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Stars Advance to Semifinals with 2-1 Win in Puerto Rico
Defending NASL Champions Eliminate Islanders

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3368



RailHawks Advance to Semifinals With 3-1 Win
Fort Lauderdale Eliminated From Playoffs

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3366

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Forwards

Mark Anderson, Fort Lauderdale Strikers

TheStrikers’ forward recorded 11 goals and 3 assists in 1788 minutes of action during the 2012 season. A native of Durham, England, Anderson joined the Strikers in 2012 after a successful career at Barry University where he was named the Daktronics DII Player of the Year for 2011. Anderson is renowned for his spectacular long distance efforts on goal.

Pablo Campos, San Antonio Scorpions

The native of Rio De Janiero, Brazil was the recipient of the 2012 NASL Golden Boot as the leading scorer in the league. Campos scored 20 goals this season, after recording 12 last season with the Carolina RailHawks. Campos is the now the leading goal scorer in NASL history with 37 in all competitions. The 29-year-old forward won NASL Offensive Player of the Week five times this season, leading the league in this honor.

Midfielders

Luke Mulholland, Tampa Bay Rowdies

The Rowdies’ midfielder recorded five goals and five assists this season. From Preston, England, Mulholland played a pivotal role in the playoff run last year of the 2011 NASL Champion Minnesota Stars. Mulholland provides a steady presence on the ball for Rowdies as well as excellent off ball runs to provide outlets for his teammates in the final third.

Walter Ramirez, San Antonio Scorpions

Ramirez, a Honduran international, has two goals and six assists on the season. Playing wide on the left side of San Antonio’s midfield Ramirez’s pace and dribbling skills were vital as the Scorpions claimed the NASL Regular Season Championship.

Walter Restrepo, Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Restrepo, a San Diego, California native, suffered a torn ACL late in the season for the Strikers and missed the final six games of the season. Despite this injury, Restrepo still tied for the league lead in assists with eight and contributed six goals while energizing the Fort Lauderdale offense from his role as the club’s attacking midfielder.

Nick Zimmerman, Carolina RailHawks

Zimmerman led the RailHawks with 15 goals this season. The Tampa, Florida native is the second all-time leading goal scorer in NASL history with 21 across all competitions, and is the second leading scorer in club history. Zimmerman played centrally, out wide and up front this season for RailHawks excelling in each role.

Defenders

Kyle Altman, Minnesota Stars FC

Captaining the Stars to a second successive playoff appearance, Altman logged 1700 minutes for the team this season. Last season, the Albuquerque, New Mexico, native helped the Stars to the NASL Championship. The 26-year-old is known for his steady play at the back acting as a stopper in front of the Stars goalkeeper.

Ryan Cochrane, San Antonio Scorpions

Cochrane, a two-time MLS Cup Champion with the Houston Dynamo logged 2,276 minutes this season in defense for NASL Regular Season Champion Scorpions. The Portland, Oregon native scored a goal and added three assists during the season. Cochrane anchored a backline that conceded just 27 goals this season, the lowest total in the league.

Paul Hamilton, FC Edmonton

The Calgary, Alberta native led his club in minutes played with 2,024.The rugged 24-year-old center back helped organize the “Eddies” backline this season. Hamilton was named NASL Defensive Player of the Week on May 14th.

Takuya Yamada, Tampa Bay Rowdies

Yamada, a Japanese international was the only field player in the NASL to play every minute this season. Yamada, the last remaining player from the Tampa Bay’s 2010 inaugural season was a member of Japan’s 2004 Asian Cup winning squad. The 38-year-old won NASL Defensive Player of the Week on September 10th.

Goalkeeper

Jeff Attinella, Tampa Bay Rowdies

Attinella led the NASL in saves this season with 118 saves and boasted a stellar 1.07 goals-against-average. The Clearwater, Florida, native has started over 50 games for his hometown club over the past two seasons. The 24-year-old won NASL Defensive Player of the Week five times this season, which led the league.


http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3405

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Sat 10/20 8:30 pm EDT
Playoff - leg one
Minnesota Stars FC vs Tampa Bay Rowdies
NSC Stadium

Sat 10/27 7:30 pm EDT
Playoff - leg two
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Minnesota Stars FC
Al Lang Stadium

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Playoff - leg one
Minnesota Stars FC 2:0 Tampa Bay Rowdies
NSC Stadium

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3453


Sat 10/27 7:30 pm EDT
Playoff - leg two
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Minnesota Stars FC
Al Lang Stadium

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyEmn...layer_embedded

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NASL:
Rowdies rally to give the Soccer Bowl a new home


A red card slowed them down, overtime sapped their strength and a shootout tested their nerves, but none of those challenges were enough to keep the Tampa Bay Rowdies from wresting the NASL Championship from the defending champion Minnesota Stars.

Entering the second leg of the 2012 final on Saturday with a two-goal deficit, Tampa Bay fought back to even matters with a 3-1 victory that prompted a decisive penalty-kick shootout. On the back of three massive saves from Best XI goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, the Rowdies laid claim to the Soccer Bowl, the highest honor of the American and Canadian second division.

A back-and-forth first leg set the bar high and what followed at Al Lang Stadium was one of the most intense matches in the league’s two-year history, as aggregate scores flip-flopped, regulation produced four goals and a sell-out crowd of 6,208 in St. Petersburg, Fla., provided a fitting atmosphere.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...-bowl-new-home

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NASL Announces Virginia Team to Begin Play in 2014

VIP Sports & Entertainment to Bring Professional Soccer to Loudoun County

ASHBURN, VA – November 5, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional sports and entertainment options to Northern Virginia, VIP Sports & Entertainment announces that it is partnering with Loudoun Professional Soccer, LLC (LPS), who have been awarded a franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL). The franchise will debut in 2014 playing its home games at the future Ballpark located at One Loudoun in Ashburn, VA.

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3496

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Erik Stover Named NY Cosmos Chief Operating Officer


NEW YORK (Nov 8, 2012) ̶ The New York Cosmos today named Erik Stover as the franchise’s Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all facets of the operation on and off the field. Stover is a 16-year veteran of the sports and entertainment industry having held senior management positions with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (Giants Stadium and IZOD Center) and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Most recently, he was the Managing Director of Red Bull New York, a flagship team in Major League Soccer.

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3505

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Cosmos name Metro icon Gio Savarese coach


The New York Cosmos named MetroStar legend Giovanni “Gio” Savarese head coach today, further stoking the fires of a potential rivalry with the Red Bulls.

“I know how much the New York Cosmos mean to the local soccer community, understand my great responsibility and am excited about the challenges ahead,’’ said Savarese. “I’m thrilled and appreciative for the opportunity and look forward to putting together a competitive team.”

Savarese – who earned six caps for Venezuela and was the MetroStars all-time leading scorer - most recently served as director of the Cosmos Academy and manager of the Cosmos U-23 team that played in the USL Premier Development League. Savarese also is a soccer commentator on ESPN Deportes.


Read more: Cosmos name Metro icon Gio Savarese coach http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/soccer...#ixzz2Ch3DbPfv

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The Cosmos confirmed today in a forum with a group of supporters -- the Borough Boys -- they would return to play in the NASL Fall Championship season. Schedule particulars, specifically about the home opener, will be announced by the league in the near future.

Cosmos COO Erik Stover: "We've said from the beginning that when we returned to the field, we would do it in the right way. This allows us the time we need to build our staff and operational capabilities in a professional manner. But most importantly, especially for our loyal fans, it gives us the necessary time to put a club on the field they can be proud of."


http://nycosmos.com/news/new-york-co...l-championship

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NASL's Fort Lauderdale to pursue soccer-specific stadium


On Tuesday, Strikers owners Traffic Sports announced that either Lockhart will get another facelift, or they'll just build a brand new soccer-specific stadium of their own.

“Traffic Sports has given me a mandate to seek a permanent, first class home for the Strikers,” said Tim Robbie, newly named managing director of team personnel and stadium development, in a press release. “Our top priority is to work with the city of Fort Lauderdale to renovate Lockhart Stadium as part of the overall development of the area.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...ecific-stadium

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Minnesota Stars FC announces 2013 venues

Club to Split Time in 2013 Between Metrodome and NSC Stadium

With 2013 North American Soccer League action about four months away, Minnesota Stars FC announced Tuesday its venue plans for the upcoming season. Stars FC will split time between two venues, beginning the season indoors during Minnesota’s unpredictable spring weather before moving outdoors.

Just as it did in 2012, Stars FC will open its home schedule in downtown Minneapolis at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Unlike 2012, when the club opened in front of nearly 9,000 fans at the Dome, its downtown stay will be an extended one. Instead of one game at the H.H.H. Metrodome, the team will play the first four home games of the 2013 season in Minneapolis before returning to NSC Stadium on the campus of the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. for the remainder of the NASL’s opening Spring Championship. The club will play the entirety of the Fall Championship outdoors at NSC Stadium.

Exact dates at each venue will not be known until the NASL releases its complete schedule in early 2013.

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3568

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NY Cosmos Sign Long Island Native Carlos Mendes

Mendes Played Seven Seasons with the New York Red Bulls

NEW YORK -- December 11, 2012 – The New York Cosmos today announced the signing of Long Island-native Carlos Mendes. Mendes was born and raised in Mineola, Long Island –he currently resides in East Meadow– and played youth soccer for the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club. He attended The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, the alma mater of Cosmos legend Shep Messing.

Mendes will wear No. 4, the same number as Werner Roth, the New York-raised former Cosmos captain, who joined the club for its first season at Hofstra in 1972.

"Carlos is a Long Island guy, well respected in the community and a leader on and off the field,” said Cosmos COO Erik Stover. “He gives us a solid foundation to build our club around.”

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3583

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Silverbacks Release Four Logo Finalists

The field has narrowed for the Atlanta Silverbacks new logo. The Silverbacks announced four finalists on Wednesday, kicking off the final round of a logo design contest that has allowed the fans and others in the community to be involved in the club’s brand evolution.

The final round begins after a four-week-long preliminary period that saw many fans and local designers submit and vote on a wide variety of logo submissions. The logo design from Michael Jasiczek, a resident of Decatur, received the most votes through the team’s official Facebook page (facebook.com/atlantasilverbacks), and thereby advanced as a finalist. As a reward for advancing, Jasiczek will receive a pair of 2013 season tickets in the section of his choice, a team-signed jersey, and dinner out with Silverbacks Head Coach BRIAN HAYNES, General Manager ANDY SMITH, and a player of his choice.

“We were blown away by the spirit and creativity that the fans showed with their logo designs,” Smith said. “It was amazing seeing so many different concepts, with each one showcasing unique elements about the club’s name, colors, and even history.”

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3593

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Islanders to Reorganize Operations in 2013


MIAMI, Fla. (December 21, 2012)– The Puerto Rico Islanders have informed the Board of Governors of the North American Soccer League (NASL) that it will not participate in the 2013 Spring Season. The team has decided to use that time to reorganize its operations.

"The NASL continues to grow and improve and as such our teams must also continue to grow and develop,” said NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson. “This reorganization will give the Islanders an opportunity to rejoin the NASL and contribute to its growth while proudly representing Puerto Rico around the world. It is our intention to have the Islanders back on the field as soon as they have completed the process and we will provide whatever assistance is necessary to help them."

http://www.nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=3606