NASL Fall Season Set To Begin

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Scott D. Ludwig — Leave a comment

The 2013 North American Soccer League Fall Season is set to kickoff on Saturday with eight clubs vying for a berth in the Soccer Bowl championship. The spring season competitors will now have a new opponent with an old name: the New York Cosmos

Not since 1984 has a New York Cosmos club took to the pitch. In the clubs long-awaited “reboot” the diverse side will face long-time rival Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Several all-time greats will be in attendance in New York including Pelé, Carlos Alberto and Teófilo ‘Nene’ Cubillas.

On August 14, 1977 the Cosmos playoff match against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers drew 77,691 fans, a North American record. On that same day in New York just 21,472 fans went to the New York Yankees game in a year the Yankees, who less than a month earlier had hosted the MLB All-Star Game, won the World Series.

Spring champion Atlanta Silverbacks will open their fall campaign where it left off, in Minnesota. A last day 3-0 victory over Minnesota United FC helped Atlanta win the first half over Carolina RailHawks by 1 point in the standings.

Carolina will open the second half at home against FC Edmonton. The RailHawks led the NASL table going into the final matchday needing just a draw at San Antonio. The Scorpions had other ideas and spoiled the party, winning 2-0 to finish tied for second place with 20 points.

Saturday, August 3