Soccer Bowl 2011

Soccer Bowl 2011 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 2011 season. It was the first championship match held by the new NASL and the first Soccer Bowl since 1984. Also known as the NASL Championship series 2011, the event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the NSC Minnesota Stars and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The first leg was held on October 22, 2011 at National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, while the second on October 29, 2011 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Soccer Bowl 2011
NASL Championship Series 2011
EventSoccer Bowl
NSC Minnesota Stars Fort Lauderdale Strikers
3 1
on aggregate
First leg
NSC Minnesota Stars Fort Lauderdale Strikers
3 1
DateOctober 22, 2011 (2011-10-22)
VenueNational Sports Center, Blaine, Minnesota
Man of the MatchLuke Mulholland
Attendance4,511
Second leg
Fort Lauderdale Strikers NSC Minnesota Stars
0 0
DateOctober 29, 2011 (2011-10-29)
VenueLockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Attendance6,849

After a two-day competition, the NSC Minnesota Stars became the 2011 NASL champions, and the first of the new league.[1][2]

Background

The NSC Minnesota Stars entered the playoffs as the number six seed and defeated the number three seed, Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1–0, in the single-match quarterfinal round. Next they faced the top-seeded, Carolina RailHawks FC in the semifinals. They won the first leg by a score of 1–0, but Carolina won the second leg, 4–3. Since the teams were tied on aggregate, they moved on to 30 minutes of extra time. Since neither side scored in extra time, on to a penalty kick shootout they went. The Stars won the shootout 5–3 to advance to the finals.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers had a much easier path to the finals. They entered the playoffs as the number four seed and defeated the fifth-seeded, FC Edmonton squad, 5–0, in the single-match quarterfinal round. Next they faced the second-seeded, Puerto Rico Islanders in the semifinals They won the first leg by a score of 3–1 and the second, 2–1, to advance to the finals.

Game summary

Championships results
Team 1 Aggregate Team 2 First leg Second leg Attendance
NSC Minnesota Stars3–1Fort Lauderdale Strikers3–10–0October 22 National Sports Center 4,511
October 29 Lockhart Stadium 6,849

First leg
F - 1st Leg
NSC Minnesota Stars3–1Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Neil Hlavaty 4'
Luke Mulholland 53'
Lucas Rodriguez 77'		 Report Own Goal 52'
Attendance: 4,511
Minnesota[3]
Fort Lauderdale

Second leg
F - 2nd Leg
Fort Lauderdale Strikers0–0NSC Minnesota Stars
Gerson Mayen Yellow card 90' Report
Attendance: 6,849


Fort Lauderdale
Minnesota[4]

2011 NASL Champions: NSC Minnesota Stars

See also

References
  1. "NSC Minnesota Capture first NASL Championship". NASL.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-02. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  2. NASL. "NASLSoccerBowl - History - Past Winner". North American Soccer League.
  3. "2011 NASL Championship: Game 1 Highlights - YouTube". YouTube.
  4. "Strikers vs Minnesota - NASL Championship Game Highlights - YouTube". YouTube.
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