The 1979 NASL Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational was a four-team indoor soccer tournament held at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida on the final weekend of January 1979.
Overview Four North American Soccer League teams participated in the two-day event; the Dallas Tornado, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the Tulsa Roughnecks. Matches were 45 minutes long and divided into three 15-minute periods with an intermission between each. Each session consisted of two games (i.e. a doubleheader). Nearly 12,700 people attended the two sessions. Dallas and Tampa Bay each won both of their matches, but Dallas Tornado were crowned champions based on a greater goal differential. Dallas forward Jim Ryan lead the invitational in scoring with 7 goals. The tournament's final match saw goalkeeper Winston DuBose of Tampa Bay become only the second NASL goalie to record a rare indoor shut-out. Dallas goalkeeper Ken Cooper had accomplished the feat on two previous occasions.
These were not the only indoor games played that winter. With a fully sanctioned season of NASL indoor soccer still eleven months away, NASL teams were free to schedule their own games at that time. Tampa Bay, for example played three other indoor matches. By contrast, Fort Lauderdale scheduled only the two games of the invitational. The competing Major Indoor Soccer League had already begun their first season in December 1978.
Map of clubs
Tournament results Sessions Session 1: January 27, 1979 7:00 PM ESTDallas Tornado8–7Tulsa Roughnecks Attendance: 6,342 8:30 PM ESTTampa Bay Rowdies6–4Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Session 2: January 28, 1979 6:00 PM ESTDallas Tornado7–2Fort Lauderdale Strikers Attendance: 6,338 7:30 PM ESTTampa Bay Rowdies3–0Tulsa Roughnecks
Match reports Session 1
Session 2
Final standings GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, GD = Goal Differential 1979 Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational TeamLeagueRecordGFGAGDPositionDallas Tornado*NASL2–0159+61st placeTampa Bay RowdiesNASL2–094+52nd place (runners-up)Tulsa RoughnecksNASL0–2711–43rd placeFort Lauderdale StrikersNASL0–2613–74th place *Dallas wins title on goal differential
Statistical leaders Scoring Goals (worth 2 points), Assists (worth 1 point) Leading scorersGoalsAssistsPoints Jimmy Ryan (Dallas)7115 Kai Haaskivi (Dallas)4513 Mirandinha (Tampa Bay)419 Rodney Marsh (Tampa Bay) 237 George Ley (Dallas)215 Steve Earle (Tulsa)135 Laurie Abrahams (Tulsa) 204 Chris Collins (Dallas) 204 Tibor Gemeri (Ft Lauderdale)204 Al Njie (Ft Lauderdale)204 Roy Wiggemansen (Ft Lauderdale)124
Goalkeeping GA = Goals Against, GAA = Goals Against Average, SV = Saves, SF = Shots Faced, % = Save Percentage Leading GoalkeepersMinutesGAGAASVSF%WonLost Winston DuBose (Tampa Bay)9042.001418.77820 Ken Cooper (Dallas)4522.0068.75010 Colin Boulton (Tulsa)90115.501324.54202 Steve Zerhusen (Ft. Lauderdale)90136.502235.62902 Billy Phillips (Dallas)4577.001017.58810
Non-tournament matches In addition to the tournament itself, several NASL teams participated in international indoor friendlies, and tune-ups for both the tournament and 1979 outdoor season. Dallas and Houston played twice in December 1978.Marcia Schallert, editor. (1979). Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational match program. Tampa, FL. Tampa Bay Rowdies. p 12 The Rowdies–Hurricane match on January 25 was played using the MISL-size goals, timing and ball, as the arena was already set up for the Hurricane's alter ego, the MISL's Houston Summit. As part of a six-match, NASL tour in February, perennial Soviet powerhouse FC Dynamo Moscow scheduled three indoor games.
Match reports
See also North American Soccer League
References