero slid the ball to Giorgio Chinaglia on the right side of the penalty area. With his back to goal and using his body to shield the ball, the Cosmos' captain maneuvered to his leftaround Seattle defender, Benny Dargle, and from 12 yards out shot to the left. Goalkeeper Paul Hammond got a piece of it, 1982 Seattle Sounders Highlights (3:25): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMPt3a7dUfM but the ball nevertheless caromed just inside the left post for the game's only goal. The second half saw considerably less action with New York content to protect their slim lead.
Match details
GK 1 Hubert BirkenmeierDF 2 Andranik Eskandarian DF 4 Jeff DurganDF 5 Carlos Alberto DF 18 Boris BandovMF 8 Vladislav BogićevićMF 7 Julio César RomeroMF 6 Rick DavisMF 17 Steve HuntFW 19 Roberto Cabañas FW 9 Giorgio Chinaglia (c)Substitutes:MF 14 Steve Wegerle DF 3 Robert Iarusci FW 11 Seninho GK 21 David Brcic Manager: Júlio Mazzei GK 1 Paul HammondDF 13 Nicky Reid DF 14 Benny DargleDF 2 Ray Evans DF 16 Jeff StockMF 3 Kenny HibbittMF 11 Gary Mills MF 4 Alan Hudson (c)MF 10 Steve DaleyFW 9 Peter Ward FW7 Mark Peterson Substitutes:DF 5 Ian Bridge FW 8 Roger Davies Manager: Alan Hinton 1982 NASL Champions: New York Cosmos Soccer Bowl MVP: Giorgio Chinaglia (New York) Assistant referees: Robert Evans Robert Allen
Television: USA Network (cable) Announcers: Spencer Ross, Werner Roth
Match statistics +First HalfStatistic New York SeattleGoals scored 1 0Total shots 5 10Shots on target 3 3Saves 3 2Corner kicks 0 5+Second HalfStatistic New York SeattleGoals scored 0 0Total shots 13 3Shots on target 2 0Saves 0 2Corner kicks 5 2+Overall TotalsStatistic New York SeattleGoals scored 1 0Total shots 18 13Shots on target 5 3Saves 3 4Corner kicks 5 7
See also 1982 North American Soccer League season
References