Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1971. This was the 4th season of the NASL.
Eight teams competed in the 1971 season. The Dallas Tornado won the league championship after playing several playoff matches under the new sudden death rule, which replaced the penalty shootout. In Game 1 of the best-of-three semifinal against the Rochester Lancers, league scoring champion Carlos Metidieri of Rochester scored to end the match at 2âÂÂ1 in the 176th minute after six periods of overtimeâÂÂshortly before midnight. Three days later, Dallas tied the series with a 3âÂÂ1 regulation win. In the deciding match, the two teams ended regulation with a 1âÂÂ1 tie and played four overtime periods before Bobby Moffat scored in the 148 minute for a 2âÂÂ1 victory. Four days later, Dallas lost Game 1 of the NASL Championship Series, 2âÂÂ1, in the 3rd overtime to the Atlanta Chiefs after 123 minutes. All totaled, Dallas had played 537 minutes of soccer (3 minutes short of six games) in 13 days. The Tornado won 4âÂÂ1 in Game 2 and 2âÂÂ0 in Game 3 to clinch the league championship.
Playoffs series switched from a two-game aggregate score to a best-two-out-of-three match format. Any playoff games tied after 90 minutes would now be settled by golden goal (or sudden death) overtime periods lasting 15 minutes each.
W = Wins, L = Losses, T= Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= point system
6 points for a win, 3 points for a tie, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each goal scored up to three per game.
<br>1971 NASL Champions: Dallas Tornado