NASL Final 1968
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium hosted the second leg of the Final
EventNASL Final
San Diego Toros Atlanta Chiefs
0 3
on aggregate
First leg
San Diego Toros Atlanta Chiefs
0 0
DateSeptember 21, 1968 (1968-09-21)
VenueBalboa Stadium[1], San Diego, California
RefereeReg Clark (Canada)
Attendance9,360
Second leg
Atlanta Chiefs San Diego Toros
3 0
DateSeptember 28, 1968 (1968-09-28)
VenueAtlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
RefereeJim Carr (England)
Attendance14,994

NASL Final 1968 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 1968 season,[2] and the first championship final for the NASL. The event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Atlanta Chiefs and the San Diego Toros. The first leg was played to a, 0–0, draw on September 21, 1968, at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California. The return leg was contested on September 28, 1968, at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia with the Chiefs winning by the score of 3–0. After the two-day competition was completed, the Atlanta Chiefs held a 3–0 aggregate lead and were crowned the 1968 NASL champions.[3][4]

Background

The Atlanta Chiefs qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning the Atlantic Division with 174 points. They faced the Lakes Division champion Cleveland Stokers in a two-game aggregate match for the Eastern Conference championship. The first game was played on September 11 and ended in a, 1–1, draw. The second leg, played on September 14, also finished regulation at 1–1, but the Chiefs were able to score in overtime to win the Eastern Conference title and advance to the finals.[5]

The San Diego Toros qualified for the playoffs by virtue of winning the Pacific Division with 186 points. They faced the Gulf Division champion Kansas City Spurs in a two-game aggregate match for the Western Conference championship. Like the other match played that day, the first leg ended in a, 1–1, draw on September 11. After 90 minutes of regulation the second leg ended with neither team able to score. The September 16 match moved into overtime, and then into a second overtime before Toros' reserve Novak Tomić scored in 118th minute to end it. The victory gave San Diego the Western Conference title and advanced them to the finals.[5][6]

Series summary

Champion Runner-up Game 1 Venue 1 Game 2 Venue 2 Agg.
Atlanta ChiefsSan Diego Toros
0–0
Balboa Stadium
3–0
Atlanta Stadium
3–0

Match details

First leg

San Diego Toros0–0Atlanta Chiefs
Report
Attendance: 9,360
Referee: Reg Clark (Canada)


Assistant referees:
Artie Wachter
John Greenhalgh[8]

Television: CBS
Announcers: Mario Machado, Clive Toye

Second leg

Atlanta Chiefs3–0San Diego Toros
McParland 23'
Scott 43'
Motaung 80'		 Report
Attendance: 14,994
Referee: Jim Carr (England) [10]
Atlanta Chiefs [11][12][13]
San Diego Toros [14][13]

1968 NASL Champions: Atlanta Chiefs
Assistant referees:

Television: CBS
Announcers: Mario Machado, Clive Toye

Match statistics

First Leg[15]
Statistic San Diego Atlanta
Goals scored 0 0
Total shots 18 12
Shots on target 2 5
Saves 5 2
Corner kicks  ?  ?
Fouls  ?  ?
Yellow cards  ?  ?
Red cards 0 0
Second Leg[16]
Statistic San Diego Atlanta
Goals scored 0 3
Total shots 15 11
Shots on target 1 6
Saves 3 1
Corner kicks 5 7
Fouls 18 33
Yellow cards 0 0
Red cards 0 0

See also

References

  1. ↑ "San Diego Toros All-time Game Results | SoccerStats.us".
  2. ↑ History: 1968-1984 on NASL website
  3. ↑ NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
  4. ↑ NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Soccer history: Atlanta Chiefs by Clemente Lisi on US Soccer Players, 20 Aug 2018
  6. ↑ The Milwaukee Journal – Google News Archive Search
  7. ↑ Rome News-Tribune - Google News Archive Search
  8. ↑ North American Soccer League Championship, Leg 1 program, published September 1968
  9. ↑ Dial, Tom (September 28, 1968). "Chiefs Battle Toros For NASL Title". Atlanta Constitution. p. 8. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. ↑ Past winners on NASL Soccer Bowl (archived, November 5, 2013)
  11. ↑ Chiefs 1968 on NASL Jerseys
  12. ↑ NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players-Delroy Scott
  13. 1 2 Toros 1968 on NASL jerseys
  14. ↑ Toros 1968 home
  15. ↑ "ATLANTA, TOROS BATTLE TO 0-0 TIE". Kansas City Star. September 22, 1968. p. 13S. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ Heyland, Frank (September 29, 1968). "Chiefs Win U.S. Crown". Atlanta Constitution. p. 13C. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
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