Source:Canadian Blaster– The Vancouver Whitecaps and New York Cosmos from 1979.
Source:The New Democrat
“In what many consider to be the greatest match in the history of the original North American Soccer League, this is ABC’s broadcast of the second leg of the 1979 National Soccer Conference final between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the defending NASL champion New York Cosmos.
This match was held at the now-demolished Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Vancouver had taken the first leg of the NSC final in Vancouver by a score of 2-0. For the Cosmos to advance to the Soccer Bowl, they would have to win this leg, then win a 30-minute ‘mini-game’ after that.
This video shows the conclusion of the match, which included the conclusion of the extra time period and the NASL shootout to decide the winner.
As it turned out, the 30-minute ‘mini-game’ would indeed be needed, and even that had its own extra time period and subsequent NASL shootout following it.
The announcers calling the match are Jim McKay and Paul Gardner, with Verne Lundquist on the sideline.
This video is intended for entertainment purposes only and no infringement of any kind is intended.”
From Canadian Blaster
“There seems to be little disagreement (famous last words) among fans of the original NASL that the greatest game in that league’s 17 seasons was the second leg of the 1979 semifinal between the New York Cosmos and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
That this bitter rivalry produced a heated battle was no surprise. There had been bad blood between the Cosmos and the Whitecaps throughout the 1979 season, including a fight that had seen four players sent off, and it continued into the first game of their semifinal series, a 2-0 victory for Vancouver at Empire Stadium in Vancouver.
The spark that set off the trouble in that game was the second Vancouver goal, on a breakaway by Trevor Whymark. The Cosmos felt that the goal should have been disallowed for offside. Carlos Alberto led the Cosmos’ futile protest against the goal, and the atmosphere wasn’t helped any when Andranik Eskandarian was red carded after taking a run at a Vancouver player. Then, in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms after the game, Carlos Alberto got into an altercation with an official that, according to the league reports, included spitting on him.”
Source:US Soccer History– The New York Cosmos and Vancouver Whitecaps from 1979.
From US Soccer History
One of the best played soccer games in both American and Canadian history. I’m not a soccer expert American or otherwise and at best a casual soccer fan. I do have some appreciation for the sport, but do not follow it closely. But I do know this was one of the best games in soccer history between these two countries. Because of the two teams that were involved, how evenly matched they were and the fact that either team could’ve won it.
American soccer needs more games like this and need more Americanized rules as well to bring more Americans fans in to today’s MLS. Which is something that the NASL understood 30-40 years ago which is why they were able to draw baseball and football size crowds to their games. And not stuck 15-10 thousand attendance and that would be good crowds for todays MLS.
The Daily Times 