I remember watching this game, I believe on ABC. Giorgio Chinaglia is comforted by former teammate Robert Iarusci of the Washington Diplomats. Robert Iarusci was born in Toronto I believe with Italian parents and Giorgio was yelling at him in Italian on the field telling him to calm down. Chinaglia was then instrumental in re-signing Iarusci with the Cosmos.
I was at the game for sure. No chance I would have missed one against the Cosmos. The Dips also had Carmine Marcantonio, Italian born from Canada and Tony Crescitelli, also born in Italy who grew up in Long Island.
Tony Crescitell was born in Avellino, Italy. He played for the Diplomats then went onto play for San Jose after DC folded. He played 2 years with the Quakes and then went back to Washington in 1983 to play for Team America.... I remember meeting him at a local pizzeria when he came back with TA to play the Quaks. As far as American players at that time, he was a pretty good player. Sadly, the league went from 24 to 9 teams in 3 years and eventually folded so there was nowhere for him to play. I recall him playing indoor soccer for a season or two but I don't think he cared for that game and then he retired.
He went back to Long Island and played in the Long Island Soccer Football League, where he eventually was inducted into their hall of fame. I attended the league's 70th anniversary gala last November and got to chat with Tony.