Draft:1979 North American Soccer League playoffs

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1979 NASL Playoffs
Tournament details
Country	United States Canada
Teams	16
Defending champions	New York Cosmos
Final positions
Champions	Vancouver Whitecaps (1st title)
Runner-up	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Tournament statistics
Matches played	29^[a]
Playoff MVP	Alan Ball
← 1978 1980 →

Qualified teams

American Conference

East Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	Tampa Bay Rowdies	30	55	169
2	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	30	63	165

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

Central Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	Houston Hurricane	30	55	187
2	Chicago Sting	30	63	159

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

West Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	San Diego Sockers	30	50	140
2	California Surf	30	50	140

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

Wildcard qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
7	Detroit Express	30	48	132
8	Philadelphia Fury	30	51	111
9	New England Tea Men	30	38	110
10	Edmonton Drillers	30	40	88
11	San Jose Earthquakes	30	38	86
12	Memphis Rogues	30	37	73

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

National Conference

East Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	New York Cosmos	30	72	216
2	Washington Diplomats	30	58	172

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

Central Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	Minnesota Kicks	30	58	184
2	Dallas Tornado	30	50	152

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

West Division qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
1	Vancouver Whitecaps	30	52	172
2	Los Angeles Aztecs	30	54	162

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

Wildcard qualifiers
Pos	Team v t e	Pld	BP	Pts
7	Tulsa Roughnecks	30	55	139
8	Toronto Blizzard	30	49	133
9	Rochester Lancers	30	42	132
10	Seattle Sounders	30	47	125
11	Portland Timbers	30	56	122
12	Atlanta Chiefs	30	49	121

Updated to match(es) played on September 2, 1979. Source: Overall standings

Playoff seeds

In the first round, home advantage was allocated to the higher seeded team. In all subsequent rounds, teams were reseeded based on their regular season record, regardless of their initial seed based primarily off a team's division finish. The final was played at a pre-selected neutral venue, and any home advantage that could have occurred would have been coincidental.

American Conference

- 1. Houston Hurricane – Central Division winners, 187 points
- 2. Tampa Bay Rowdies – East Division winners, 169 points
- 3. San Diego Sockers – West Division winners, 140 points
- 4. Fort Lauderdale Strikers – East Division runner-up, 165 points
- 5. Chicago Sting – Central Division runner-up, 159 points
- 6. California Surf – West Division runner-up, 140 points
- 7. Detroit Express – Wildcard (Central Division), 132 points
- 8. Philadelphia Fury – Wildcard (East Division), 111 points

National Conference

- 1. New York Cosmos – East Division winners, 216 points
- 2. Minnesota Kicks – Central Division winners, 184 points
- 3. Vancouver Whitecaps – West Division winners, 172 points
- 4. Washington Diplomats – East Division runner-up, 172 points
- 5. Los Angeles Aztecs – West Division runner-up, 162 points
- 6. Dallas Tornado – Central Division runner-up, 152 points
- 7. Tulsa Roughnecks – Wildcard (Central Division), 139 points
- 8. Toronto Blizzard – Wildcard (East Division), 133 points

Bracket

Team in italics hosted the second match in the series, and the tiebreaking mini-game if it was necessary.

	First Round							Conference Semifinals							Conference Championships							Soccer Bowl '79

	A1	Houston Hurricane	1	1	–

	A8	Philadelphia Fury	2	2	–
								A2	Tampa Bay Rowdies	3(2)	1	–

								A8	Philadelphia Fury	2(0)	0	–
	A4	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	0	0	–

	A5	Chicago Sting	2	1	–
															A2	Tampa Bay Rowdies	1	3(3)	1
	American Conference
															A3	San Diego Sockers	2	2(0)	0
	A2	Tampa Bay Rowdies	3	3	–

	A7	Detroit Express	0	1	–
								A5	Chicago Sting	0	0	–

								A3	San Diego Sockers	2	1	–
	A3	San Diego Sockers	4	7	–

	A6	California Surf	2	2	–
																						A2	Tampa Bay Rowdies	1

																						N3	Vancouver Whitecaps	2
	N1	New York Cosmos	3	2	–

	N8	Toronto Blizzard	1	0	–
								N1	New York Cosmos	0	3	3

								N7	Tulsa Roughnecks	3	0	1
	N4	Washington Diplomats	1	3	–

	N5	Los Angeles Aztecs	3	4	–
															N1	New York Cosmos	0	3(3)	0(2)
	National Conference
															N3	Vancouver Whitecaps	2	2(1)	1(3)
	N2	Minnesota Kicks	1	1	–

	N7	Tulsa Roughnecks	2	2	–
								N3	Vancouver Whitecaps	2(1)	1	1

								N5	Los Angeles Aztecs	3(2)	0	0
	N3	Vancouver Whitecaps	3	2	–

	N6	Dallas Tornado	2	1	–

First Round

American Conference

(1) Houston vs. (8) Philadelphia

(2) Tampa Bay vs. (7) Detroit

(3) San Diego vs. (6) California

(4) Fort Lauderdale vs. (5) Chicago

National Conference

(1) New York vs. (8) Toronto

(2) Minnesota vs. (7) Tulsa

(3) Vancouver vs. (6) Dallas

(4) Washington vs. (5) Los Angeles

Conference Semifinals

American Conference

(2) Tampa Bay vs. (8) Philadelphia

(5) Chicago vs. (4) San Diego

Note: Despite having the lower seed, Chicago was given home advantage as they had a better regular season record (159 points) than San Diego (140 points).

22 August

Game 1

San Diego Sockers	2–0	Chicago Sting

Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Attendance: 11,561

25 August

Game 2

Chicago Sting	0–1	San Diego Sockers

Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Attendance: 15,379

San Diego won the series 2 games to 0.

National Conference

(1) New York vs. (7) Tulsa

(3) Vancouver vs. (5) Los Angeles

22 August

Game 1

Los Angeles Aztecs	3–2 (SO)	Vancouver Whitecaps
Sibbald Smeets	Report	Valentine
Penalties
	2–1

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Attendance: 21,213

25 August

Game 2

Vancouver Whitecaps	1–0	Los Angeles Aztecs
Smeets 59' (o.g.)	Report

Empire Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia

Attendance: 32,375

25 August

Mini-game

Vancouver Whitecaps	1–0	Los Angeles Aztecs
Hector 4'	[Report^[2]]

Empire Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia

Attendance: 32,375

Series tied 1–1, Vancouver won tiebreaking mini-game.

Conference Championships

American Conference

(2) Tampa Bay vs. (3) San Diego

30 August

Game 1

San Diego Sockers	2–1	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Cuéllar Wieczorkowski	Report	McLeod

Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Attendance: 20,267

2 September

Game 2

Tampa Bay Rowdies	3–2 (SO)	San Diego Sockers
Wegerle	Report	Ade Coker Sanchez
Penalties
	3–0

Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Attendance: 38,766

2 September

Mini-game

Tampa Bay Rowdies	1–0	San Diego Sockers

Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Attendance: 38,766

Series tied 1–1, Tampa Bay won tiebreaking mini-game.

National Conference

(1) New York vs. (3) Vancouver

29 August

Game 1

Vancouver Whitecaps	2–0	New York Cosmos
Johnston Whymark	Report

Empire Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia

Attendance: 32,875

1 September

Game 2

New York Cosmos	3–2 (SO)	Vancouver Whitecaps
Chinaglia 11', 39'	Report	Craven 28' Johnston 85'
Penalties
Marinho Beckenbauer Seninho Garbett	3–1	Johnston Lenarduzzi Ball Valentine

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Attendance: 44,109

1 September

Mini-game

New York Cosmos	0–1 (SO)	Vancouver Whitecaps
	Report
Penalties
Neeskens Beckenbauer Garbett Davis Morais	2–3	Lenarduzzi Bolitho Valentine Possee Ball

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Attendance: 44,109

Series tied 1–1, Vancouver won tiebreaking mini-game.

Soccer Bowl '79

September 8

2:00 pm EDT

Vancouver Whitecaps	2–1	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Whymark 12:37 Whymark 59:37 (Ball)		Van der Veen 22:25 (Anderson)

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Attendance: 50,699

Referee: Gino D'Ippolito (USA)^[3]

Notes

^ Does not include tiebreaking mini-games.

References

^ "NASL sets playoff matchups". Edmonton Journal. August 13, 1979. p. D3. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
^ Stinson, Dan (27 August 1979). "Whitecaps' journey finds them sitting pretty". Vancouver Sun. p. C1 (23).
^ Soccer Bowl '79 Media Guide. 1979. p. 8.

1979 in American soccer

« 1978

1980 »

Leagues

Men	North American Soccer League NASL Final NASL Indoor (1979–80) American Soccer League (ASL) MISL 1978–79 1979–80 NCAA Division I tournament NCAA Division II championship

Cups

International

Club competitions

CONCACAF Champions Cup

National teams

Team seasons
NASL	Fort Lauderdale Strikers New York Cosmos Portland Timbers San Jose Earthquakes Vancouver Whitecaps
NASL Indoor	1979 invitational Fort Lauderdale Strikers Tampa Bay Rowdies 1979–80 Fort Lauderdale Strikers
College	South Carolina Gamecocks

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