1987 National Soccer League (Canada) season

The 1987 National Soccer League season was the sixty fourth season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in early May, 1987 and concluded in early October, 1987 with the NSL Championship final where Toronto Italia defeated London Marconi. Toronto would secure a treble by winning the NSL Ontario Cup against Windsor Wheels, and claiming the NSL Canada Cup from St. Léonard-Corfinium of the Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ).[2][3] On the other hand Windsor became the regular season champions by finishing first in the standings.[4][5] As a result Windsor would travel to Montreal, Quebec to face the LNSQ league champions Sherbrooke Univestrie, and would win the NSL Canadian Championship.[6]

National Soccer League
Season1987
Champions
League cupToronto Italia
Top goalscorerMarc Tirikian (17)[1]
← 1986
1988 →

Overview

The 1987 season marked another major change in the Canadian soccer landscape as the Canadian Soccer Association's (CSA) nationally sanctioned Canadian Soccer League (CSL) made its debut with a consequential affect on the National Soccer League (NSL).[7] The formation of the CSL caused a tension between both leagues and the national governing body.[8][9] The original cause of divisiveness was based on the CSA's policy of no ethnic affiliated teams, which caused several rejections of noted NSL clubs in acquiring a franchise in the CSL.[10][7][9] In response the Ontario centered NSL began competing with the nascent national league by utilizing their affiliated agreements with the Pacific Rim Soccer League of British Columbia and the Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ) for national recognition.[10] The agreements were based on an alternative method to the CSL's method of employing an interlocking national schedule in regards to travel expenses being reduced by providing a regionalized format where regionalized leagues with separate schedules would provide contenders to a postseason tournament, which determined the national champion.[11]

Before the commencement of both CSL and NSL seasons various negotiations took place with proposals to integrate or establish a promotion and relegation system within both leagues and a reasonable compromise to the ethnically supported clubs.[11][12] The discussions failed to produce any results and both leagues continued working in opposition to one another with different philosophical approaches to a national league system.[12][13] Internally several changes were approved at the NSL annual general meeting with plans of reestablishing a reserve division, and intentions of creating a promotion and relegation system within the league.[14] League commissioner Rocco Lofranco continued negotiating with various organizations in hopes of establishing further affiliated agreements in the Maritimes and the Canadian Prairies.[10]

The membership in the league increased to eleven members with all clubs returning with the exception of the Toronto Blizzard defecting to the CSL.[15][16] The new entries were centered in Toronto which included Chile Lindo, Nacional Latino, Toronto International, and the Mississauga Lakers of the Petro Canada League receiving a NSL franchise.[12][17]

Teams
Team City Stadium Manager
Chile Lindo Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium[18] Carlos Rivas[19]
London Marconi London, Ontario Cove Road Stadium
Mississauga Lakers Mississauga, Ontario
Nacional Latino Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium[18] Luis Riduott[20]
St. Catharines Roma St. Catharines, Ontario Club Roma Stadium
Toronto First Portuguese Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium
Toronto Croatia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium Vid Horvat[21]
Toronto International Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium[18] Ted Pope[22]
Toronto Italia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium Germán Sánchez[23]
Toronto Panhellenic Toronto, Ontario
Windsor Wheels Windsor, Ontario Windsor Stadium Mirko Bazic[24]

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of
departure		 Date of
vacancy		 Position in table Incoming coach Date of
appointment
Nacional Latino Luis Caruso[25][20] dismissed July 20, 1987 11th in July Luis Riduott July 22, 1987[20]
Toronto Croatia Bruno Pilaš[26] August 24, 1987 2nd in August Vid Horvat[21]

Final standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Windsor Wheels (C) 20 13 4 3 54 18 +36 30 Qualification for Playoffs
2 Toronto Croatia 20 12 3 5 46 19 +27 27
3 Toronto Panhellenic 20 12 3 5 34 24 +10 27
4 London Marconi 20 9 6 5 34 23 +11 24
5 Toronto Italia (O) 20 8 6 6 30 28 +2 22
6 Toronto International 20 7 5 8 29 21 +8 19
7 Mississauga Lakers 20 4 7 9 23 25 −2 15
8 Chile Lindo 20 3 9 8 18 44 −26 15
9 St. Catharines Roma 20 3 9 8 18 30 −12 15
10 Toronto First Portuguese 20 5 5 10 21 39 −18 15
11 Nacional Latino 20 4 4 12 44 12 +32 12
Updated to match(es) played on September 17, 1987. Source: [27]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner.

Cup

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all eleven teams took part. All the matches were separate from the regular season, and the teams were grouped into two separate divisions. The two winners in the group stage would advance to a singles match for the Cup. The winner of the league cup would face the Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ) cup titleholder for the NSL Canada Cup.

Finals
September 20, 1987 Toronto Italia 1–0 Windsor Wheels Etobicoke, Ontario
20:00 Hardley Scott  81' [[28] Report] Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium
September 24, 1987 Windsor Wheels 3–4 Toronto Italia Windsor, Ontario
20:00 Franjo Domic ,
Paul Pecoraro 		[[29] Report] Hardley Scott ,
Carmine Groe
Salguero 		Stadium: Windsor Stadium

NSL Canadian Championship

Since the 1986 season a joint effort was conducted between the Pacific Rim Soccer League of British Columbia, National Soccer League and the Quebec National Soccer League in order to provide a national champion.[30][31] Their regional champions would face each other in a single match for the championship. The Pacific Rim Soccer League participated in the first tournament, but ceased operations in 1987. While their league cup champions would compete for the NSL Canada Cup.

NSL Canadian Championship
October 5, 1987 Université de Sherbrooke 0–1 Windsor Wheels Sherbrooke, Quebec
15:00 Report Marc Tirikian  47' Stadium: Université de Sherbrooke Stadium

NSL Canada Cup
September 26, 1987 Toronto Italia 3–0 St. Leonard-Corfinium Etobicoke, Ontario
Salguero  4',  85'
Hardley Scott  82'		 Report Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium

References
  1. Da Costa, Norman (November 2, 1987). "Major Toronto soccer tourney in the works". Toronto Star. p. D8.
  2. 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.
  3. "Corfinium bows to Toronto Italia". Montreal Gazette. October 1, 1987. p. E9.
  4. "CSL Past Champions – Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  5. "1987 NSL Season" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca.
  6. "NSL title to Wheels". Windsor Star. October 6, 1987. p. B2.
  7. Davidson, James (April 4, 1987). "CSL gives soccer one more kick at Canada". The Globe and Mail. p. C4.
  8. Da Costa, Norman (July 21, 1986). "New pro league starts play in May". Toronto Star. p. C8.
  9. Da Costa, Norman (August 22, 1988). "Soccer's king seeking peace and order". Toronto Star. p. D8.
  10. Da Costa, Norman (March 23, 1987). "Canada opens tour by whipping English team". Toronto Star. p. D8.
  11. Da Costa, Norman (May 11, 1987). "Rocco Lofranco in new role as diplomat". Toronto Star. p. B7.
  12. Koep, Bob (May 15, 1987). "Enlarged soccer league to open with some plans on hold for now". Toronto Star. p. F10.
  13. Da Costa, Norman (October 19, 1987). "Look for boom to continue in Ontario soccer popularity". Toronto Star. p. D9.
  14. Da Costa, Norman (October 12, 1987). "Canadians need $5 million for World Cup". Toronto Star. p. D6.
  15. Waddell, Dave (January 9, 1987). "NSL to add junior division". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 13. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  16. "Soccer league set, without Montreal". Montreal Gazette. October 7, 1986. p. E2.
  17. Waddell, Dave (May 19, 1987). "Wheels rolling". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 17. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  18. Koep, Bob (May 15, 1987). "Enlarged soccer league to open with some plans on hold for now". Toronto Star. p. F10.
  19. Waddell, Dave (August 26, 1987). "NSL suspends four Windsor players for part in brawl". Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. p. 17. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  20. Vera Méndez, Hugo (July 22, 1987). "RIDPUT NUEVO ENTRENADOR". El Popular. p. 13.
  21. Da Costa, Norman (August 24, 1987). "Perennial NSL doormats reach for the top". Toronto Star. p. D6.
  22. "de seis jugadores profesionales brasileros". newspapers.lib.sfu.ca. El Popular. April 22, 1987. p. 19. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  23. "Norteamericana, nuevamente tendrá un torneo de segunda división". newspapers.lib.sfu.ca. El Popular. October 21, 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  24. Waddell, Dave (March 19, 1987). "Wheels tab Yugoslavian to coach". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 16. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  25. "NACIONAL LATINO DEBUTO EN LA NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUI". newspapers.lib.sfu.ca. El Popular. June 3, 1987. p. 13. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  26. Hall, Dave (May 25, 1987). "Wheels remain on roll". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 25. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  27. "16 Sep 1987, 58 - The Windsor Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  28. "Big job facing Wheels in Cup". Windsor Star. September 21, 1987. p. 28.
  29. Waddell, Dave (September 25, 1987). "Wheels let League Cup slip out of their hands". Windsor Star. p. 46.
  30. Ferriss, Alan (September 18, 1986). "Support Soccer". Newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette. p. 33. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  31. "NSL expansion plan is to grow to 11 clubs". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. September 9, 1986. p. 20. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
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