NASL Final 1972

NASL Final 1972
Hofstra Stadium hosted the Final
EventNASL Final
DateAugust 26, 1972 (1972-08-26)
VenueHofstra Stadium, Hempstead, New York
RefereeRoger Schott (United States)
Attendance6,102
1971
1973

The 1972 NASL Final was the championship match of the 1972 season, between the New York Cosmos and the St. Louis Stars. The match was played on August 26, 1972 at Hofstra Stadium, in Hempstead, New York. The New York Cosmos won the match, 2–1, and were crowned the 1972 NASL champions.

Background

St. Louis Stars

The St. Louis Stars qualified for the playoffs by winning the Southern Division with 69 points. This guaranteed them at least one home playoff game. They defeated the 1970 champions, the Rochester Lancers, 2–0, in a semifinal game played on August 15, 1972 to advance to the final.

New York Cosmos

The New York Cosmos qualified for the playoffs by winning the Northern Division with 77 points. They also had the highest point-total in the NASL, and therefore were guaranteed home field throughout the playoffs. They defeated the defending champion Dallas Tornado, 1–0, in a semifinal game played on August 19, 1972 to advance to the final.

Game summary

The Cosmos took an early lead after league MVP Randy Horton headed winger Roby Young's corner kick off the crossbar and in at 4:23. The lead would be last through the intermission, until Casey Frankiewicz, the Stars' player/coach, tied the game seven minutes after the restart. Frankiewicz's goal was the source of some controversy as referee Roger Schott initially ruled the play offside. Multiple Stars players appealed to linesman Bill Maxwell who ruled the play good. Schott subsequently reversed his decision and allowed the goal to stand.

Late in the rain-soaked game with New York applying pressure, Cosmos' midfielder John Kerr was fouled in the penalty area by St. Louis defender Gary Rensing. Schott promptly awarded New York a penalty, which Josef Jelínek buried at 4:19 from time. Two minutes later with tempers flaring, as St. Louis pressed for the equalizer, Cosmos defender Werner Roth was sent off, leaving New York a man short for the final two minutes of the match. In a furious push at the end, forward Willy Roy found the net for St. Louis with only thirteen second remaining. Like before, Roger Schott again ruled the Stars offside. But unlike the previous occasion, the Stars' appeals to both the referee and linesman fell on deaf ears this time, giving New York the title.

Championship results

New York Cosmos2–1St. Louis Stars
Horton 5'
Jelínek 86' (pen.)
Report 1
Report 2
Frankiewicz 52' (Sewell)
Attendance: 6,102
Referee: Roger Schott (United States)
NY Cosmos
SL Stars
GK 0 England Richard Blackmore
DF 19 Poland Karol Kapienski
DF 4 United States Werner Roth Red card 88'
DF 22 Poland Dieter Zajdel
DF 2 United States Barry Mahy (c)
MF 6 Canada John Kerr
MF 15 United States Sigi Stritzl
MF 10 Czechoslovakia Josef Jelínek downward-facing red arrow
FW 16 Bermuda Randy Horton Yellow card
FW 17 Ghana Willie Mfum downward-facing red arrow
FW 8 Israel Roby Young
Substitutes:
FW 20 Trinidad and Tobago Everald Cummings upward-facing green arrow
DF 24 United States Gordon Bradley upward-facing green arrow
Manager:
United States Gordon Bradley
GK 1 United States Mike Winter
DF 2 England John Sewell
DF 3 England Wilf Tranter
DF 15 United States Steve Frank downward-facing red arrow
DF 5 Poland Joe Puls
MF 8 United States Pat McBride
MF 16 United States Gary Rensing
MF 7 United States Larry Hausmann
FW 11 Poland Casey Frankiewicz
FW 20 United States Gene Geimer
FW 10 United States Willy Roy
Substitutes:
MF 19 Ghana Yao Kankam upward-facing green arrow
Manager:
Poland Casey Frankiewicz

1972 NASL Champions: New York Cosmos

Man of the Match:

Assistant referees:
United States Bill Maxwell
United States Bob Sumpter

Statistics

Statistic New York St. Louis
Goals scored 2 1
Total shots 28 23
Shots on target 9 8
Saves 7 7
Corner kicks 5 10
Fouls 20 19
Offsides 1 3
Yellow cards 1 0
Red cards 1 0

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-11-12 15:03 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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