American Professional Soccer League (The A-League)

The American Professional Soccer League (APSL) was formed in 1990 as a merger between the third American Soccer League (started 1988) and the Western Soccer Alliance (started 1985).  The leagues merged in 1990, and played separate conference schedules as a unitary 21 team body.  Subsequent consolidation reduced the number of teams substantially, and reduced the league to a two division structure.  The A-League was awarded FIFA and USSF Division II status in 1993-94, and was renamed the A-League in 1995.  The A-League was absorbed by the USISL Select League at the end of 1996.  The new league retained the A-League name, and totalled 24 teams in all, mostly from the USISL Select league.  See the USISL archive for subsequent standings.  Many thanks to Chris Allen  (csallen@uga.cc.uga.edu) for providing much of this material.
OT = Overtime; PK = Penalty Kicks; MG = Mini-Game  

Scoring systems:
      1991-1994:   6 = win, 4 = SW, 2 = SL, 0 = Loss + 1 pt up to 3 gpg
      1995:        3 = win, 2 = SW, 1 = SL, 0 = Loss.
      1996:        3 = win, 1 = SW, 0 = loss or SL.

                                1990

Before the season, Miami changed their nickname to the Freedom.  California changed their nickname to the Emperors.  Salt Lake, Sacramento, and New Mexico were added.

                            G   W   T   L   GF  GA  PTS    
	EAST  (ASL) CONFERENCE
     	North Division
Maryland Bays              20  15   0   5   42  29   44
Albany Capitals            20  14   0   6   35  22   42
Penn-Jersey Spirit         20  13   0   7   34  23   39
Boston Bolts               20   9   0  11   27  27   28
Washington Stars           20   7   0  13   24  28   22
New Jersey Eagles          20   6   0  14   21  38   17

     	South Division
Ft. Lauderdale Strikers    20  15   0   5   38  22   45
Tampa Bay Rowdies          20  10   0  10   32  39   29
Orlando Lions              20   8   0  12   25  30   24
Miami Freedom              20   8   0  12   27  29   24
Washington Diplomats       20   5   0  15   22  40   16

Semifinals:  Ft. Lauderdale defeated Albany, 3-2, 2-0
             Maryland defeated Tampa Bay 2-1 (OT), 4-1
Finals:      Maryland defeated Ft. Lauderdale, 3-2, 2-0

	WEST (WSL) Conference
     	North Division
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks 20  13 0   7   39  30  104
Salt Lake Sting            20  12   0   8   39  34  104
Colorado Foxes             20  14   0   6   22  12  100
Portland Timbers           20  10   0  10   42  36   99
Seattle Storm              20  10   0  10   42  35   93



     	South Division
California Emperors        20  10   0  10   35  32   89
Los Angeles Heat           20  11   0   9   39  39   87
Real Santa Barbara         20  10   0  10   33  35   85
San Diego Nomads           20   8   0  12   22  28   67
New Mexico Chilies         20   7   0  13   25  45   61
Arizona Condors            20   5   0  15   29  51   59

First Round:  Los Angeles defeated Santa Barbara 0-1, 2-1, 1-0 (MG)
              Colorado defeated Salt Lake, 2-1, 4-1
Semifinals:   Los Angeles 2 at California 0
              Colorado 1 at San Francisco Bay 2
Finals:       San Francisco Bay defeated Los Angeles 0-2, 2-1 (PK), 1-0 (MG)
CHAMPIONSHIP: Maryland defeated San Francisco Bay 2-1 (PK)

After the season, Portland, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Arizona, New Mexico, Boston, Washington Diplomats, Seattle, and Santa Barbara folded.  Orlando was absorbed by Ft. Lauderdale and Washington Stars were absorbed by Maryland.  San Diego and California left the league to play as amateur teams.  Separate conferences were abolished and the league continued with two divisions.


                                       1991

                        Pd   W  L  WN WE WS  LN LE LS   G+  G-   GD  Pts
     	American Conference
Ft Lauderdale Strikers  21  15  6  11  0  4   3  1  2   39  21  +18  117
Albany Capitals         21  10 11   9  1  0   7  1  3   27  29   -2   92
Tampa Bay Rowdies       21   8 13   7  1  0  13  0  0   26  27   -1   69
Penn-Jersey Spirit      21   6 15   4  0  2  13  0  2   25  50  -25   61
Miami Freedom           21   6 15   5  0  1  14  1  0   19  53  -34   52
     	Western Conference
Maryland Bays           21  19  2  17  1  1   2  0  0   54  23  +31  158
SF Bay Blackhawks       21  17  4  12  1  4   2  1  1   33  16  +17  126
Colorado Foxes          21  13  8  11  1  1   7  0  1   36  27   +9  111
Salt Lake Sting  *      20   3 17   3  0  0  14  1  2   12  22  -10   33

Semi-Finals:  Albany Capitals defeated Maryland Bays 2-1 (OT), 2-1, 1-0 (PK)
              San Francisco defeated Ft. Lauderdale, 1-0 (OT), 1-0 (OT)
CHAMPIONSHIP: San Francisco defeated Albany 1-3, 2-0, 1-0 (PK)

(*) Salt Lake folded before playing their last game. Consequently, several friendlies with CSL clubs Vancouver and Montreal, and the Colombian club Millionarios were included as "official" games to bring all clubs up to a total of 21 games played.

After the season, Albany, Penn-Jersey and Maryland folded.


                                   1992

                            Pd   W  L  WN WE WS  LN LE LS   G+  G-   GD  Pts

Colorado Foxes              16  11  5  10  0  1   5  0  0   26  18   +8   89
Tampa Bay Rowdies           16  10  6   8  1  1   4  1  1   34  25   +9   87
SF Bay Blackhawks           16   8  8   6  0  2   6  0  2   27  25   +2   73
Ft Lauderdale Strikers      16   7  9   4  2  1   8  0  1   25  23   +2   61
Miami Freedom               16   4 12   4  0  0   9  2  1   17  38  -21   43



Semifinals:    Tampa Bay defeated San Francisco Bay, 2-1
               Colorado defeated Ft. Lauderdale, 3-2 (PK)
CHAMPIONSHIP:  Colorado defeated Tampa Bay, 1-0

After the season, Miami folded, and San Francisco joined the USISL.


                              1993

Before the season, Ft. Laduerdale and Los Angeles were added.  Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal joined the league from the defunct CSL.

                            Pd   W  L  WN WE WS  LN LE LS   G+  G-   GD  Pts
Vancouver 86ers             24  15  9  11  2  2   8  0  1   43  35   +8  126
Colorado Foxes              24  15  9  12  0  3   6  3  0   40  34   +6  121
Tampa Bay Rowdies           24  12 12  10  2  0  10  1  1   53  47   +6  118
Los Angeles Salsa           24  12 12   8  1  3   9  0  3   41  37   +4  109
Toronto Blizzard            24  10 14   8  2  0  11  1  2   35  41   -6   97
Ft Lauderdale Strikers      24   9 15   8  0  1  11  1  3   39  52  -13   94
Montreal Impact             24  11 13   9  0  2  11  1  1   28  33   -5   90

Semi-finals:   Los Angeles defeated Vancouver 2-2 (PK)
               Colorado defeated Tampa Bay, 1-0
CHAMPIONSHIP:  Colorado defeated Los Angeles, 3-1 (OT)

After the season, Tampa Bay folded.


                              1994

Before the season, Seattle was added.

                            Pd   W  L  WN WE WS  LN LE LS   G+  G-   GD  Pts
Seattle Sounders            20  14  6  14  0  0   4  1  1   38  16  +22  121
Los Angeles Salsa           20  12  8  10  1  1   5  1  2   36  22  +14  106
Montreal Impact             20  12  8  10  0  2   7  0  1   27  18   +9   93
Colorado Foxes              20  12  8   9  1  2   8  0  0   26  26    0   92
Ft Lauderdale Strikers      20   8 12   5  1  2   9  0  3   23  33  -10   72
Vancouver 86ers             20   7 13   6  0  1  11  1  1   25  41  -16   65
Toronto Rockets             20   5 15   5  0  0  15  0  0   14  33  -19   44


Semi-Finals:   Colorado defeated Seattle 2-0, 1-4, 1-0 (SO).
               Montreal defeated Los Angeles, 2-1, 0-3, 1-0 (SO)
FINAL:         Montreal defeated Colorado, 1-0

After the season, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale and Toronto folded.


                             1995

Before the season, the league changed its name to the A-League.  Atlanta and New York were added.

                           Pd   W  WS  LS   L    GD   G+   G-   P+  Att.
Montreal Impact            24  16   1   1   6   +20   47 - 27   51  5,075
Seattle Sounders           24  13   5   2   4   +16   40 - 24   51  4,571
Vancouver 86ers            24  10   0   3  11     0   43 - 43   33  4,492
Atlanta Ruckus             24   5   8   1  10   -12   29 - 41   32  2,632
Colorado Foxes             24   7   1   6  10    -6   35 - 41   29  5,873
New York Centaurs          24   5   1   3  15   -18   21 - 39   20  1,461

Semifinals:  Atlanta defeated Montreal 2-1 (SO), 0-3, 1-0 (SO)
             Seattle defeated Vancouver, 1-0, 1-0 (SO)
FINAL:       Seattle defeated Atlanta 1-2 (SO), 3-0, 2-1 (SO)



                                  1996

Rochester Raging Rhinos were added. New York Centaurs absorbed the New York Fever of the USISL and were renamed the Fever.

                           GP   W   L  SW   GF  GA  Pts
Montreal Impact            27  17   6   4   40  18   55
Colorado Foxes             27  14  11   2   55  33   44
Seattle Sounders           27  12  11   4   35  25   40
Rochester Rhinos           27  11  13   3   44  42   36
Vancouver 86ers            27  10  14   3   38  38   33
New York Fever             27   6  18   3   30  40   21
Atlanta Ruckus             22   3  19   0   14  60    9

Semi-finals:    Rochester defeated Montreal, 3-2, 0-3, 2-1
                Seattle defeated Colorado, 1-0, 0-2, 3-0
CHAMPIONSHIP:   Seattle defeated Rochester, 2-0.

Toronto and Hershey, PA were added after the end of the season.  

                            *  *  *  *  *  *

The A-League was absorbed by the USISL Select League at the end of 1996.  The Select League adopted the A-League name, and all but one team (New York sat out 1997) joined the new setup, along with 16 USISL (mostly Select League) teams, creating a 24-team 4 division USSF-sanctioned Division 2 league.  See the USISL standings section for subsequent league standings.