1977 North American Soccer League playoffs

The 1977 North American Soccer League playoffs began on August 10 and ended on August 28 with Soccer Bowl '77 at Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon. 12 out of 18 teams qualified after a 26-match regular season, six from each conference.

Main article: 1977 North American Soccer League season
1977 North American Soccer League Playoffs
CountryUnited States
Canada
Teams12
Defending championsToronto Metros-Croatia
ChampionsCosmos
Runners-upSeattle Sounders
Matches played17
Goals scored54 (3.18 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Italy Giorgio Chinaglia
(9 goals)
← 1976
1978 →

Playoff format

The top three teams in each division would quality for the playoffs, similar to the 1976 playoffs.[1] The first round and the Soccer Bowl were single games, but the division championships and conference championships were two-game series. If teams were tied at one win apiece at the conclusion of Game 2, there would be a 30-minute sudden death mini-game and a shootout if necessary.[2]

Playoff seeds

Eastern Division
  1. Fort Lauderdale Strikers – Eastern Division champions, 161 points
  2. Cosmos – 140 points
  3. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 131 points

Northern Division
  1. Toronto Metros-Croatia – Northern Division champions, 111 points
  2. St. Louis Stars – 104 points
  3. Rochester Lancers – 99 points

Southern Division
  1. Dallas Tornado – Southern Division champions, 161 points
  2. Los Angeles Aztecs – 147 points
  3. San Jose Earthquakes – 119 points

Western Division
  1. Minnesota Kicks – Western Division champions, 137 points
  2. Vancouver Whitecaps – 124 points
  3. Seattle Sounders – 119 points

Bracket
First Round Division Championships Conference Championships Soccer Bowl '77
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3 2(0)
Cosmos 3 Cosmos 8 3(3)
Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 Cosmos 2 4
Rochester Lancers 1 1
Toronto Metros-Croatia 0(2) 0
St. Louis Stars 0(2) Rochester Lancers 1(3) 1
Rochester Lancers 1(4) Cosmos 2
Seattle Sounders 1
Dallas Tornado 1 1
Los Angeles Aztecs 2 Los Angeles Aztecs 3 5
San Jose Earthquakes 1 Los Angeles Aztecs 1 0
Seattle Sounders 3 1
Minnesota Kicks 1 0
Vancouver Whitecaps 0 Seattle Sounders 2 1
Seattle Sounders 2

First round

(E2) Cosmos vs. (E3) Tampa Bay Rowdies
Cosmos3–0Tampa Bay Rowdies
Pelé 58:16' (Hunt)
Chinaglia 70:24' (Hunt, Field)
Pelé 89:51' (Hunt, Chinaglia)		 Report
Attendance: 57,828

(N2) St. Louis Stars vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers
St. Louis Stars0–1(SO)Rochester Lancers
Penalties
Burnett soccer ball with check mark
Matteson soccer ball with check mark
Evans soccer ball with red X
Binney soccer ball with red X		 2–4 soccer ball with red X Silva
soccer ball with check mark Pollihan
soccer ball with check mark Reynolds
soccer ball with check mark Pedro
soccer ball with check mark Stojanovic
Attendance: 7,137

(S2) Los Angeles Aztecs vs. (S3) San Jose Earthquakes
Los Angeles Aztecs2–1(OT)San Jose Earthquakes
Best 85:06'
Mihailovich gold-colored soccer ball 92:28' 		Mitic 60:57'
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 4,038

(W2) Vancouver Whitecaps vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders
Vancouver Whitecaps0–2Seattle Sounders
Machin 18:17' (Ord)
Ord 83:34' (Robertson)
Attendance: 21,925

Division Finals

(E1) Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. (E2) Cosmos
Cosmos8–3Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Hunt 1:37' (Chinaglia)
Beckenbauer 11:37' (Hunt, Field)
Chinaglia 16:19' (Beckenbauer)
Hunt 25:14'
Field 55:29' (Alberto, Roth)
Chinaglia 56:23' (Alberto)
Chinaglia 62:29' (Field)
Etherington 67:49' (Morais)		 Whittle 17:25'
Piper 63:06' (Aguirre)
Whittle 68:17'
Attendance: 77,691
Fort Lauderdale Strikers2–3(SO)Cosmos
Irving 12:45' (Hudson)
Whittle 62:15'		 Pelé 61:09'
Chinaglia 84:17' (Alberto)
Penalties
Piper soccer ball with red X
Nanchoff soccer ball with red X
Proctor soccer ball with red X		 0–3 soccer ball with check mark Hunt
soccer ball with check mark Sono
soccer ball with red X Mifflin
soccer ball with check mark Garbett
Attendance: 14,152

Cosmos win series 2–0

(N1) Toronto Metros-Croatia vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers
Rochester Lancers1–0(SO)
(3-2)		Toronto Metros-Croatia
Attendance: 10,556
Toronto Metros-Croatia0–1Rochester Lancers
Bilecki Red card 78:35' report Costa Red card 19:32'
Fazlić Red card 43:56'
Silva 78:35'
Attendance: 8,362
Referee: John Davies (England)

Rochester wins series 2–0

(S1) Dallas Tornado vs. (S2) Los Angeles Aztecs
Los Angeles Aztecs2–1Dallas Tornado
Mihailovich 23:12' (Best)
Cohen 77:05' (Mihailovich)		 Pecher 43:24' (Ryan)
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 5,295
Dallas Tornado1–5Los Angeles Aztecs
O'Hare 72:13' Cohen 40:30' (Best)
Best 66:55' (Mihailovich)
Rys 78:04'
Backos 80:46'
Cooke 81:33' (Best)
Attendance: 18,489

Los Angeles wins series 2–0

(W1) Minnesota Kicks vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders
Minnesota Kicks1–2(OT)Seattle Sounders
Futcher 81:31' (Price, West) Ord 86:24' (Butler)
Butler gold-colored soccer ball 90:21'
Attendance: 35,889
Seattle Sounders1–0Minnesota Kicks
Ord 58:28' (pen.)
Attendance: 42,091

Seattle wins series 2–0

Conference Finals

(E2) Cosmos vs. (N3) Rochester Lancers
Rochester Lancers1–2Cosmos
Stojanovic 16:50' (Costa, Escos) Chinaglia 39:50' (Pelé, Field)
Hunt 42:45' (Pelé)
Attendance: 20,005
Cosmos4–1Rochester Lancers
Chinaglia 16:05' (Hunt)
Chinaglia 22:59' (Hunt)
Dimitrijevic 47:33' (Pelé)
Pelé 59:11'		 Silva 53:41' (Pedro)
Attendance: 73,669

Cosmos win series 2–0

(S2) Los Angeles Aztecs vs. (W3) Seattle Sounders
Los Angeles Aztecs1–3Seattle Sounders
McAlinden 15:33' (Cooke) Robertson 38:45'
Buttle 62:47' (McAlister)
Cave 66:23' (Robertson)
Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 9,115
Seattle Sounders1–0Los Angeles Aztecs
Scott 13:29' (Robertson)
Attendance: 56,256

Seattle wins series 2–0

Soccer Bowl '77
Main article: Soccer Bowl '77
Cosmos2–1Seattle Sounders
Hunt 19:05'
Chinaglia 77:19' (Hunt)		 Ord 23:13' (Cave)
Attendance: 35,548
Referee: Toros Kibritjan (USA)

References
  1. "NASL Makes Changes In Schedule, Playoff". Evening Independent. October 15, 1976. p. 5-C. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  2. Saunders, Jack (August 17, 1977). "Some NASL Playoff Victories Worth More". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. p. 5C. Retrieved April 8, 2015.

Henderson, Jim (1978). Volkswagen 1978 Pro Soccer Guide. Tampa, Florida: Snibbe Publications.

1979 Official North American Soccer League Guide. New York: North American Soccer League. 1979.

Jose, Colin (1989). NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League. Derby, England: Breedon Books.

Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press.

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