1978 New York Cosmos season

Cosmos
1978 season
ManagerItaly Eddie Firmani[1]
StadiumGiants Stadium
NASLDivision: 1st
Overall: 1st
Playoffs: Champions
National
Challenge Cup
Did not enter
CONCACAF
Champions' Cup
Did not enter
Top goalscorerLeague: Italy Giorgio Chinaglia (34? goals)
All: Italy Giorgio Chinaglia (goals)
Highest home attendance74,901
vs. TB (August 27)
Lowest home attendance26,325
vs. BJR (September 9)
Average home league attendance47,856[2]
← 1977
1979 →

The 1978 New York Cosmos season was the eighth season for the Cosmos in the now-defunct North American Soccer League. It was also the second and final year in which "New York" was dropped from their name. The double-winning club set records for most wins and points in an NASL season, thanks to their 24-6 regular-season mark (shared with the Vancouver Whitecaps) and 212 points, securing their second premiership on the way to their third championship. They beat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 7–0 on opening day[3] and never looked back, scoring 88 times while losing just three games in regulation. Giorgio Chinaglia scored 34 goals and 79 points, setting league records in the process. In Soccer Bowl '78, the Cosmos defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies in front of 74,901 fans at Giants Stadium, still to this day a record for attendance at a North American championship soccer game.

  1. ^ "From Cape Town to NY, via Charlton: The footballing life of Eddie Firmani". TheGuardian.com. May 19, 2010.
  2. ^ "North American Soccer League".
  3. ^ "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search".