Overview of the 1990 American Professional Soccer League season. Although the Western Soccer League and the American Soccer League merged to form the American Professional Soccer League in 1990, the two leagues remained essentially independent leagues, linked by name alone. During this season, they ran separate regular season schedules with two different points systems. They each had their own playoff formats, had separate league MVPs and had their own All-League teams. The first game between the two leagues came in September when the Maryland Bays of the American Soccer League defeated the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks of the Western Soccer League for the American Professional Soccer League championship.

History

On September 9, 1989, the champions of the west coast-based Western Soccer Alliance and the east coast-based American Soccer League played each other for the national championship. This was the first meeting between teams from the two leagues but was part of a larger effort to merge the two leagues. This effort resulted in the creation of the American Professional Soccer League on February 22, 1990. The merger remained one of name only as the two leagues played separate schedules and named separate MVPs and All-League teams. However, it allowed the teams to market themselves as members of a national league. During the playoffs, except for the West semifinals and the APSL finals, teams played a home and away series. However, they needed to win two games, so in the case of a tie after two games, the teams played a thirty-minute mini-game. If the game remained tied, the two teams would enter a shoot out. A shoot out pitted a field player against the opposing team's goalkeeper. The field player had five seconds to take a shot on goal beginning 35 yards from the goal.

League standings

East (American Soccer League) Conference

Points:

Northern Division

Southern Division

West (Western Soccer League) Conference

Points:

North Division

South Division

East Conference playoffs

East bracket

Semifinal 1

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers advance to the East Finals.

Semifinal 2

The Maryland Bays advance to the East Finals.

Conference Finals

The Maryland Bays advance to the APSL Championship.

West Conference playoffs

West bracket

First Round Series 1

The Los Angeles Heat advance to the Division Finals.

First Round Series 2

The Colorado Foxes advance to the Division Finals.

Division Finals

The Los Angeles Heat advance to the Conference Finals. The San Francisco Bay Blackhawks advance to the Conference Finals.

Conference Finals

The San Francisco Bay Blackhawks advance to the APSL Championship.

APSL Final

The Maryland Bays win the APSL Championship.

Combined points leaders

Honors

East (American Soccer League) Conference

First Team All League Second Team All League

West (Western Soccer League) Conference

** First Team All League** Second Team All League