NASL Final 1971

NASL Final 1971
Event	NASL Final
	(Best-of-three series)
Game 1
	after extra time
Date	September 12, 1971
Venue	Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance	3,218
Game 2
Date	September 15, 1971
Venue	Franklin Stadium, Dallas
Attendance	6,456
Game 3
Date	September 19, 1971
Venue	Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance	4,687
	← 1970 1972 →

NASL Final 1971 was the championship series of the 1971 season. It was contested as a best-of-three series between the Dallas Tornado and the Atlanta Chiefs. The matches were held on September 9, 15, and 19, 1971. Games one and three were played at Atlanta Stadium, in Atlanta, Georgia. Game two was played at Franklin Stadium of Hillcrest High School in Dallas. A combined 14,361 people attended the three game series.^[1] The Chiefs won game one, while the Tornado won games two and three to claim their first NASL championship.^[2]^[3]

Background

The Dallas Tornado qualified for the playoffs by virtue of having the highest non-division-winning point total in the league (119 points). They defeated the defending league champion Rochester Lancers 2–1 in a marathon best-of-three semifinal series. The series featured two of the longest matches in the sport's history due to the NASL's adoption of a sudden death rule to replace the penalty shootout. The first leg ended shortly before midnight on September 1 with a victory for Rochester after 176 minutes and required six overtime periods; the third leg lasted 148 minutes with four overtime periods and sent the Tornado to the final with a 2–1 win.^[4]^[5]

The Atlanta Chiefs qualified for the playoffs by winning the Southern Division with 120 points. The Chiefs then defeated the New York Cosmos in the semifinals with two wins and no goals conceded.

Series summary

Champion	Runner-up	Game 1	Venue 1	Game 2	Venue 2	Game 3	Venue 3	Result
Dallas Tornado	Atlanta Chiefs	1–2	Atlanta Stadium	4–1	Franklin Stadium	2–0	Atlanta Stadium	2–1 ^{[note 1]}

Notes

^ Result on games won, as a best-of-three series.

Match details

First leg

September 12

Atlanta Chiefs	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Dallas Tornado
da Veiga 72' Motaung 124'	Report	Molnár 41'

Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta

Attendance: 3,218

Atlanta Chiefs

Dallas Tornado

Second leg

September 15

Dallas Tornado	4–1	Atlanta Chiefs
Tinney 45' Juracy 54', 76' Tony McLoughlin	Report 1 Report 2	Largie 44'

Franklin Stadium, Dallas

Attendance: 6,456

Dallas Tornado ^[6]

Atlanta Chiefs

Playoff

September 19

Atlanta Chiefs	0–2	Dallas Tornado^[7]
	Report 1 Report 2	Renshaw 3' Moffat 45'

Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta

Attendance: 4,687

Atlanta Chiefs ^[8]

Dallas Tornado


GK	1	Manfred Kammerer
DF		Alan Hamlyn
DF	5	Ken Bracewell (c)
DF	6	Henry Largie
DF	3	John Cocking
DF	11	Uriel da Veiga
MF	12	Alec Papadakis
MF	10	Danny Paton
FW	15	Freddie Mwila
FW	9	Nick Papadakis
FW	24	Kaizer Motaung
Manager:
Vic Rouse


GK	16	Mirko Stojanovic
DF	5	Dick Hall
DF	3	Oreco
DF	4	John Best (c)
DF	12	Momčilo Gavrić
MF	14	Bobby Moffat
MF	6	Roy Turner
FW	18	Phillip Tinney
FW	9	Luiz Juracy
FW	10	Tony McLoughlin
FW	11	Mike Renshaw
Manager:
Ron Newman

1971 NASL Champions: Dallas Tornado

References

^ "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". September 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
^ NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
^ NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013.
^ Lewis, Michael (September 1, 2015). "Exhaustion and a 176th minute winner: The NASL game that lasted nearly three hours". The Guardian. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
^ Arnold, Jong (October 8, 2021). "Fifty years later, Dallas Tornado's NASL title still resonates in soccer community". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
^ http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/Tornado/Tornado%2071%20Road%20Tony%20McLauglin,%20Chiefs.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". September 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
^ "1971 NASL Finals Highlights - YouTube". YouTube.

External links

Match highlights on YouTube

[points-6] Result on games won, as a best-of-three series.

[1] "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". September 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

[2] NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.

[3] NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013.

[4] Lewis, Michael (September 1, 2015). "Exhaustion and a 176th minute winner: The NASL game that lasted nearly three hours". The Guardian. Retrieved May 31, 2023.

[5] Arnold, Jong (October 8, 2021). "Fifty years later, Dallas Tornado's NASL title still resonates in soccer community". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 31, 2023.

[7] ttp://www.nasljerseys.com/images/Tornado/Tornado%2071%20Road%20Tony%20McLauglin,%20Chiefs.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[8] "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". September 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2016.

[9] "1971 NASL Finals Highlights - YouTube". YouTube.

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[note 1]

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v t e North American Soccer League (1968–1984)
Broadcasters USSF CSA Portal NASL (2011–2017) First overall draft picks
Seasons	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Soccer Bowls	1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Predecessors	USA 1967 Final NPSL 1967 Final
Indoor seasons	1971 1975 1976 1978 1979 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1983 1983–84
Conferences	1968 East West 1976–1977 Atlantic Pacific 1978–1980 American National
Related	Soccer Bowl broadcasters NASL Indoor Championship
Clubs	Atlanta Apollos Atlanta Chiefs Baltimore Bays Baltimore Comets Boston Beacons Boston Minutemen Boston Shamrock Rovers† Calgary Boomers California Surf Chicago Mustangs Chicago Spurs² Chicago Sting Cleveland Stokers Caribous of Colorado Connecticut Bicentennials Dallas Tornado Denver Dynamos Detroit Cougars Detroit Express Edmonton Drillers Fort Lauderdale Strikers Golden Bay Earthquakes Hartford Bicentennials Houston Hurricane Houston Stars Jacksonville Tea Men Kansas City Spurs Las Vegas Quicksilvers Los Angeles Aztecs Los Angeles Wolves Memphis Rogues Miami Gatos Miami Toros Minnesota Kicks Minnesota Strikers Montreal Manic Montreal Olympique New England Tea Men New York Cosmos New York Generals New York Skyliners¹ Oakland Clippers Oakland Stompers Philadelphia Spartans² Philadelphia Atoms Philadelphia Fury Pittsburgh Phantoms² Portland Timbers Rochester Lancers San Antonio Thunder San Diego Jaws San Diego Sockers San Diego Toros San Francisco Golden Gate Gales¹ San Jose Earthquakes Seattle Sounders St. Louis Stars Tampa Bay Rowdies Team America Team Hawaii Toronto Blizzard Toronto City¹ Toronto Metros Toronto Metros-Croatia Tulsa Roughnecks Vancouver Royals Vancouver Whitecaps Washington Darts Washington Diplomats Washington Whips
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