Soccer Bowl '76
EventSoccer Bowl
Toronto Metros-Croatia Minnesota Kicks
3 0
DateAugust 28, 1976 (1976-08-28)
VenueKingdome, Seattle, Washington
Man of the MatchWolfgang Sühnholz
RefereeGordon Hill (England)
Attendance25,765

Soccer Bowl '76 was the championship final of the 1976 NASL season, between the Toronto Metros-Croatia and the Minnesota Kicks. The match was played on August 28, 1976 at the Kingdome, in Seattle, Washington. The Toronto Metros-Croatia won the match, 3–0, to claim their first North American championship.[1][2]

Background

The Kingdome was the venue for Soccer Bowl '76

Toronto Metros-Croatia

The Toronto Metros-Croatia qualified for the playoffs by virtue of a second-place finish in the Northern Division with 123 points. Toronto defeated the Rochester Lancers in a first round match, 2–1, on August 18, 1976. Two days later in the conference semifinals they played the Northern Division champion Chicago Sting to a 2–2 draw, and advanced on penalties, 3–1. In the Atlantic Conference finals the Metros-Croatia upset the defending champion Tampa Bay Rowdies, 2–0, on August 24, 1976, to advance to the Soccer Bowl.

Minnesota Kicks

The Minnesota Kicks qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning the Western Division with 138 points. The point total earned them the number one seed in the Pacific Conference and with it, a first round playoff bye. The Kicks defeated the Seattle Sounders in the conference semifinals, 3–0, on August 21, 1976. Four days later they downed the Southern Division champion San Jose Earthquakes, 3–1, in the Pacific Conference finals played on August 25, 1975, to advance to the Soccer Bowl.

Match details

Toronto Metros-Croatia3–0Minnesota Kicks
Eusébio 40:28'
Lukačević 53:57' (Ferreira)
Ferreira 82:43'		 Report
Attendance: 25,765
Toronto Metros-Croatia
Minnesota Kicks
GK1Canada Željko Bilecki
DF14Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Damir Šutevskidownward-facing red arrow
DF6Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mladen Cukon
DF4Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Filip Blašković
DF2Canada Robert Iarusci
MF3Poland Tadeusz Polak
MF10Portugal Eusébio (c)
MF5Germany Wolfgang Sühnholz
FW11Brazil Ivair Ferreira
FW9Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ivan Lukačević
FW12Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ivan Grnja
Substitutes:[7]
MF7Canada Gene Strenicerupward-facing green arrow
MF8Canada Carmine Marcantonio
DF16Canada Chris Horrocks
FW18Canada Bruno Pilaš
Manager:
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Domagoj Kapetanović
GK1England Geoff Barnett
DF5England Steve Litt
DF4England Peter Brine
DF6England Alan Merrick (c)
DF3England Frank Spraggon
MF11South Africa Patrick Ntsoelengoedownward-facing red arrow
MF17United States Sam Bick
MF10England Alan West
FW21England Ade Coker
FW18England Ron Futcher
FW9England Alan Willey
Substitutes:[8]
DF2England Ron Webster
FW7United States Mike Flater
MF8United States Tom Howeupward-facing green arrow
DF12England Peter Short
MF17United States Sam Bick
Manager:
England Freddie Goodwin

1976 NASL Champions: Toronto Metros-Croatia

Soccer Bowl MVP:
Wolfgang Sühnholz (Toronto)

Assistant referees:

Television: CBS, CBC
Announcers: Jon Miller[9][10]

Statistics

Overall[11]
Statistic Toronto Minnesota
Goals scored 3 0
Total shots 17 15
On target 11 6
Saves 6 8
Yellow cards  ?  ?
Red cards 0 0

See also

References

  1. ↑ NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
  2. ↑ NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League.
  3. ↑ "Soccer Bowl '76 scheduled today". The Times-Standard (Eureka, CA). August 28, 1976. p. 9. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  4. ↑ "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search".
  5. ↑ Weinstein, Leo (August 29, 1976). "Canadians rip Kicks, win crown". San Francisco Examiner. p. C-1. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  6. ↑ "1976 Soccer Bowl Toronto Metro Croatia vs Minnesota Kicks highlights (Film) NASL". YouTube.
  7. ↑ Jose, Colin (1989). NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League. Derby, England: Breedon Books. p. 162.
  8. ↑ Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, NJ: St. Johann Press. p. 380.
  9. ↑ Miller, Hyman, Jon W., Mark (2000). Confessions of a Baseball Purist: What's Right, and Wrong, with Baseball, as ... JHU Press. p. 169. ISBN 9780801863165.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ Lalas, Greg (August 24, 2011). "Soccer Almanac: The explosion of soccer on TV". MLSsoccer.com.
  11. ↑ "Toronto trips Kicks for NASL title, 3-0". Baltimore Sun. August 29, 1976. p. B14. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
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