USA Final 1967
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosted the Final
EventSoccer Bowl (USA)
Los Angeles Wolves Washington Whips
6 5
On sudden-death overtime
DateJuly 14, 1967 (1967-07-14)
VenueMemorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
RefereeDick Giebner (United States)[1]
Attendance17,842

The USA Final 1967 was the United Soccer Association's first, and only, postseason championship game. The Los Angeles Wolves (composed of players from England's Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated the Washington Whips (made up of members of Scotland's Aberdeen F.C.), 6 to 5, in a sudden-death overtime after 90 minutes of regular play and 30 minutes of extra time, with the win coming from an own goal credited against Washington's Ally Shewan.[2] The title game, a single-game match, took place on July 14, 1967, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before a crowd of only 17,482 people. The game was described as "the greatest final ever played in American soil".[3]

At the end of regulation, Frank Munro of Washington had tied the game 4 to 4, and then tied it 5 to 5 in the final seconds of extra time. Under the USA rules for playoff games, the winner would be the first team to score if the match was still tied after 120 minutes. Six minutes into overtime, Bobby Thomson of Los Angeles was attempting to pass toward the Washington goal, and his shot rebounded off of Shewan's thigh and into the goal that had been left open by Washington goalie Bobby Clark; the Wolves flew back to England two days later.[4][5][6]

Background

A coin flip held on June 27 determined which division champion (Eastern or Western) would host the championship final.[7] The Washington Whips won the Eastern Division with 5 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses for 15 total points. The Los Angeles Wolves won the Western Division, also with 5 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses for 15 points. As division champions, both teams earned the right to compete in the inaugural title game. Although Washington held a slight advantage in goal differential, a coin flip was used to decide that the Western Division winner would be the home side for the final.

Match details

Los Angeles Wolves6–5 (a.e.t.)Washington Whips
Knowles 3'
Burnside 65', 67', 82'
Dougan 113'
Shewan gold-colored soccer ball 122'  (o.g.)		 Report Smith 21'
Munro 64' (pen.), 89', 120' (pen.)
Storrie 66'
Attendance: 17,842[8]
Referee: Dick Giebner[9] (United States)[1]
Los Angeles Wolves
Washington Whips

1967 USA Champions: Los Angeles Wolves

References

  1. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ "Washington Whips Give Gift Win To LA Before 17,824 Fans", AP report in The Daily Mail (Hagerstown MD), July 15, 1967, p13
  3. ↑ ’11 GOALS, TWO HAT-TRICKS, THREE PENS, ONE RED AND SEVERAL PUNCH-UPS … IT WAS THE GREATEST FINAL EVER PLAYED ON AMERICAN SOIL' by Ian Thomson on Sports Intelligence, September 23, 2013
  4. ↑ "Wolves Leave... Title Stays Here", Los Angeles Times, July 15, 1967, pC-2
  5. ↑ NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
  6. ↑ NASL. "NASL 1968-1984 - Yearly Result". North American Soccer League.
  7. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19670628&id=RJ8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8ukFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5833,2471323
  8. ↑ United Press International (July 16, 1967). "Wolves capture U.S. soccer title". The New York Times. p. 152. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ http://www.naslsoccerbowl.com/index.php?id=788
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