NASL Final 1971

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, in Dallas, Texas. 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]

NASL Final 1971
EventNASL Final
Atlanta Chiefs Dallas Tornado
1 2
Best of three series
Game 1
Atlanta Chiefs Dallas Tornado
2 1
Overtime
DateSeptember 12, 1971 (1971-09-12)
VenueAtlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance3,218
Game 2
Dallas Tornado Atlanta Chiefs
4 1
DateSeptember 15, 1971 (1971-09-15)
VenueFranklin Stadium, Dallas, Texas
Attendance6,456
Game 3
Atlanta Chiefs Dallas Tornado
0 2
DateSeptember 19, 1971 (1971-09-19)
VenueAtlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance4,687

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 in a marathon semifinal series, two games to one, that featured two of the longest games ever played in the history of soccer. Game 1 lasted a record 176 minutes and Game 3 lasted 148 minutes.

The Atlanta Chiefs road to the finals was a bit smoother than their opponents' path. They qualified for the playoffs by winning the Southern Division with 120 points. The Chiefs then defeated the New York Cosmos in the semifinals, two games to none without conceding a goal.

Match summary

Championship results
Higher seed Series Lower seed Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Attendance
Atlanta Chiefs1–2Dallas Tornado2–1 (3ot)1–40–2September 12 • Atlanta Stadium • 3,218
September 15 • Franklin Stadium • 6,456
September 19 • Atlanta Stadium • 4,687

Game one
Atlanta Chiefs2–1 (a.e.t.)Dallas Tornado
Uriel da Veiga  71:53'
Kaizer Motaung  123:58' 		Report Tibor Molnár[4]  40:39'
Attendance: 3,218
Atlanta
Dallas

Game two
Dallas Tornado4–1Atlanta Chiefs
Phil Tinney  45'
Luiz Juracy  54'
Luiz Juracy  76'
Tony McLoughlin 		Report 1
Report 2		 Henry Largie  44' (Paton)
Attendance: 6,456
Dallas[5]
Atlanta

Game three
Atlanta Chiefs0–2Dallas Tornado[6]
Report Mike Renshaw  2:34' (Tinney)
Bobby Moffat  44:30'
Attendance: 4,687
Atlanta[7]
Dallas


1971 NASL Champions: Dallas Tornado

See also

References
  1. "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". 22 Sep 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  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. http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/M/Molnar.Tibor.htm
  5. http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/Tornado/Tornado%2071%20Road%20Tony%20McLauglin,%20Chiefs.jpg
  6. "Previo Campeones: Dallas Tornado Ganan Titulo en 1971". 22 Sep 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWrVFsGfF84
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