It was 46 years ago today — Aug. 26, 1972 — that the Cosmos won their first North American Soccer League title, besting the St. Louis Stars, 2-1, in front of 6,102 rain-drenched fans at Hofstra Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y.
Czech international defender Josef Jelinek converted a controversial penalty kick in the 86th minute — the actual time was 85:52 — to lift the second-year NASL club.
Stars defender Gary Rensing fouled John Kerr in the penalty area although St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Harold Flachsbart wrote that the Cosmos midfielder did not have the ball when he was fouled.
St. Louis thought it had equalized with 53 seconds remaining in the match as a Willy Roy shot found the back of the net, but ruled offsides.
Stars player-head coach Casey Frankiewicz and Roy thought that goal should have been awarded.
“The game was our most determined effort under adverse playing conditions,” Frankiewicz told the Post-Dispatch. “We felt not many things were going our way. I feel we should still be playing overtime.”
A hard rain started pouring 90 minutes prior to kickoff. According to the St. Louis newspaper, puddles covered many parts of the artificial turf field, mostly in the middle.
Lightning struck a pole close to the stadium before the game as all field lights went out, the Post-Dispatch reported. Power was restored within 15 minutes by Mercury vapor auxiliary brought electricity back. The game’s kickoff was delayed by only five minutes.
“We played a tough game and so did the Stars and it’s too bad the game was was rough,” Cosmos head coach Gordon Bradley was quoted by the newspaper. “However, I feel we had the better scoring chances and who knows what might have happened on a dry field.”
According to the Post-Dispatch, Cosmos defender Werner Roth was red carded for kicking a prone Roy late in the match.
Bermudan international Randy Horton, the league’s MVP, boosted the hosts into the lead as he headed a Roby Young corner kick off the crossbar and past goalkeeper Mike Winter, who was rookie of the year.
Frankiewicz equalized seven minutes into the second half as Frankiewicz scored off a John Sewell feed. Referee Roger Schott rule the goal was offside, but after conferring with linesman Bill Maxwell, the referee awarded the goal.
The championship was just the start of very good things to come for the Cosmos, who went onto to win eight championships. That included five titles in the original incarnation of the NASL — 1972, 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1982 — and three in the 21st century version — 2013, 2015 and 2016.
