New York Cosmos 1976 soccer season
The 1976 New York Cosmos season was the sixth season for the New York Cosmos in the now-defunct North American Soccer League . In the Cosmos' sixth year of existence the club finished second only to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in both the five-team Eastern Division and the 20-team league. The Cosmos returned to the playoffs for the first time in two years, but were eliminated in the conference semifinals by the rival Rowdies. 1976 marked the first year for Giorgio Chinaglia with the club; Chinaglia would go on to become the all-time leading scorer in both Cosmos and NASL history.
Squad Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Source:[ 3]
Results Source:[ 4]
Preseason
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
March 21, 1976
San Diego Jaws
A
1–1
N/A
N/A
March 28, 1976
Dallas Tornado
A
0–1
20,214
N/A
March 31, 1976
San Antonio Thunder
A
1–0
20,000
April 4, 1976
Los Angeles Aztecs
N
0–0
15,000
April 7, 1976
Honda F.C.
N
5–0
N/A
N/A
April 8, 1976
Honda F.C.
N
5–0
21,705
N/A
April 9, 1976
Seattle Sounders
A
1–2
58,125
Pelé, Clements
April 11, 1976
Los Angeles Aztecs
A
0–1
29,232
Pelé
Regular season Pld = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
6 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each goal scored (up to three per game).
Eastern Division Standings
Overall League Placing
Source:[ 5]
Matches
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorers
April 18, 1976
Miami Toros
A
0–1
9,457
Clements
May 2, 1976
Chicago Sting
H
1–2
28,536
Pelé
May 5, 1976
Connecticut Bicentennials
H
3–1
8,439
Pelé, Tinnion, Eddy
May 8, 1976
Philadelphia Atoms
H
1–2
14,287
Pelé
May 15, 1976
Connecticut Bicentennials
A
0–3
8,933
Field (2), Tinnion
May 17, 1976
Los Angeles Aztecs
H
6–0
24,292
Eddy (2), Chinaglia (2), Pelé (2)
May 19, 1976
Boston Minutemen
A
1–2
7,367
Chinaglia (2)
June 6, 1976
Tampa Bay Rowdies
A
5–1
42,611
Field
June 9, 1976
Minnesota Kicks
A
1–2
46,164
Chinaglia, Field
June 12, 1976
Portland Timbers
A
0–3
32,247
Chinaglia (2), Eddy
June 16, 1976
Boston Minutemen
H
2–2 (SOL )
15,101
N/A
June 18, 1976
Toronto Metros-Croatia
H
3–0
18,612
Tinion, Chinaglia, Clements
June 23, 1976
Chicago Sting
A
4–1
28,000
Tinnion
June 27, 1976
Washington Diplomats
A
3–2
11,004
Tinnion, Pelé
June 30, 1976
Rochester Lancers
H
2–0
6,917
Field (2)
July 2, 1976
St. Louis Stars
H
3–1
10,123
Mifflin (2), Eddy
July 7, 1976
Toronto Metros-Croatia
A
0–3
12,123
N/A
July 10, 1976
Philadelphia Atoms
A
1–2
25,311
Pelé, Garbett
July 14, 1976
Tampa Bay Rowdies
H
5–4
27,892
Eddy, Mifflin, Field, Pelé (2)
July 18, 1976
Washington Diplomats
H
5–0
27,398
Mifflin, Chinaglia (2), Pelé, Tinnion
July 23, 1976
Rochester Lancers
A
2–1
5,728
Chinaglia
July 28, 1976
Dallas Tornado
H
4–0
19,119
Chinaglia (3), Mifflin
August 7, 1976
San Jose Earthquakes
A
2–1
23,048
Eddy
August 10, 1976
Miami Toros
H
8–2
18,103
Dillon, Chinaglia (5), Pelé (2)
Postseason
Overview
First round
Conference semifinals
Conference Championships
Soccer Bowl '76
Matches
Friendlies
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Att.Attendance
Scorers
Ref.
March 24
San Diego Jaws
A
1–1
18,128
Ord
[ 6]
March 28
Dallas Tornado
A
1–0
20,214
Pelé
[ 6]
March 31
San Antonio Thunder
A
0–1
14,800
–
[ 6]
April 4
Los Angeles Aztecs
N [ n 1]
0–0
15,800
–
[ 6]
April 8
Honda FC
N [ n 2]
5–0
21,705
Pelé (4), ?
[ 6]
April 9
Seattle Sounders
A
3–1
58,125
Pelé (2), Clements
[ 6]
April 11
Los Angeles Aztecs
A
1–0
29,232
Pelé
[ 6]
June 3
Violette
A
2–1
n/a
n/a
[ 6]
September 1
Dallas Tornado
N [ n 3]
2–2
14,000
Chinaglia (2)
[ 6]
September 5
Dallas Tornado
N [ n 4]
2–1
12,500
Roth , Mifflin
[ 6]
September 6
Dallas Tornado
N [ n 5]
3–2
23,682
Pele, Morais , Donlic
[ 6]
September 8
Soccer Canada
A
1–1
14,826
Chinaglia
[ 6]
September 10
Soccer Canada
A
3–1
14,366
Chinaglia (3)
[ 6]
September 14
PSG
A
1–3
18,000
Field
[ 6]
September 16
Royal Antwerp
A
1–3
25,000
Pelé
[ 6]
September 24
West Japan All-Stars
A
0–0
11,000
n/a
[ 6]
September 25
East Japan All-Stars
A
2–2
50,000
Dillon , Chinaglia
[ 6]
Notes
See also
References
The Club Stadiums Culture Retired numbers Key personnel