2012 North American Soccer League season
Soccer league season
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The 2012 North American Soccer League season was the 45th season of Division II soccer in the United States and the second season of the revived North American Soccer League. It was contested by eight teams including one from Canada and one from Puerto Rico. The Montreal Impact were self-promoted to Major League Soccer as an expansion franchise and the expansion San Antonio Scorpions were added to the NASL. The NASL received full sanctioning from the United States Soccer Federation on March 3, 2012, at their annual meeting.[2] The defending Soccer Bowl champions were the NSC Minnesota Stars, while the Carolina Railhawks were the defending North American Supporters' Trophy winners.
| Season | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
| North American Supporters' Trophy | San Antonio Scorpions |
| Champions League (CFU) | Puerto Rico Islanders (2012 CFU Club Championship 3rd place) |
| Matches | 112 |
| Goals | 294 (2.63 per match) |
| Top goalscorer |  Pablo Campos (20 goals) |
| Biggest home win | SAS 8–0 CAR (July 28) |
| Biggest away win | SAS 0–4 PRI (April 15) |
| Highest scoring | CAR 4–4 ATL (April 14) FTL 5–3 ATL (July 28) SAS 8–0 CAR (July 28) |
| Longest winning run | 4 matches: San Antonio (April 28 – May 19) Carolina (June 2 – June 23) Tampa Bay (June 16 – July 4) |
| Longest unbeaten run | 9 matches: Minnesota (April 7 – June 2) San Antonio (April 21 – June 16) |
| Longest winless run | 9 matches: Carolina (April 7 – May 19) Atlanta (April 7 – May 26) Minnesota (July 18 – September 8) |
| Longest losing run | 5 matches: Atlanta (June 9 – July 3) |
| Highest attendance | 13,151 PRI @ SAS (April 15) |
| Lowest attendance | 520 EDM @ PRI (April 18) |
| Average attendance | 3,810[1] |
← 2011 2013 → | |
Personnel and sponsorship
| Team | Head coach | Captain | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico Islanders | Adrian Whitbread | Noah Delgado | Toyota |
| Carolina RailHawks | Colin Clarke | Kupono Low | BCBSA |
| FC Edmonton | Harry Sinkgraven | Chris Kooy | Sears Canada |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | Brian Haynes | Martyn Lancaster | Reto Sports |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Daryl Shore | Toni Ståhl | Joma |
| Minnesota Stars | Manny Lagos | Kyle Altman | Admiral |
| San Antonio Scorpions | Tim Hankinson | Kevin Harmse | Nike |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | Ricky Hill | Frank Sanfilippo | Mainsail Suites / United World Soccer |
Teams
Regular season
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio Scorpions (X) | 28 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 46 | 27 | +19 | 47 | Playoff semifinals |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies (C) | 28 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 37 | 30 | +7 | 45 | |
| 3 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 28 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 41 | Playoff quarterfinals |
| 4 | Carolina RailHawks | 28 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 44 | 46 | −2 | 40 | |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 28 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 40 | 46 | −6 | 36 | |
| 6 | Minnesota United | 28 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 35 | |
| 7 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 35 | 46 | −11 | 30 | |
| 8 | FC Edmonton | 28 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 26 | 36 | −10 | 25 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (X) Commissioner's Cup (regular season champion)
Results
| Abbreviation and Color Key: Atlanta Silverbacks – ATL • Carolina RailHawks FC – CAR • FC Edmonton – EDM • Fort Lauderdale Strikers – FTL Minnesota Stars FC – MIN • Puerto Rico Islanders – PRI • San Antonio Scorpions FC – SAS • Tampa Bay Rowdies – TAM Win • Loss • Draw • Home | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Match | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |||
| Atlanta Silverbacks | SAS | CAR | TAM | MIN | MIN | EDM | PRI | TAM | FTL | EDM | SAS | CAR | PRI | SAS | CAR | MIN | PRI | EDM | FTL | FTL | TAM | MIN | CAR | EDM | TAM | FTL | SAS | PRI | ||
| 0–0 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–5 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |||
| Carolina RailHawks | MIN | ATL | TAM | PRI | SAS | FTL | EDM | MIN | PRI | PRI | MIN | ATL | EDM | FTL | ATL | FTL | MIN | SAS | TAM | FTL | EDM | ATL | PRI | SAS | EDM | SAS | TAM | TAM | ||
| 0–0 | 4–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–8 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |||
| FC Edmonton | FTL | TAM | PRI | MIN | CAR | ATL | SAS | SAS | ATL | FTL | FTL | CAR | PRI | SAS | PRI | TAM | ATL | TAM | MIN | SAS | PRI | CAR | MIN | ATL | MIN | CAR | TAM | FTL | ||
| 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–4 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | |||
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | EDM | MIN | SAS | PRI | TAM | CAR | PRI | MIN | ATL | TAM | EDM | EDM | MIN | CAR | TAM | CAR | SAS | MIN | SAS | ATL | ATL | CAR | PRI | SAS | TAM | PRI | ATL | EDM | ||
| 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | |||
| Minnesota Stars FC | CAR | FTL | EDM | ATL | ATL | CAR | FTL | TAM | SAS | CAR | TAM | FTL | TAM | PRI | ATL | TAM | FTL | CAR | PRI | EDM | SAS | ATL | EDM | SAS | EDM | PRI | PRI | SAS | ||
| 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | |||
| Puerto Rico Islanders | TAM | SAS | EDM | CAR | FTL | FTL | ATL | CAR | CAR | TAM | SAS | ATL | EDM | MIN | EDM | SAS | ATL | TAM | MIN | SAS | EDM | FTL | TAM | CAR | FTL | MIN | MIN | ATL | ||
| 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | |||
| San Antonio Scorpions FC | ATL | PRI | FTL | CAR | TAM | TAM | EDM | EDM | MIN | ATL | PRI | TAM | ATL | EDM | PRI | FTL | FTL | CAR | PRI | EDM | MIN | TAM | FTL | MIN | CAR | CAR | ATL | MIN | ||
| 0–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 8–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |||
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | PRI | EDM | CAR | ATL | FTL | SAS | SAS | ATL | MIN | FTL | PRI | MIN | SAS | MIN | FTL | MIN | EDM | PRI | EDM | CAR | ATL | SAS | PRI | FTL | ATL | EDM | CAR | CAR | ||
| 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | |||
Final regular season results.[3]
Playoffs
The six qualifying teams were seeded 1 through 6, with the top team in the standings receiving the number 1 seed.
The format of the playoffs consisted of quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final. The quarterfinals were single games while the semifinals and final were each a two-game series with each team playing at home once and the team with the greater number of aggregate goals in both games winning the series.
The number 1 seed and the number 2 seed received byes while the number 3 seed hosted the number 6 seed and the number 4 seed hosted the number 5 seed in the quarterfinal.
For the semifinal, the number 1 seed was paired with the lower seeded team to qualify from the quarterfinal and the number 2 seed paired with the higher seeded team to qualify from the quarterfinal.
The winners of each semifinal met in the final, known as the Soccer Bowl. In the event of a draw in either quarterfinal game, a 30-minute extra time period was to be played (with the golden goal rule not in effect). If the teams were still locked in a draw following the extra time period, the winner was to be determined by a penalty shootout.
In each semifinal and in the final, if the teams are tied on the number of aggregate goals scored in the series at the conclusion of the second game, the teams were to play a 30-minute extra time period. As in the quarterfinal, the golden goal rule was not in effect. If the teams were still locked in a draw following the extra time period, the winner of the series was to be determined by a penalty shootout.
Bracket
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | San Antonio Scorpions | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| 3 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 1 | 6 | Minnesota Stars | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 6 | Minnesota Stars | 2 | 6 | Minnesota Stars | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | Carolina RailHawks | 3 | 4 | Carolina RailHawks | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
Quarterfinals
| September 29, 2012 | Carolina RailHawks | 3–1 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | Cary, North Carolina |
| 7:00 pm EDT | Amir Lowery  34'  71'Ty Shipalane 52' 67'Floyd Franks 86' |
Report | Conor Shanosky 58' Abe Thompson 61'Lance Laing 90+' |
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park Attendance: 2,534 Referee: Daniel Radford |
| September 30, 2012 | Puerto Rico Islanders | 1–2 | Minnesota Stars | Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| 6:00 pm EDT | David Foley 79' Josh Hansen 81' |
Report | Amani Walker 9' Miguel Ibarra 41'Justin Davis 90' |
Stadium: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium Attendance: 2,002 Referee: Kevin Terry, Jr. |
Semifinals
| October 6, 2012 | Carolina RailHawks | 1–2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Cary, North Carolina |
| 7:00 pm EDT | Brian Shriver 78' (pen.) Amir Lowery 86'Floyd Franks 89' |
Report | Mike Ambersley 64' 90+' Andres Arango 77'Jeff Attinella 83'Dan Antoniuk 85' |
Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park Attendance: 3,183 Referee: Matthew Foerster |
| October 13, 2012 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3–3 | Carolina RailHawks | St. Petersburg, Florida |
| 7:30 pm EDT | Shane Hill 40' (pen.) Mike Ambersley 65'Luke Mulholland 84' 90+' |
Report | Matt Luzunaris 14' Ty Shipalane 18'Gale Agbossoumonde 35'Nick Zimmerman 86' (pen.) |
Stadium: Al Lang Stadium Attendance: 4,132 Referee: Robert Sibiga |
- Tampa Bay Rowdies win 5–4 on aggregate.
| October 6, 2012 | Minnesota Stars | 0–0 | San Antonio Scorpions | Blaine, Minnesota |
| 8:30 pm EDT | Simone Bracalello 21' |
Report | Kevin Harmse 86' |
Stadium: National Sports Center Attendance: 2,006 Referee: Marcos Deoliveira |
| October 14, 2012 | San Antonio Scorpions | 1–2 | Minnesota Stars | San Antonio, Texas |
| 6:15 pm CDT | Walter Ramirez 17' Pablo Campos 25'  27'Kevin Harmse 54'Josue Soto 89' |
Report | Kyle Altman 28' Neil Hlavaty 67'Blake Wagner  76' (o.g.)Simone Bracalello 83' |
Stadium: Heroes Stadium Attendance: 6,249 Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald |
- Minnesota Stars win 2–1 on aggregate.
Soccer Bowl 2012
| Minnesota Stars | 2–0 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
|---|---|---|
| Amani Walker 67' Kentaro Takada 84'Martin Nunez 90+' |
Report | Mike Ambersley 48' |
- Tied 3–3 on aggregate. Tampa Bay Rowdies win Soccer Bowl 2012, 3–2 on penalties.
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Source:[4] |
Top assists
|
Top goalkeepers
(Minimum of 1260 Minutes Played)
| Rank | Goalkeeper | Club | MINS | SVS | GA | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Daryl Sattler |
San Antonio Scorpions | 2151 | 66 | 19 | 0.795 |
| 2 | Jeff Attinella |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2520 | 118 | 30 | 1.071 |
| 3 |  Richard Martin |
Puerto Rico Islanders | 2340 | 106 | 28 | 1.077 |
| 4 | Matt Van Oekel |
Minnesota Stars FC | 2250 | 77 | 30 | 1.200 |
| 5 | Lance Parker |
FC Edmonton | 1440 | 42 | 21 | 1.313 |
| 6 | Matt Glaeser |
Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 2430 | 108 | 44 | 1.630 |
| 7 | Ray Burse |
Carolina RailHawks | 2160 | 82 | 41 | 1.708 |
| 8 |  Dániel Illyés |
Atlanta Silverbacks | 1980 | 86 | 39 | 1.773 |
Source: North American Soccer League
Awards
Monthly awards
| Month | NASL Player of the Month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Nation | Club | Link | |
| April | Reinaldo Navia |  CHL |
Atlanta Silverbacks | 5G |
| May | Shaun Saiko |  CAN |
FC Edmonton | 5G 2A |
| June | Tsuyoshi Yoshitake |  JPN |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | 4G 1A |
| July | Pablo Campos | BRA |
San Antonio Scorpions | 7G |
| August | Richard Martin | ENG |
Puerto Rico Islanders | 13 Saves |
| September | Matt Horth | USA |
Atlanta Silverbacks | 4G |
| October | Jeff Attinella | USA |
Tampa Bay Rowdies | |
Weekly awards
League awards
- Golden Ball (MVP):
Pablo Campos (San Antonio Scorpions) [9] - Golden Boot: Pablo Campos (San Antonio Scorpions) [10]
- Golden Glove:
Daryl Sattler (San Antonio Scorpions) [11] - Coach of the Year:
Ricky Hill (Tampa Bay Rowdies) [12] - Play of the Year: Kevin Venegas (Minnesota Stars FC) [13]
- Fair Play Award: Tampa Bay Rowdies[14]
| NASL Best XI[15] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Players | Team | ||||
| Goalkeeper | Jeff Attinella | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Defense | Kyle Altman | Minnesota United FC | ||||
| Defense | Ryan Cochrane | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||
| Defense | Paul Hamilton | FC Edmonton | ||||
| Defense | Takuya Yamada | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Midfield | Luke Mulholland | Tampa Bay Rowdies | ||||
| Midfield |  Walter Ramírez | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||
| Midfield |  Walter Restrepo | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||||
| Midfield | Nick Zimmerman | Carolina RailHawks | ||||
| Forward | Mark Anderson | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||||
| Forward | Pablo Campos | San Antonio Scorpions | ||||