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

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Results Source:

Preseason DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersMarch 21, 1976San Diego JawsA1–1N/AN/AMarch 28, 1976Dallas TornadoA0–120,214N/AMarch 31, 1976San Antonio ThunderA1–020,000April 4, 1976Los Angeles AztecsN0–015,000April 7, 1976Honda F.C.N5–0N/AN/AApril 8, 1976Honda F.C.N5–021,705N/AApril 9, 1976Seattle SoundersA1–258,125Pelé, ClementsApril 11, 1976Los Angeles AztecsA0–129,232Pelé

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 Pos Club Pld W L GF GA GD Pts1Tampa Bay Rowdies24 18 6 58 30 +281542New York Cosmos24 16 8 65 34 +311483Washington Diplomats24 14 10 46 38 +81264Philadelphia Atoms24 8 16 32 49 −17805Miami Toros24 6 18 29 58 −2963

Overall League Placing Pos Club Pld W L GF GA GD Pts1Tampa Bay Rowdies24 18 6 58 30 +281542New York Cosmos24 16 8 65 34 +311483Minnesota Kicks24 15 9 54 33 +211384Chicago Sting24 15 9 52 32+201325Washington Diplomats24 14 10 46 38 +8126 Source:

Matches DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersApril 18, 1976Miami TorosA0–19,457ClementsMay 2, 1976Chicago StingH1–228,536PeléMay 5, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsH3–18,439Pelé, Tinnion, EddyMay 8, 1976Philadelphia AtomsH1–214,287PeléMay 15, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsA0–38,933Field (2), TinnionMay 17, 1976Los Angeles AztecsH6–024,292Eddy (2), Chinaglia (2), Pelé (2)May 19, 1976Boston MinutemenA1–27,367Chinaglia (2)June 6, 1976Tampa Bay RowdiesA5–142,611FieldJune 9, 1976Minnesota KicksA1–246,164Chinaglia, FieldJune 12, 1976Portland TimbersA0–332,247Chinaglia (2), EddyJune 16, 1976Boston MinutemenH2–2 (SOL)15,101N/AJune 18, 1976Toronto Metros-CroatiaH3–018,612Tinion, Chinaglia, ClementsJune 23, 1976Chicago StingA4–128,000TinnionJune 27, 1976Washington DiplomatsA3–211,004Tinnion, PeléJune 30, 1976Rochester LancersH2–06,917Field (2)July 2, 1976St. Louis StarsH3–110,123Mifflin (2), EddyJuly 7, 1976Toronto Metros-CroatiaA0–312,123N/AJuly 10, 1976Philadelphia AtomsA1–225,311Pelé, GarbettJuly 14, 1976Tampa Bay RowdiesH5–427,892Eddy, Mifflin, Field, Pelé (2)July 18, 1976Washington DiplomatsH5–027,398Mifflin, Chinaglia (2), Pelé, TinnionJuly 23, 1976Rochester LancersA2–15,728ChinagliaJuly 28, 1976Dallas TornadoH4–019,119Chinaglia (3), MifflinAugust 7, 1976San Jose EarthquakesA2–123,048EddyAugust 10, 1976Miami TorosH8–218,103Dillon, Chinaglia (5), Pelé (2)

Postseason Overview First round August 17Washington Diplomats0–2New York CosmosNew York City, Shea Stadium

August 18Los Angeles Aztecs0–2Dallas TornadoIrving, Texas Stadium

August 18Vancouver Whitecaps0–1Seattle SoundersSeattle, Kingdome

August 18Rochester Lancers1–2Toronto Metros-CroatiaToronto, Varsity Stadium

Conference semifinals August 20Toronto Metros-Croatia3–2Chicago StingChicago, Soldier Field

August 20New York Cosmos1–3Tampa Bay RowdiesTampa, Tampa Stadium

August 20Dallas Tornado0–2San Jose EarthquakesSan Jose, Spartan Stadium

August 21Seattle Sounders0–3Minnesota KicksBloomington (MN), Metropolitan Stadium

Conference Championships August 24Toronto Metros-Croatia2–0Tampa Bay RowdiesTampa, Tampa Stadium

August 25San Jose Earthquakes1–3Minnesota KicksBloomington (MN), Metropolitan Stadium

Soccer Bowl '76 August 28Toronto Metros-Croatia2–0Minnesota KicksSeattle, Kingdome

Matches DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersAugust 17, 1976Washington DiplomatsH2–022,698Garbett, PeléAugust 20, 1976Tampa Bay RowdiesA3–136,863Pelé

Friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultScorersRef. March 24 San Diego Jaws A 1–1 18,128 1976 Friendlies on NASL Jerseys.com March 28 Dallas Tornado A 1–0 20,214 March 31 San Antonio Thunder A 0–1 14,800 April 4 Los Angeles Aztecs N 0–0 15,800 April 8 Honda FC N 5–0 21,705 April 9 Seattle Sounders A 3–1 58,125 April 11 Los Angeles Aztecs A 1–0 29,232 June 3 Violette A 2–1 n/a September 1 Dallas Tornado N 2–2 14,000 September 5 Dallas Tornado N 2–1 12,500 September 6 Dallas Tornado N 3–2 23,682 September 8 Soccer Canada A 1–1 14,826 September 10 Soccer Canada A 3–1 14,366 September 14 PSG A 1–3 18,000 September 16 Royal Antwerp A 1–3 25,000 September 24 West Japan All-Stars A0–0 11,000 September 25 East Japan All-Stars A 2–2 50,000 Notes

See also 1976 North American Soccer League season

References