Western Soccer League/Alliance
Final Team Standings and Playoff Results
Just before the demise of the United Soccer League in 1985, there was formed the
Western Soccer League, followed two years later by the Lone Star Soccer
Association (itself formed as a direct result of the collapse of the United
Soccer League), and the American Soccer League III in 1988. Originally known as
the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985, the league changed its name to
the Western Soccer Alliance, and then to the Western Soccer League in 1989.
League, and then in 1989 to the Western Soccer Alliance. In 1990, the ASL III
and the WSA merged to form the American Professional Soccer League, known since
1995 as the A-League. The league standings for the ASL III and the APSL
can be found on their separate homepages. Many thanks to Kevin Raymond
Mitzel (mitzel@npsl.com) for providing this information, and to Martin Andreas
Gedra (tallinn@umiacs.UMD.EDU) for providing some corrections & additional info.
Scoring systems:
1985-1986: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
1987: 3 points for a win, and 1 point for each goal scored up to a maximum
of three per game.
1988: 6 points for a win, 1 point for each goal scored up to a maximum
of three per game, and 0 for a loss.
1989: 6 points for win in regulation or overtime, 1 point for each goal
scored in regulation or overtime up to a maximum of 3; 4 points for
penalty-kick win, 2 points for pk-loss, and 0 points for
a regulation loss.
1985
GP W T L GF GA Pts
San Jose Earthquakes 7 4 1 2 10 9 13
Victoria Riptide 7 3 1 3 16 11 10
F. C. Seattle 7 3 1 3 13 13 10
F. C. Portland 7 1 2 4 8 16 5
LEAGUE CHAMPION: San Jose
There were games played against Edmonton Brickmen and a game against the Canadian
National team. The combined record of these games was 2-1-1 in favor of the
non-league teams. Also included is a game against the Canadian National Team.
After the season, Victoria withdrew from the league.
1986
Before the season, Hollywood, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Edmonton were added.
Seattle changed their name to Seattle Storm.
GP W T L GF GA PTS
Hollywood Kickers 14 8 4 2 21 13 28
F. C. Portland 14 6 2 6 20 19 20
Seattle Storm 14 6 2 6 19 22 20
Los Angeles Heat 14 4 5 5 15 14 17
San Diego Nomads 14 4 4 6 18 20 16
San Jose Earthquakes 14 3 4 7 23 32 13
Edmonton Brickmen 14 3 3 8 18 28 12
Standings include games played agains Manchester City and Dundee FC.
LEAGUE CHAMPION: Hollywood
After the season, Edmonton left the league to join the Canadian Soccer League.
1987
Before the season, Hollywood changed their name to California.
GP W L OW OL PW PL GF GA PTS
San Diego Nomads 10 6 4 1 0 1 1 17 9 31
Seattle Storm 10 5 5 1 1 1 1 16 14 31
San Jose Earthquakes 10 5 5 1 1 0 1 21 13 31
F. C. Portland 10 5 5 2 0 0 0 9 16 24
Los Angeles Heat 10 5 5 0 1 0 0 9 15 24
California Kickers 10 4 6 0 2 2 0 11 16 23
Wild Card: San Jose defeated Seattle 3-0
CHAMPIONSHIP: San Diego defeated San Jose 3-1
1988
GP W L GF GA PTS
Seattle Storm 12 10 2 25 10 83
San Diego Nomads 12 9 3 23 17 76
San Jose Earthquakes 12 7 5 20 19 61
Los Angeles Heat 12 7 5 20 17 61
California Kickers 12 3 9 17 28 35
F. C. Portland 12 1 11 16 32 22
Note: Includes games against Calgary Kickers and Vancouver 86ers of the CSL.
Semifinal: San Jose defeated San Diego 2-1(PK)
FINAL: Seattle defeated San Jose 3-1
1989
Before the season, Sacramento, Arizona, and Santa Barbara were added.
San Jose moved to San Francisco Bay. Portland changed their nickname to the Timbers.
GP W L GF GA Pts
North Division
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks 16 11 5 37 26 98
Portland Timbers 16 11 5 32 25 92
Seattle Storm 16 10 6 32 23 87
Sacramento Senators 16 3 13 20 43 40
South Division
San Diego Nomads 16 12 4 30 18 99
Los Angeles Heat 16 10 6 35 19 81
Real Santa Barbara 16 5 11 20 35 51
Arizona Condors 16 5 11 25 39 50
California Kickers 16 5 11 17 30 42
Semifinals: San Francisco Bay defeated Los Angeles 2-1(PK)
San Diego defeated Portland 2-1
FINAL: San Diego defeated San Francisco Bay 1-0
WSL-ASL II "National" Championship: Ft. Lauderdale defeated San Diego 3-1.
After the season, Sacramento folded.
At the end of 1989, the ASL III and the WSA merged into a new entity known as
the American Professional Soccer League. They remained separate conferences
which played independent schedules with different rules and scoring systems, but
the two conference champions met for a league championship title game.