2016 North American Soccer League season
Football league season
The 2016 North American Soccer League season is the 49th season of Division II soccer in the United States and Canada, and the 6th season of the modern North American Soccer League .
Three expansion clubs joined the league, with Miami FC and Rayo OKC joining in the Spring season and Puerto Rico FC beginning competition in the Fall season. In December, 2015, the San Antonio Scorpions ' home stadium, Toyota Field , was bought by the city of San Antonio for use by Spurs Sports & Entertainment to host a club in the USL , forcing the Scorpions to cease operations.[ 1] In January, 2016, the NASL suspended its operation of the Atlanta Silverbacks for the 2016 season and possibly beyond.[ 2] As a result, the Spring season was contested by 11 clubs and the Fall season by 12. The New York Cosmos are defending Soccer Bowl champions. A split season format was used for the 2016 season.
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Player transfers
Managerial changes
Team
Outgoing manager
Manner of departure
Date of vacancy
Position in table
Incoming manager
Date of appointment
Puerto Rico
Expansion team
Adrian Whitbread
August 24, 2015[ 3]
Miami
Alessandro Nesta
August 31, 2015[ 4]
Ottawa Fury
Marc Dos Santos
End of contract
November 20, 2015
Pre-season
Paul Dalglish
November 20, 2015[ 5]
Jacksonville Armada
Eric Dade (int.)
End of interim period
November 24, 2015
Tony Meola
November 24, 2015[ 6]
Indy Eleven
Tim Regan (int.)
End of interim period
December 2, 2015
Tim Hankinson
December 2, 2015[ 7]
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Günter Kronsteiner
End of contract
November 16, 2015
Caio Zanardi
December 2, 2015[ 8]
Minnesota United
Manny Lagos
Promotion to general manager
December 3, 2015
Carl Craig
December 3, 2015[ 9]
San Antonio Scorpions
Alen Marcina
Fired
November 1, 2015[ 10]
Club defunct [ 11]
Rayo OKC
Expansion team
Alen Marcina
January 7, 2016[ 12]
Atlanta Silverbacks
Gary Smith
Released
January 11, 2016
Pre-season
Club on hiatus [ 13]
Rayo OKC
Alen Marcina
Mutual termination
August 1, 2016
5th
Gerard Nus
August 1, 2016[ 14]
Jacksonville Armada
Tony Meola
Fired
August 7, 2016
11th
Mark Lowry (int.)
August 7, 2016[ 15]
Spring season
Standings
Source:
NASL Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) head-to-head record; 5) away goal differential; 6) away goals scored
(S) Spring season champion
Results
Updated to match(es) played on May 21, 2016. Source:
[1] Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Fall season
Standings
Source:
NASL Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) head-to-head record; 5) away goal differential; 6) away goals scored
(F) Fall season champion
Results
Updated to match(es) played on January 2016. Source:
[2] Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Playoffs
Combined standings
Source:
NASL Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) head-to-head record; 5) away goal differential; 6) away goals scored
(C) Champions;
(X) Regular season champion
The Championship
Participants
Semifinals
Soccer Bowl 2016
Attendance
Club
Minnesota United
16
137,161
9,460
6,101
8,573
-2.2%
Indy Eleven
16
134,339
9,356
6,132
8,396
-14.4%
Tampa Bay Rowdies
16
94,048
7,690
4,429
5,878
4.1%
Ottawa Fury
16
87,717
7,847
4,317
5,482
6.2%
Miami
16
86,833
10,156
1,229
5,427
N/A
Carolina RailHawks
16
80,923
8,086
3,093
5,058
11.4%
Puerto Rico
11
41,811
6,474
1,233
3,801
N/A
New York Cosmos
16
60,403
6,243
2,419
3,775
-25.4%
Jacksonville Armada
16
55,988
5,313
1,254
3,499
-55.9%
Rayo OKC
16
51,865
6,416
924
3,242
N/A
FC Edmonton
16
32,959
3,130
1,243
2,060
-28.7%
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
16
21,290
2,376
418
1,331
-70.2%
Total
187
885,337
10,156
418
4,734
-19.9%
Source: NASL
Highest attendances
Regular season
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Source:[ 17]
Top assists
Source:[ 17]
Clean sheets
Source: NASL
Hat-tricks
Player
For
Against
Result
Date
Éamon Zayed
Indy Eleven
Carolina RailHawks
4–1
June 11
Christian Ramirez
Minnesota United
Carolina RailHawks
5–1
July 2
Éamon Zayed
Indy Eleven
Jacksonville Armada
5–2
August 3
Georgi Hristov
Tampa Bay
Fort Lauderdale
4–1
September 24
Awards
Monthly awards
Weekly awards
League awards
References
^ "Scorpions Soccer Club Thanks Fans for Supporting Soccer for a Cause" . sascorpions.com. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015 .
^ "NASL Suspends Operation of Atlanta Silverbacks" . nasl.com. Retrieved January 11, 2016 .
^ "Puerto Rico Football Club Announces Head Coach And Technical Director" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "Alessandro Nesta Becomes Miami FC's First Head Coach" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "Paul Dalglish Appointed Ottawa Fury FC Head Coach" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "Legendary U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame Goalkeeper Tony Meola Hired as Armada FC Head Coach and Technical Director" . Jacksonville Armada FC. Retrieved April 30, 2016 .
^ "Tim Hankinson Takes Over Indy Eleven Head Coaching Position" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "Caio Zanardi Appointed Strikers Head Coach" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "Manny Lagos Becomes Minnesota's Sporting Director; Carl Craig Appointed Head Coach" . nasl.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015 .
^ "SCORPIONS PART WAYS WITH HEAD COACH ALEN MARCINA" . sascorpions.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2016 .
^ "NASL Releases Statement on San Antonio Scorpions" . nasl.com. Retrieved January 16, 2016 .
^ "Alen Marcina Named First Head Coach In Rayo OKC History" . nasl.com. Retrieved January 8, 2016 .
^ "NASL Suspends Operation Of Atlanta Silverbacks" . nasl.com. Retrieved January 16, 2016 .
^ "Alen Marcina Steps Down, Gerard Nus Named Rayo OKC Head Coach" . Rayo OKC. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016 .
^ "Armada FC Parts Ways With Head Coach/Technical Director Tony Meola, Assistant Coach Jim Rooney" . Jacksonville Armada FC. Retrieved August 12, 2016 .
^ "NASL ANNOUNCES SCHEDULING DETAILS FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS" . NASL.com . October 12, 2016.
^ a b "2016 NASL statistics" . Retrieved August 30, 2015 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH RailHawks Midfielder Austin Da Luz" . NASL. Retrieved May 6, 2016 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH Eddies Defender Papé Diakité" . NASL. Retrieved June 4, 2016 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH Indy Forward Eamon Zayed" . NASL. Retrieved June 30, 2016 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH Minnesota forward Christian Ramirez" . NASL. Retrieved August 4, 2016 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH FC Edmonton's Matt VanOekel" . NASL. Retrieved September 10, 2016 .
^ "PLAYER OF THE MONTH Miami forward Dario Cvitanich" . NASL. Retrieved October 9, 2016 .
^ "New York Cosmos Midfielder Juan Arango Wins 2016 NASL Golden Ball" . North American Soccer League . November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016 .
^ "Minnesota United Forward Christian Ramirez Wins NASL Golden Boot Award" . North American Soccer League . November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "FC Edmonton Goalkeeper Matt VanOekel Wins NASL Golen Glove" . North American Soccer League . November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "Indy Elevens Tim Hankinson Named 2016 NASL Coach of the Year" . North American Soccer League . November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016 .
^ "Indy Eleven Forward Duke Lacroix's Individual Effort Earns 2016 Goal of the Year" . nasl.com. November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "FC Edmonton Defender Papé Diakité Named 2016 NASL Young Player of the Year" . North American Soccer League . November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "Miami FC Midfielder Michael Lahoud Named NASL Humanitarian of the Year" . North American Soccer League . November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "Carolina RailHawks Earn 2016 NASL Fair Play Award" . North American Soccer League . November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016 .
^ "North American Soccer League Announces 2016 Best XI" . North American Soccer League . November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016 .
External links
Clubs Abandoned expansion teams Seasons Soccer Bowls Associated competitions Individual awards Records and statistics
International
Club competitions
CONCACAF Champions League
National teams
Men's Leagues Women's Leagues Cups Other
International
Club competitions National teams
Men Women Women U20 Women U17
Canadian National Soccer League Other defunct leagues USSF (U.S. based leagues)
Note: There is no clear information from CSA about tier of U.S. based leagues which have Canadian clubs. In terms of historical information, they have been deployed as tier 2 league as USSF have done.