Event NASL Final | Attendance 3,218 | |
Date September 12, 1971 (1971-09-12) Venue Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia Date September 15, 1971 (1971-09-15) Venue Franklin Stadium, Dallas, Texas Other Instances Soccer Bowl 2015, Soccer Bowl 2014, Soccer Bowl 2013, Soccer Bowl 2012, Soccer Bowl 2011 | ||
NASL Final 1971 was the championship series of the 1971 season. It was a best-of-three series between the Dallas Tornado and the Atlanta Chiefs. The matches were held on September 9, 15, and 19, 1971. Games one and three were played at Atlanta Stadium, in Atlanta, Georgia. Game two was played at Franklin Stadium, in Dallas, Texas. A combined 14,361 people attended the three game series. The Chiefs won game one, while the Tornado won games two and three to claim their first NASL championship.
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Background
The Dallas Tornado qualified for the playoffs by virtue of having the highest non-division-winning point total in the league (119 points). They defeated the defending league champion Rochester Lancers in a marathon semifinal series, two games to one, that featured two of the longest games ever played in the history of soccer. Game 1 lasted a record 176 minutes and Game 3 lasted 148 minutes.
The Atlanta Chiefs path to the finals was a bit smoother. They qualified for the playoffs by winning the Southern Division with 120 points. The Chiefs then defeated the New York Cosmos in the semifinals, two games to none without conceding a goal.
Game three
1971 NASL Champions: Dallas Tornado