Word: nasl
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...darkness beyond the leaning fence, out of range of catcalls muffled by the steel and concrete grandstand, 22 faceless figures played out the last act of a melodrama which had long since climaxed and was now crawling along to a predictable finale. This was a North American Soccer League (NASL) professional soccer game between the Boston Minutemen and the Miami Toros, two last-place clubs. Although 200 spectators looked on, the press had shown mercy and stayed away...
Three months before, the Minutemen had been predicting a third consecutive NASL Northern Division title, and were laying plans to make Harvard Stadium their new home in anticipation of larger crowds. In 1974, average attendance had reached 10,000 and the following season, 20,000 fans had squeezed and jostled to see Pele and the New York Cosmos play...
...roster seemed a dream conceived on Madison Avenue. Boston had as its established star Eusebio, second only to Pele at the peak of his career. There was also Ade Coker, a young, temperamental character with flashy moves, and Shep Messing '72, a top American player who led the NASL in goals-against average last year. Messing also brought the Minutemen his playboy reputation--"the Joe Namath of soccer," they billed...
...NASL is not the WFL. If Sports Illustrated can be believed, soccer is "on the verge of becoming a major spectator sport." It has even had to contend with the infamous Sports Illustrated cover jinx...
Eusebio may not return this year, but there are some other world class players to watch. Mid-fielder Antonio Simoes, Eusebio's teammate on one of Europe's top teams, Benifica, is one of the top ball-handlers in the NASL. Some experts consider him to be one of the top five players in the world. Very few players will take the ball from...