LD Update: Rowdies survive for NASL crown; Toronto teams win CSL titles

Tampa Bay Rowdies celebrate NASL championship | Photo: NASL

In dramatic fashion, the second-seeded Tampa Bay Rowdies rallied and survived adversity in the NASL Championship series to down the defending champion Minnesota Stars in penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw through two legs and an extra 30 minutes of series overtime.

LD Update: Minnesota, Tampa Bay reach NASL Final; CSL playoffs begin

For the second consecutive year, the bottom-seed (6) Minnesota Stars eliminated the regular season champions to advance to the North American Soccer League's championship series. This time the reigning league title holders knocked off the expansion San Antonio Scorpions for the right to defend their title over the next two weekends against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The second-seeded side from Florida played a wild six-goal draw at home, advancing to the final series courtesy of their road victory in the first leg against the Carolina RailHawks, the side Minnesota dumped from the postseason at the same point a year ago.

LD Update: Ottawa stadium approval; MISL signings; USL trials set

A wide variety of items for the debut on INWsoccernews of the Lower Division Update, one of the leading features of the sister-site The Soccer Barn, which is being phased out. The LD Update is a regular feature recapping the news from around North America regarding lower division professional soccer, the elite national amateur leagues and the professional indoor game.