1985–86 Major Indoor Soccer League season

The 1985–86 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the eighth in league history and ended with the San Diego Sockers winning their third MISL title in four seasons over the Minnesota Strikers. It was the Sockers' fifth straight indoor title, as they had also won the North American Soccer League's indoor league in 1982 and 1984.

Major Indoor Soccer League
Season1985–86
ChampionsSan Diego Sockers
(3rd title)
Matches played288
Top goalscorerErik Rasmussen (67 goals)
Average attendance8,717

Recap

For the most part, the league format remained unchanged. A 48-game season would be followed with an eight-team playoff, similar to the playoff system used from 1982 to 1984. There would be one major change in gameplay, however. The shootout, part of the MISL since its inception, was dropped in favor of multiple overtime periods to decide games, if necessary.[1] There was a steady national TV contract for the first time since 1983, as ESPN would televise 15 regular-season games and assorted playoff games.[2]

The East and West division races were a study in contrasts. San Diego ran away with the West again, despite selling reigning league MVP Steve Zungul to the Tacoma Stars for $200,000 halfway through the regular season.[3] Tacoma would go 11-8 with Zungul, who won the league scoring title for the sixth time in the MISL's eight years. However, the Stars lost in four games to the Sockers in the league semifinals.[4]

In the East, the six-team division was separated by only four games. The playoff positions were only confirmed when the Baltimore Blast defeated the Pittsburgh Spirit in the season finale.[5] The Dallas Sidekicks switched divisions and promptly won 13 more games than the previous year, making the playoffs for the first time and earning Gordon Jago Coach of the Year honors.

For the second straight year, the Strikers and Sockers went to a deciding game in their playoff matchup. San Diego became the first team to rally from a two-game deficit to win a MISL playoff series, as the Strikers' 3-1 lead in the championship series disappeared under three straight Socker wins. In the first seventh game in MISL history, the Sockers held off a late Minnesota charge to win 5-3. San Diego's Brian Quinn scored two goals and an assist on his way to playoff MVP honors.[6]

After the season, the Spirit folded,[7] and the league made plans to return to New York with an expansion franchise.

Teams
Team City/Area Arena
Baltimore Blast Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore Arena
Chicago Sting Chicago Chicago Stadium
Cleveland Force Cleveland, Ohio Richfield Coliseum
Dallas Sidekicks Dallas, Texas Reunion Arena
Kansas City Comets Kansas City, Missouri Kemper Arena
Los Angeles Lazers Inglewood, California The Forum
Minnesota Strikers Bloomington, Minnesota Met Center
Pittsburgh Spirit Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)
San Diego Sockers San Diego, California San Diego Sports Arena
St. Louis Steamers St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis Arena
Tacoma Stars Tacoma, Washington Tacoma Dome
Wichita Wings Wichita, Kansas Kansas Coliseum

Regular season schedule

The 1985–86 regular season schedule ran from October 25, 1985, to April 6, 1986. Despite the loss of two teams from the 1984-85 lineup, the schedule remained at 48 games.[8]

Final standings

Playoff teams in bold.

Eastern Division W L Pct. GB GF GA Home Road
Cleveland Force2721.563--25221215-912-12
Minnesota Strikers2622.542123224216-810-14
Dallas Sidekicks2523.521222023116-89-15
Baltimore Blast2424.500321120117-77-17
Chicago Sting2325.479419619614-109-15
Pittsburgh Spirit2325.479422123718-65-19
Western Division W L Pct. GB GF GA Home Road
San Diego Sockers3612.750--30819521-315-9
Wichita Wings2721.563925822615-912-12
Tacoma Stars2325.4791320823215-98-16
St. Louis Steamers2325.4791322323316-87-17
Kansas City Comets1830.3751821726812-126-18
Los Angeles Lazers1335.271231972709-154-20

Playoffs
Division Semifinals Division Finals Championship Series
         
E1 Cleveland Force 3
E4 Baltimore Blast 2
E1 Cleveland Force 1
E2 Minnesota Strikers 3
E2 Minnesota Strikers 3
E3 Dallas Sidekicks 1
E2 Minnesota Strikers 3
W1 San Diego Sockers 4
W1 San Diego Sockers 3
W4 St. Louis Steamers 1
W1 San Diego Sockers 3
W3 Tacoma Stars 1
W2 Wichita Wings 1
W3 Tacoma Stars 3

Quarterfinals
Cleveland vs. Baltimore
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 8Baltimore 2Cleveland 78,666
April 13Baltimore 8Cleveland 319,468
April 15Cleveland 6Baltimore 87,631
April 18Cleveland 4Baltimore 312,232
Kai Haaskivi scored at 3:21 of overtime
April 20Baltimore 1Cleveland 516,626
Cleveland wins series 3-2
Minnesota vs. Dallas
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 12Dallas 3Minnesota 57,101
April 13Dallas 2Minnesota 75,151
April 16Minnesota 3Dallas 410,218
April 19Minnesota 7Dallas 413,908
Minnesota wins series 3-1
San Diego vs. St. Louis
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 10St. Louis 6San Diego 77,506
Gary Collier scored at 11:31 of overtime
April 12St. Louis 3San Diego 510,123
April 16San Diego 7St. Louis 87,506
April 19San Diego 10St. Louis 49,464
San Diego wins series 3-1
Wichita vs. Tacoma
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 9Tacoma 5Wichita 67,382
April 12Tacoma 5Wichita 49,561
April 16Wichita 4Tacoma 514,162
Fran O'Brien scored at 8:02 of overtime
April 18Wichita 1Tacoma 317,094
Tacoma wins series 3-1

Semifinals
Cleveland vs. Minnesota
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 25Minnesota 2Cleveland 518,797
April 27Minnesota 6Cleveland 216,877
May 2Cleveland 5Minnesota 610,254
Thompson Usiyan scored at 2:08 of overtime
May 4Cleveland 3Minnesota 710,351
Minnesota wins series 3-1
San Diego vs. Tacoma
DateAwayHomeAttendance
April 23Tacoma 4San Diego 108,308
April 29Tacoma 2San Diego 79,432
May 1San Diego 3Tacoma 415,290
May 7San Diego 8Tacoma 519,476
San Diego wins series 3-1

Championship Series
San Diego vs. Minnesota
DateAwayHomeAttendance
May 9Minnesota 2San Diego 710,370
May 11Minnesota 6San Diego 19,172
May 16San Diego 2Minnesota 715,756
May 18San Diego 3Minnesota 415,849
May 21Minnesota 4San Diego 710,613
May 23San Diego 6Minnesota 315,944
May 26Minnesota 3San Diego 510,613
San Diego wins series 4-3

Regular season player statistics

[9]

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Steve Zungul San Diego/Tacoma465560115
Erik Rasmussen Wichita Wings476741108
Branko Segota San Diego Sockers456046106
Tatu Dallas Sidekicks44493281
Craig Allen Cleveland Force43503181
Stan Stamenkovic Baltimore Blast45374481
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting43284775
Chico Borja Wichita Wings37334174
Preki Tacoma Stars48413071
Hugo Perez San Diego Sockers41412566

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses

Player Team GP Min GA GAA W L
Keith Van EronBaltimore Blast271491913.661410
Jim GorsekSan Diego Sockers241323823.72192
David BrcicPittsburgh Spirit4326591673.772122
Mike DowlerTacoma Stars231327924.16912
Zoltán TóthSan Diego Sockers2815621094.19179
Cris VaccaroCleveland Force3620121434.261914
Victor NogueiraChicago Sting3719051374.311714
Tino LettieriMinnesota Strikers4123861754.402415
Krys SobieskiDallas Sidekicks4024691824.422416
Slobo IlljevskiSt. Louis Steamers3921781634.491917

Playoff player statistics

[10]

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Branko Segota San Diego Sockers13131932
Brian Quinn San Diego Sockers13131023
Jan Goossens Minnesota Strikers1512921
Jean Willrich San Diego Sockers1591019
Thompson Usiyan Minnesota Strikers1511819
Juli Veee San Diego Sockers1581119

Leading goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min – Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses

Player Team GP Min GA GAA W L
P.J. JohnsCleveland Force5277143.0331
Tino LettieriMinnesota Strikers15866513.5296
Zoltán TóthSan Diego Sockers7414273.0952
Scott ManningBaltimore Blast3175134.4531
Seamus McDonoughWichita Wings2128104.6511

All-MISL teams
First Team  Position  Second Team
David Brcic, Pittsburgh G Jim Gorsek, San Diego
Kim Roentved, Wichita D Bruce Savage, Baltimore
Fernando Clavijo, San Diego D Bernie James, Cleveland
Branko Segota, San Diego M Chico Borja, Wichita
Steve Zungul, San Diego/Tacoma F Tatu, Dallas
Erik Rasmussen, Wichita F Craig Allen, Cleveland
Honorable Mention  Position  
Krys Sobieski, Dallas G
Kevin Crow, San Diego D
Victor Moreland, Dallas D
Brian Quinn, San Diego F
Stan Stamenkovic, Baltimore F

League Awards
  • Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, San Diego/Tacoma
  • Scoring Champion: Steve Zungul, San Diego/Tacoma
  • Pass Master: Steve Zungul, San Diego/Tacoma
  • Defender of the Year: Kim Roentved, Wichita
  • Rookie of the Year: Dave Boncek, Kansas City Comets
  • Goalkeeper of the Year: Keith Van Eron, Baltimore
  • Coach of the Year: Gordon Jago, Dallas
  • Championship Series Most Valuable Player: Brian Quinn, San Diego

Team attendance totals
Club Games Total Average
Cleveland Force 24 307,040 12,793
Kansas City Comets 24 298,269 12,428
Baltimore Blast 24 246,046 10,252
St. Louis Steamers 24 244,543 10,189
San Diego Sockers 24 229,935 9,581
Wichita Wings 24 202,725 8,447
Pittsburgh Spirit 24 186,597 7,775
Tacoma Stars 24 182,696 7,612
Chicago Sting 24 176,287 7,345
Dallas Sidekicks 24 165,694 6,904
Minnesota Strikers 24 156,071 6,503
Los Angeles Lazers 24 114,480 4,770
OVERALL 288 2,510,383 8,717

References
  1. "MISL's Seven New Rules". Los Angeles Times. October 23, 1985. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  2. MISL Official Guide 1989-90. 1989. p. 49.
  3. Reinmuth, Gary (February 6, 1986). "Sockers` Zungul Sold To Tacoma". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  4. Appleman, Marc (May 8, 1986). "Sockers Rally for 8-5 Win: San Diego Opens MISL Finals Friday Against Minnesota". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  5. Tuma, Gary (April 7, 1986). "Typical Spirit Ending: On Road Without Offense". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 19. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  6. Appleman, Marc (May 27, 1986). "Sockers Take 7 to Win 5; Strikers Bow Out, 5-3 : There Are a Few Twists to the Story This Time as San Diego Struggles to Win 5th Consecutive Indoor Title". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  7. Tuma, Gary (April 12, 1986). "DeBartolo folds losing Spirit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. 9–10.
  8. 1985-86 MISL Media Guide. 1985. pp. 38–39.
  9. MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. 1987. p. 50.
  10. MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. 1987. p. 79.

1985-86 MISL Media Guide. Chicago: Major Indoor Soccer League. 1985.

Leary, Dan; Griffin, John (1987). MISL Official Tenth Anniversary Guide. New York: Major Indoor Soccer League Communications Department.

Griffin, John, ed. (1989). MISL Official Guide 1989-90. Overland Park, Kansas: Major Indoor Soccer League Communications Department.

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