1992 National Soccer League season

National Soccer League
Season1992
Champions
  • Toronto Croatia (regular season, 5th title)
  • Woodbridge Azzurri (playoffs, 1st title)
League cupToronto Croatia
Top goalscorerEnver Sej[1]
Best goalkeeperTony Camacho[1]
← 1991

The 1992 National Soccer League season was the sixth ninth and final season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began May 8, 1992, with Richmond Hill Kick facing North York Atletico Argentina at Centennial Park Stadium.[2] The season concluded with Toronto Croatia securing the league double (NSL Championship and league cup).[3][4][5] Croatia would defeat the North York Atletico Argentina SC for the NSL Ontario Cup by a score of 2-1 at Centennial Park Stadium in Etobicoke, Ontario.[6]

The season marked the final usage of the National Soccer League banner and was changed to Canadian National Soccer League in 1993.[7] The change occurred due to the financial collapse of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) and its merger with the National Soccer League.[8]

Overview

The majority of the teams returned for the season with the addition of Richmond Hill Kick.[9] The departing clubs were North York Strikers and Scarborough International.[9] The playoff format was reinstated with the top four teams qualifying for the tournament.[10]

Toronto Italia was involved in several friendly matches with notable Italian clubs such as Inter Milan, and S.S. Lazio. Toronto initially faced Lazio on May 30, 1992, and later played against Inter Milan on June 5, 1992, both concluded in a losing effort.[11][12]

In late 1992, reports of financial instability regarding the Canadian Soccer League were becoming apparent as several of the league's Ontario clubs were expressing a desire to join the National Soccer League.[13] The following season the Canadian Soccer League was suspended by the Canadian Soccer Association, and was amalgamated into the National Soccer League and became known as the Canadian National Soccer League.[14][15]

Teams

Team City Stadium Manager
London City London, Ontario Cove Road Stadium Harry Gauss[16]
Richmond Hill Kick Richmond Hill, Ontario Richmond Green Sports Centre
North York Atletico Argentina Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium Elio Garro[17]
St. Catharines Roma St. Catharines, Ontario Club Roma Stadium Tony Novacic[18]
Toronto Croatia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium Vid Horvath[1]
Toronto Italia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium Ivan Marković[19]
Toronto Jets North York, Ontario Esther Shiner Stadium
Windsor Wheels Windsor, Ontario Windsor Stadium Waldir de Souza[20]
Woodbridge Azzuri Vaughan, Ontario Rainbow Park Stadium Peter Pinizzotto[21]

Final standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Toronto Croatia (C) 16 11 4 1 38 10 +28 26 Qualification for Playoffs
2 Toronto Jets 16 9 4 3 28 22 +6 22
3 St. Catharines Roma 16 6 7 3 22 13 +9 19
4 Woodbridge Azzuri (O) 16 7 5 4 35 20 +15 19
5 Richmond Hill Kick 16 7 5 4 31 24 +7 19
6 Toronto Italia 16 3 9 4 17 21 −4 15
7 London City 16 3 5 8 10 21 −11 11
8 North York Atletico Argentina 16 2 4 10 20 34 −14 8
9 Windsor Wheels 16 0 7 9 17 53 −36 7
Updated to match(es) played on September 15, 1992. Source: [22]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners

Playoffs

Semifinals

September 16, 1992 St. Catharines Roma 0–0 Toronto Croatia St. Catharines
20:15 [[23] Report] Stadium: Club Roma Stadium
Attendance: 300
September 21, 1992 Toronto Croatia 2–2 St. Catharines Roma Etobicoke
20:00 John Coyle 9'
Hrvote Kanisek 42'		 [[24] Report] Devere Hurley 21'
Roman Kezman 32'		 Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium

St. Catharines won the series on away goals.

September 16, 1992 Toronto Jets 1–1 Woodbridge Azzurri North York
[[25] Report] Stadium: Esther Shiner Stadium
September 24, 1992 Woodbridge Azzurri 1–0 Toronto Jets Vaughan
[[25] Report] Stadium: Rainbow Creek Stadium

Woodbridge won the series 2–1 on aggregate.

Final

September 27, 1992 St. Catharines Roma 0–1 Woodbridge Azzurri St. Catharines
14:30 [[26] Report] Stadium: Club Roma Stadium
October 4, 1992 Woodbridge Azzurri 0–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)		 St. Catharines Roma Vaughan
14:30 [[26] Report] Rudy Pikuzinski Stadium: Rainbow Creek Stadium
Attendance: 800

Woodbridge won the series on a penalty shootout.

Individual awards

The recipients of the annual NSL awards were announced on October 5, 1990.[1] The Greater Toronto Area-based clubs would receive the majority of the accolades with Toronto Croatia winning the most.[1] London City was the only club outside the Greater Toronto Area to receive any awards and was given two awards.[1]

Award Player (Club)
NSL MVP Velimir Crljen (Toronto Croatia)
NSL Golden Boot Enver Sej (Richmond Hill Kick)
NSL Rookie of the Year Tony Mazzoli (Toronto Jets)
NSL Goalkeeper of the Year Tony Camacho (London City)
NSL Coach of the Year Vid Horvath (Toronto Croatia)
NSL Manager of the Year Zarko Brala (Toronto Croatia)
NSL Most Disciplined Team London City

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Roma places three on first all-star team". St. Catharines Standard. 5 October 1992. pp. D3.
  2. ^ Da Costa, Norman (May 6, 1992). "Coaching change". Toronto Star. p. E5.
  3. ^ Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 117.
  4. ^ "CSL Past Champions – Canadian Soccer League". Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  5. ^ "1992 NSL season" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca.
  6. ^ "Club History". 2009-06-01. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  7. ^ "Soccer leagues join forces". Newspapers.com. The Gazette. January 7, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  8. ^ "New soccer league uses old name in order to play its games". Toronto Star. January 20, 1993. p. F7.
  9. ^ a b "Local Round Up - Wheels". Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. December 18, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  10. ^ "Roma needs help". St. Catharines Standard. 19 August 1992. pp. C3.
  11. ^ Koep, Bob (May 30, 1992). "Lazio hardly breaks a sweat". Toronto Star. p. B6.
  12. ^ Roep, Bob (June 5, 1992). "Humiliating experience for Inter". Toronto Star. p. B8.
  13. ^ Stinson, Dan (October 5, 1992). "86ers look to APSL with CSL on ropes". Newspapers.com. Vancouver Sun. p. 45. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  14. ^ "Soccer". Newspapers.com. Edmonton Journal. January 7, 1993. p. 36. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  15. ^ "Soccer's 86ers soak in red ink". Newspapers.com. The Gazette. June 22, 1993. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  16. ^ Duff, Bob (January 7, 1993). "Wheels join new pro league". Windsor Star. p. B1.
  17. ^ "North York Astros Soccer Club Powered by Goalline Sports Administration Software". 2009-06-01. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  18. ^ Wallace, Jim (30 April 1992). "Busy season for Roma". St. Catharines Standard. pp. C3.
  19. ^ "OM1899 tout sur l'OM". www.om1899.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  20. ^ "Wheels tryouts". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. February 7, 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
  21. ^ "Hall of Fame | YRSA". www.yrsa.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  22. ^ "Soccer - National Soccer League Standings". St. Catharines Standard. 15 September 1992. pp. C2.
  23. ^ Wallace, Jim (17 September 1992). "Goalposts help Croatia hold Roma in check". St. Catharines Standard. pp. C4.
  24. ^ Wallace, Jim (22 September 1992). "Roma in NSL final". St. Catharines Standard. pp. B6.
  25. ^ a b "Roma plays Sunday". St. Catharines Standard. 25 September 1992. pp. C2.
  26. ^ a b Wallace, Jim (5 October 1992). "Roma ousted in overtime". St. Catharines Standard. pp. D3.