Overview of the 1988 ASL Season - From the American Soccer History Archives

The third American Soccer League had its origins in late 1986 when former NASL executive Clive Toye began discussions with USSF regional officials and USSF Vice President Chuck Blazer regarding the launching of a new professional soccer league along the east coast. The aim was to run a professional league along prudent fiscal lines, that would be focused on American players. The league would provide a higher level of competitive play than any since the NASL, but with fiscally sound policies that would prevent the spending sprees that led to the demise of the earlier league. By May of 1987, five franchises were established, with another five coming on board late in the year. The team names hearkened back to the NASL days, with Washington Diplomats, Ft. Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies among the teams.

When the ASL began play in the spring of 1988, it had teams concentrated in the Northeast and Florida, and attracted many of the top players not already playing for the WSA and MISL. These included such national players as Peter Vermes, Tab Ramos, and Bruce Murray, as well as NASL veterans Teofilo Cubillas, Arnie Mausser, Steve Wegerle, and Ray Hudson. The league played a 20 game season, and draws were broken through penalty kicks. The scoring system was simple this year- 3 points for a win, 0 for a loss, and no bonus points. The Northern Division was won by the New Jersey Eagles, led by young striker Jorge Acosta; the team won by three games over the Maryland Bays. The Southern Division was dominated by the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, winning by an easu four games. Their scoring arsenal included the #2 and #3 scorers, Steve Kinsey and Teofilo Cubillas, as well as Marcelo Carrera and Mirko Castillo, which gave them four of the league's best scorers. Winston DuBose, the former NASL star, was the top goalkeeper, although his Rowdies could only manage a 10-10 record. Boston Bolts were a disappointment, coming in at 9-11; more had been expected of them.

In the playoffs, Ft. Lauderdale easily swept Maryland 5-2 and 6-0, while Washington Diplomats split their two-leg series 4-1 and 0-1, and had to go to a mini-game where they exploded for four goals to defeat New Jersey 4-1. The finals were a closer series with Washington Diplomats doing what their NASL counterparts never accomplished, taking the league cup, this time on the strength of 4-3 and 3-2 victories.

Attendance was over 250,000 for the season, or about 2,500 per game. This was considered a success given the effective cost control, and the league accomplished a rare feat for an American soccer circuit: there were no franchise changes the following season. An impressive scoring feat was accomplished by Joe Mihaljevic of the Miami Sharks. In one of his first games for the Sharks, Joe scored five goals in Miami's 5-1 victory over the Washington Diplomats -- all in the last 25 minutes of the game! At the time this was the league record for most goals scored in a game, most goals in a half, and fastest goals scored back to back. It is possible that one or more of these records stand to this day, but the statistical record is incomplete, so this cannot be confirmed at present.