1983 National Soccer League (Canada) season
The 1983 National Soccer League season was the sixthly season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in May, 1983 and concluded in early October, 1983 with the NSL Championship final where Toronto Italia secured the title against Dinamo Latino in a penalty shootout.[3] Toronto would also secure the double by defeating Toronto Panhellenic for the NSL Cup.[4] Toronto Panhellenic achieved a milestone in the league history as it won its first regular season title.[5][6]
Season | 1983 |
---|---|
Champions |
|
League cup | Toronto Italia |
Top goalscorer | Cesar Figueredo (14)[1][2] |
← 1982 1984 → |
Overview
Before the commencement of the regular outdoor season the National Soccer League (NSL) operated an indoor season for the winter months.[7][8][9] When the regular season debuted the league faced competition from the newly formed Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) as it became the country's first truly national professional soccer league.[10][11] The CPSL had an NSL presence as both Hamilton Steelers and Toronto Croatia (operated as Mississauga Croatia) were participating members in the league while still retaining reserve teams in the NSL.[12][13] The national experiment ended in a disappointing fashion as Inter-Montreal FC and Toronto Nationals departed from the league midway through the season, which forced an early postseason and ultimately collapsed after one season.[14] On the other hand, the NSL strengthen their ties with the North American Soccer League (NASL) as the Toronto Blizzard and Toronto Italia secured a talent exchange deal.[15][16][17]
The membership in the league decreased to eight teams as the Bradford Marshlanders requested a sabbatical, and Toronto Falcons joined the Liga Hispanoamerica de Football Amateur (LHFA).[18][19]
Teams
Team | City | Stadium | Manager |
---|---|---|---|
Dinamo Latino | Toronto, Ontario | Lamport Stadium | Jorge Piotti[20] |
Hamilton Steelers | Hamilton, Ontario | Brian Timmis Stadium | |
London City | London, Ontario | Cove Road Stadium | |
St. Catharines Roma | St. Catharines, Ontario | Club Roma Stadium | |
Toronto Croatia | Etobicoke, Ontario | Centennial Park Stadium | |
Toronto First Portuguese | Toronto, Ontario | Lamport Stadium | Jorge Testas[21][22] |
Toronto Italia | Etobicoke, Ontario | Centennial Park Stadium | Omar Sívori[23] Néstor Rossi[23] |
Toronto Panhellenic | Toronto, Ontario | Lamport Stadium | Germán Sánchez[24] |
Hamilton London St. Catharines TORONTO
|
Dinamo Panhellenic Toronto Croatia First Portuguese Toronto Italia
|
Final standings
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto Panhellenic (C) | 28 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 21 | +30 | 42 | Qualification for Playoffs |
2 | Toronto Italia (O) | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 51 | 30 | +21 | 38 | |
3 | Dinamo Latino | 28 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 36 | 26 | +10 | 34 | |
4 | Toronto First Portuguese | 27 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 29 | |
5 | St. Catharines Roma | 28 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 36 | 33 | +3 | 27 | |
6 | Toronto Croatia | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 28 | 40 | −12 | 21 | |
7 | London City | 28 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 30 | 47 | −17 | 17 | |
8 | Hamilton Steelers | 27 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 30 | 62 | −32 | 14 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner.
Playoffs
Finals
September 30, 1983 | Dinamo Latino | 2–0 | Toronto Italia | Toronto, Ontario |
20:00 | [[3] Report] | Stadium: Lamport Stadium |
October 2, 1983 | Toronto Italia | 2–0 (4–3 p) | Dinamo Latino | Etobicoke, Ontario |
Quiroga Moniz |
[[3] Report] | Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium |
Cup
The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all eight teams took part. All the matches were separate from the regular season, and the teams were grouped into two separate divisions. The two winners in the group stage would advance in a two-legged match final for the Cup.
Finals
August 28, 1983 | Toronto Italia | 3–1 | Toronto Panhellenic | Toronto, Ontario |
Risnita 44' DiFlorio 72', 81' |
[[4] Report] | Joe Pellegrino (o.g.) | Stadium: Varsity Stadium |
References
- "Dinamo Latino vs Toronto Italia el Viernes en el Lamport". El Popular. September 28, 1983. p. 11.
- "Este Sabado Comienzan los Play-Offs de la NSL". El Popular. September 14, 1983. p. 12.
- "Positive thinking pays off for Italia". Toronto Star. October 3, 1983. p. B8.
- Cosgrove, Michael (August 29, 1983). "Italia takes final over Panhellenic". The Globe and Mail. p. S4.
- Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 117.
- "1983 NSL Season" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca.
- "Dinamo Latino Participara en Torneo de Indoor de la National Soccer League". El Popular. January 5, 1983. p. 14.
- Koep, Bob (January 5, 1983). "Soccer league to play indoors at Olympium". Toronto Star. p. D7.
- "ROUNDUP: Football". The Globe and Mail. January 5, 1983. p. 30.
- A. Campbell, Neil (May 23, 1983). "Nationals win 2-1: Pro soccer loop silences critics with big opener". The Globe and Mail. p. S5.
- Konotopetz, Gyle (May 21, 1983). "New kick in town". Newspapers.com. Calgary Herald. p. 43. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
- King, Philip (May 21, 1983). "New soccer league ori shaky ground as season opens". The Globe and Mail. p. S4.
- Huntley, E.J. 73 Days - The Story of the Canadian Professional Soccer League 1983.
- Palango, Paul (July 23, 1983). "Soccer marriage fails to unite past, future". The Globe and Mail. p. S4.
- Woolsey, Garth (March 1, 1983). "Soccer rivals Italia and Blizzard knot bond of friendship". Toronto Star. p. F5.
- Labow, Jeffrey (March 1, 1983). "Blizzard, NSL Italia make deal". The Globe and Mail. p. 48.
- "Names and Games". Newspapers.com. Times Colonist. March 1, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
- "20 Equipos Participaran en el Proximo Torneo de la Liga Hispanoamericana". El Popular. April 6, 1983. p. 10.
- "Notas Del Futbol Latino". El Popular. May 11, 1983. p. 11.
- "Dinamo Latino Debuta el 2 de Mayo Frente al Panhellenic". El Popular. April 20, 1983. p. 9.
- "1983 Season". The Canadian National Soccer League. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
- "Dinamo Latino Gano Con Sensacional Gol De Figueredo". El Popular. July 27, 1983. p. 9.
- "Soccer coaches hired". Toronto Star. April 14, 1983. p. F7.
- "El Nuevo Dinamo 83, Agrado en su Debut en la NSL". El Popular. May 4, 1983. p. 9.
- "El popular, September 28, 1983, page 11 | SFU Digitized Newspapers". newspapers.lib.sfu.ca. Retrieved 2020-12-21.