1990 American Professional Soccer League

1990 American Professional Soccer League
Overview of the 1990 American Professional Soccer League season. Although the Western Soccer League and the American Soccer League merged to form the American Professional Soccer League in 1990, the two leagues remained essentially independent leagues, linked by name alone. During this season, they ran separate regular season schedules with two different points systems. They each had their own playoff formats, had separate league MVPs and had their own All-League teams. The first game between the two leagues came in September when the Maryland Bays of the American Soccer League defeated the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks of the Western Soccer League for the American Professional Soccer League championship.
History
On September 9, 1989, the champions of the west coast-based Western Soccer Alliance and the east coast-based American Soccer League played each other for the national championship. This was the first meeting between teams from the two leagues but was part of a larger effort to merge the two leagues. This effort resulted in the creation of the American Professional Soccer League on February 22, 1990. The merger remained one of name only as the two leagues played separate schedules and named separate MVPs and All-League teams. However, it allowed the teams to market themselves as members of a national league. During the playoffs, except for the West semifinals and the APSL finals, teams played a home and away series. However, they needed to win two games, so in the case of a tie after two games, the teams played a thirty-minute mini-game. If the game remained tied, the two teams would enter a shoot out. A shoot out pitted a field player against the opposing team's goalkeeper. The field player had five seconds to take a shot on goal beginning 35 yards from the goal.
League standings
East (American Soccer League) Conference
Points:
Win: 3
Shoot out win: 2
Shoot out loss: 1
Northern Division
Southern Division
West (Western Soccer League) Conference
Points:
Win: 6
Shoot out win: 4
Shoot out loss: 2
1 bonus point per goal scored in regulation, maximum of 3 per game
North Division
South Division
East Conference playoffs
East bracket
Semifinal 1
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers advance to the East Finals.
Semifinal 2
The Maryland Bays advance to the East Finals.
Conference Finals
The Maryland Bays advance to the APSL Championship.
West Conference playoffs
West bracket
First Round Series 1
The Los Angeles Heat advance to the Division Finals.
First Round Series 2
The Colorado Foxes advance to the Division Finals.
Division Finals
The Los Angeles Heat advance to the Conference Finals.
The San Francisco Bay Blackhawks advance to the Conference Finals.
Conference Finals
The San Francisco Bay Blackhawks advance to the APSL Championship.
APSL Final
The Maryland Bays win the APSL Championship.
Combined points leaders
Honors
East (American Soccer League) Conference
MVP: Philip Gyau
Leading goal scorer: Mike Masters
Leading goalkeeper: Dale Caya
Rookie of the Year: Steve Pittman
Coach of the Year: Thomas Rongen
First Team All League
Goalkeeper: Dale Caya
Defenders: Steve Pittman, Paul Mariner, Brian Ainscough, George Gelnovatch
Midfielders: Chico Borja, Marcelo Carrera, David Byrne
Forwards: Philip Gyau, Dan Donigan, Jean Harbor
Second Team All League
Goalkeeper: Arnie Mausser
Defenders: Jimmy McGeough, Jr., Chris Reif, Thomas Rongen, Dave Smyth
Midfielders: Paul Dougherty, Eric Eichmann, Pat O'Kelly
Forwards: Mike Masters, Bruce Murray, Paul Riley
West (Western Soccer League) Conference
MVP: Mark Dodd
Leading goal scorer: Chance Fry
Leading goalkeeper: Mark Dodd
First Team All League
Goalkeeper: Mark Dodd
Defenders: Marcelo Balboa, John Doyle, Robin Fraser, Danny Pena
Midfielders: Dominic Kinnear, Fran O'Brien, George Pastor
Forwards: Chance Fry, Mark Kerlin, Townsend Qin
Second Team All League
Goalkeeper: Anton Nistl
Defenders: Steve Eise, Paul Krumpe, Derek Van Rheenen, Wade Webber
Midfielders: John Bain, Mike Fox, Jeff Rogers, Dzung Tran
Forwards: Scott Benedetti, Paul Wright
References
External links
The Year in American Soccer - 1990
USA - A-League (American Professional Soccer League) (RSSSF)
1990 Western Soccer League
1990 American Soccer League
APSL/A-League seasons
1