Soccer league
Football league
The USSF Division 2 Professional League (D2 Pro League )[ 1] was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for the 2010 season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL). The D2 Pro League was the second tier of the United States soccer league system below Major League Soccer .[ 2] The league also included two clubs from Canada and one club from Puerto Rico.
History
On August 27, 2009, Nike agreed to sell their stake in the United Soccer Leagues to investment company NuRock, instead of Jeff Cooper , who had aligned with a group of USL First Division team owners. Disappointed with the sale and state of the league, the ownership group broke away after the 2009 season with the intent to form a new incarnation of the North American Soccer League . The leagues sued each other, but ultimately withdrew their lawsuits and agreed to mediate with the United States Soccer Federation .
The USSF found that three of the NASL teams (NSC Minnesota Stars , Rochester Rhinos , and FC Tampa Bay ) had binding contracts to play in the USL First Division in 2010, leaving the NASL with too few teams to be sanctioned. However, this left the USL First Division with only six teams, also too few for sanctioning. The USSF stripped the USL First Division of its sanctioning, and denied sanctioning to the NASL. After a week of negotiations among the three, the USSF agreed to run a 12-team interim league for 2010. The six extant teams in each league would each occupy their own conference, but teams belonging to both leagues would play each other.[ 3]
Teams
Team
City
Stadium
Founded
Head Coach
USL Conference
Austin Aztex
Austin, Texas
House Park
2008
Adrian Heath
NSC Minnesota Stars
Blaine, Minnesota
National Sports Center
2009
Manny Lagos
Portland Timbers
Portland, Oregon
PGE Park
2001
Gavin Wilkinson
Puerto Rico Islanders
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
2003
Colin Clarke
Rochester Rhinos
Rochester, New York
Marina Auto Stadium
1996
Bob Lilley
FC Tampa Bay
Tampa, Florida
George M. Steinbrenner Field
2008
Perry Van der Beck (interim)
NASL Conference
Carolina RailHawks FC
Cary, North Carolina
WakeMed Soccer Park
2006
Martin Rennie
Crystal Palace Baltimore
Catonsville, Maryland
Ridley Athletic Complex
2006
Jim Cherneski
Miami FC
Miami , Florida
FIU Stadium , Lockhart Stadium
2006
Daryl Shore
Montreal Impact
Montreal , Quebec
Saputo Stadium
1992
Marc Dos Santos
AC St. Louis
Fenton, Missouri
Anheuser-Busch Center
2009
Dale Schilly [ 4]
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Burnaby, British Columbia
Swangard Stadium
1986
Teitur Thordarson
Pods
It was announced that the season would be centered around what are called pods . The pods were constructed around geographic regions and did not follow conference lines.[ 5] Teams within the same pod played each other four times, twice at home and twice away. Teams played one team outside of their pod four times, twice at home and twice away, and played the rest of the teams outside their pod twice, once at home and once away. This resulted in a thirty-game season for each team, and had the additional advantage of reducing travel costs. The season ended a playoff format to crown a league champion.
At the end of the regular season, the top teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs as the top two seeds. In addition, the remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advanced to the playoffs.[ 6]
Each round of the playoffs was a two-game aggregate goal series (the away goals rule was not applied as a tie-breaker). In the event that the aggregate score is tied after the second game of the series, the teams played two 15-minutes periods of extra time . If the score is still tied after extra time, the series was to be decided by a penalty shootout .[ 7]
2010 season
Football league season
NASL Conference standings
^ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.
USL Conference standings
^ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.
Playoff standings
^ The remaining six teams with the highest point totals, regardless of conference, also advance to the playoffs.
Match results
Abbreviation and Color Key:Austin Aztex – AUS • Carolina RailHawks – CAR • Crystal Palace Baltimore – CPB • Miami FC – MIA • NSC Minnesota Stars – MIN Montreal Impact – MTL • Portland Timbers – POR • Puerto Rico Islanders – PUE • Rochester Rhinos – ROC • AC St. Louis – STL FC Tampa Bay – TAM • Vancouver Whitecaps FC – VAN
Win • Loss • Draw • Home
Club
Match
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Austin Aztex
MTL
STL
ROC
MIN
TAM
CPB
TAM
MIA
CPB
PUE
POR
VAN
MIA
MIA
PUE
ROC
STL
MIA
TAM
PUE
CAR
POR
VAN
MIN
PUE
TAM
STL
STL
CAR
MTL
2–0
2–1
1–2
2–1
2–2
2–1
3–3
3–1
2–0
2–1
0–0
1–2
3–1
2–1
1–1
0–0
2–0
3–1
4–2
0–2
3–2
1–1
2–2
2–0
1–3
1–1
1–2
4–2
1–3
0–2
Carolina RailHawks
STL
MIN
ROC
MIA
TAM
PUE
MTL
POR
VAN
CPB
MTL
STL
PUE
MTL
ROC
ROC
VAN
MTL
ROC
CPB
MIA
AUS
TAM
PUE
CPB
POR
MIN
CPB
PUE
AUS
2–0
0–1
1–1
1–1
1–2
2–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
2–0
0–1
1–0
0–1
2–2
2–0
0–2
1–2
2–1
2–3
2–1
2–3
3–0
0–0
0–1
4–2
2–1
3–1
Crystal Palace Baltimore
TAM
PUE
STL
VAN
POR
AUS
ROC
POR
AUS
MIA
ROC
CAR
MIN
MIN
PUE
ROC
MTL
STL
MTL
MIA
MTL
CAR
ROC
MTL
POR
CAR
VAN
CAR
POR
TAM
0–1
1–3
0–1
0–0
1–0
1–2
1–0
2–1
0–2
3–3
1–2
1–1
1–3
1–0
0–2
0–0
2–1
0–1
1–1
0–1
0–0
2–1
0–2
0–5
0–3
0–3
0–3
2–4
1–3
3–6
Miami FC
ROC
VAN
TAM
CAR
MIN
MIN
AUS
PUE
MTL
CPB
POR
AUS
AUS
TAM
POR
VAN
PUE
TAM
AUS
CPB
PUE
TAM
CAR
ROC
STL
MTL
ROC
STL
ROC
PUE
1–1
0–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–0
1–3
2–4
1–1
3–3
1–0
1–3
1–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–0
1–1
3–3
1–2
1–3
1–3
2–1
2–1
4–2
1–0
1–1
NSC Minnesota Stars
VAN
CAR
PUE
TAM
ROC
AUS
MTL
MIA
MIA
TAM
STL
ROC
MTL
POR
POR
CPB
CPB
TAM
STL
PUE
VAN
STL
POR
VAN
POR
AUS
STL
CAR
VAN
TAM
0–2
1–0
1–3
1–0
0–3
1–2
1–2
1–1
0–1
1–3
3–2
0–0
1–0
1–0
0–2
3–1
0–1
1–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–2
0–1
0–1
0–2
3–0
1–0
1–0
3–1
Montreal Impact
AUS
POR
PUE
MIN
VAN
POR
CAR
MIA
MIN
TAM
ROC
CAR
VAN
ROC
STL
CAR
CPB
STL
VAN
CPB
CAR
CPB
ROC
CPB
ROC
PUE
MIA
TAM
VAN
AUS
0–2
1–1
1–0
2–1
0–0
1–0
0–2
1–1
0–1
2–1
1–1
2–2
1–2
1–2
0–3
1–0
1–2
3–0
0–1
1–1
0–2
0–0
1–2
5–0
2–0
2–1
1–2
3–0
1–0
2–0
Portland Timbers
ROC
STL
MTL
VAN
CPB
STL
MTL
CPB
CAR
AUS
MIA
MIN
MIN
TAM
VAN
MIA
VAN
STL
TAM
ROC
MIN
STL
MIN
AUS
CPB
PUE
CAR
PUE
CPB
VAN
1–0
3–0
1–1
2–1
0–1
1–1
0–1
1–2
1–1
0–0
0–1
0–1
2–0
1–0
0–0
2–0
2–1
0–3
2–2
0–1
2–2
1–0
1–0
1–1
3–0
1–0
0–0
1–0
3–1
2–2
Puerto Rico Islanders
MIN
CPB
MTL
CAR
TAM
MIA
AUS
STL
VAN
TAM
ROC
AUS
CPB
CAR
TAM
MIA
MIN
ROC
MIA
TAM
AUS
STL
CAR
POR
VAN
MTL
AUS
POR
CAR
MIA
3–1
3–1
0–1
1–2
1–2
4–2
1–2
0–1
1–1
1–0
0–3
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–0
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–2
0–1
0–0
1–2
3–1
0–1
1–2
1–1
Rochester Rhinos
MIA
POR
AUS
MIN
CAR
STL
CPB
VAN
VAN
MIN
CPB
MTL
PUE
MTL
AUS
CPB
CAR
TAM
PUE
CAR
POR
CAR
MTL
CPB
MIA
MTL
TAM
MIA
MIA
STL
1–1
0–1
2–1
3–0
1–1
2–1
0–1
0–2
2–1
0–0
2–1
1–1
3–0
2–1
0–0
0–0
0–1
1–0
1–3
1–0
1–0
2–0
2–1
2–0
3–1
0–2
3–0
1–2
0–1
2–1
AC St. Louis
CAR
AUS
POR
VAN
CPB
ROC
POR
TAM
MIN
PUE
VAN
CAR
VAN
MTL
MIN
AUS
MTL
CPB
POR
MIN
VAN
POR
PUE
TAM
MIA
MIN
AUS
MIA
AUS
ROC
0–2
1–2
0–3
0–1
1–0
1–2
1–1
0–3
2–3
1–0
0–0
0–2
1–1
3–0
2–2
0–2
0–3
1–0
3–0
2–2
0–0
0–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
0–3
2–1
2–4
2–4
1–2
FC Tampa Bay
CPB
MIN
MIA
AUS
CAR
AUS
STL
MIN
PUE
VAN
MTL
PUE
POR
MIA
MIN
PUE
ROC
MIA
POR
AUS
PUE
MIA
VAN
CAR
STL
ROC
AUS
MTL
MIN
CPB
1–0
0–1
1–1
2–2
2–1
3–3
3–0
3–1
2–1
0–1
1–2
0–1
0–1
1–1
0–1
0–0
0–1
2–0
2–2
2–4
1–1
3–3
1–1
1–2
2–2
0–3
1–1
0–3
1–3
6–3
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
MIN
MIA
STL
POR
CPB
MTL
ROC
ROC
TAM
CAR
AUS
PUE
STL
MTL
POR
STL
MIA
POR
MIN
MTL
CAR
STL
MIN
TAM
AUS
PUE
CPB
MIN
MTL
POR
2–0
0–0
1–0
1–2
0–0
0–0
2–0
1–2
1–0
1–1
2–1
1–1
0–0
2–1
0–0
1–1
3–1
1–2
1–1
1–0
2–2
0–0
1–0
1–1
2–2
0–0
3–0
0–1
0–1
2–2
Final regular season results. Based on the results at the NASL results table and USL schedule table
Playoffs
Each round was a two-game aggregate goal series . Home teams for the first game of each series listed at the bottom of the bracket.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Statistical leaders
Individual awards
Best XI
References
^ "U.S. Soccer Division 2 Professional League Schedule Announced" . ussoccer.com. February 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2010 .
^ "U.S. Soccer Conference Call Regarding 2010 Division 2 Soccer League" . ussoccer.com. January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 10, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010 .
^ "Division 2 Professional League To Operate in 2010" . ussoccer.com. January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 10, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010 .
^ Lange, Dave (June 25, 2010). "AC St. Louis fires head coach Claude Anelka, Schilly takes over" . St. Louis Globe-Democrat . Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2010 .
^ "U.S. Soccer Division 2 Professional League Schedule Announced" . www.ussoccer.com. February 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2010 .
^ "2010 USSF Division-2 Pro League Kicks Off this Weekend with Eight Teams in Action" . www.ussoccer.com. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2010 .
^ "USSF D-2 Pro League Postseason To Get Underway on Oct. 6 as Playoff Seeding Determined" . www.ussoccer.com. October 3, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2010 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "USSF D-2 Pro League Best XI and Awards" . NASL.com . North American Soccer League, LLC. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2020 .
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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.