Steven Sandor's Blog, page 58

Ottawa vs. Atlanta, 2015: The day that may have changed the course of the Fury franchise

Remember Marvel’s What If? comic series? Basically, each issue pondered what would happen if one small thing changed in the Marvel Universe. (I still like the issue where Peter Parker became a spy).

Well, I am going to play What If? right now.

What if, in 2015, Ottawa hadn’t rested its players on the final weekend of the regular season? Would the team be leaping towards USL for the 2017 season?

To me, that road date in Atlanta was likely the most important game in the NASL history of the Ottawa Fury.

Let’s go back in time: The Fury were atop the combined NASL standings with one week to go. If the Fury beat the Silverbacks in Atlanta, the team would have finished on top and guaranteed itself home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

But, Dos Santos went with a reserve side, choosing to rest key starters. The Fury only got a tie with the Silverbacks. The New York Cosmos took the No. 1 seed.

The Fury got 9,346 out to TD Place to watch the Fury beat Minnesota 2-1 in the semis.

To think, had the Fury not rested their players, how many would the team have drawn for the final in Ottawa? More than 12K to be sure. And, maybe, just maybe, with that kind of grand finale, with more media attention, it might have just generated that much more interest and ticket buys for the 2016 season.

Of course, if Ottawa had hosted the game, there would have a been a better chance that the Fury would have won it. And being a past champion carries weight. Would that have committed owners more to the NASL model?

There are those who will argue that the Fury’s plan to rest players rather than go for first allowed the team to be fresh for the Minnesota final. But, to have a chance to host the final, and willingly pass it up? That decision might not have only cost the Fury a chance at the 2015 Soccer Bowl, but it might be the one that put the team on the path out of NASL.

Yes, there are a lot of factors that led the Fury to where the team is today. And Dos Santos had already announced he would be leaving the team before that Atlanta game (and the subsequent playoffs) But it’s hard to escape the nagging feeling that a late-season game in Atlanta was where the Fury franchise began to slide downhill.

Rowdies, Fury moving to USL: “Zero chance” that FC Edmonton would follow

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are leaving the NASL for the USL. The Ottawa Fury have announced that they are moving to USL as well, but that move still needs to be signed off on by the Canadian Soccer Association.

But, according to FC Edmonton co-owner Tom Fath, his team has no interest in leaving NASL.

“There’s zero chance of our team moving to USL,” said Fath. “We have no interest in moving to that league.”

Fath was responding to a Twitter rumour that FCE might consider a move to the third division from the second. Fath said that years ago, before the USL got new ownership, they had some talks with that league. But there’s been no contact recently.

The Faths (Tom and his brother, Dave) are the longest standing owners in NASL.

Both the Fury and Rowdies announced their moves on Tuesday.

“We’re excited to be joining the fastest-growing soccer league in the world,” said Fury President John Pugh in a release issued by the club. “The USL’s goal is to be the top second division in the world and we are thrilled to be part of it. Our growing and loyal fan base deserves and can expect a very high caliber of play and tremendous competition. Go Fury Go!”

USL is planning to push for second-division status in the United States, but it is at the third-division level at the moment. In Canada, because this country’s national soccer champion is decided via the Voyageurs Cup — where NASL and MLS teams compete against each other — the Canadian Soccer Association is not as hung up on divisional distinction.

NASL will also lose Minnesota United to MLS. Both Rayo OKC and Fort Lauderdale are facing front-office crises.

A potential Fury move to the USL would need to be approved by the Canadian Soccer Association. Yesterday, the CSA gave a “no comment at this time” when asked about the Fury’s situation. That’s a little different than the CSA’s stance at end of September, when it confirmed that it had yet to receive any paperwork from the Fury.

NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson released the following statement:

“As a league in North America, the NASL operates in an environment where owners are free to take their clubs wherever they choose. All we can do is acknowledge that reality and move forward with our business, which is exactly what we’re doing right now. We have never had a stronger and more unified group of owners who are committed to the league’s model, its structure, and its long-term vision. With a half-dozen serious expansion discussions in progress, the league looks forward to adding new owners who share in the board’s vision.

“We have ambitious plans for growth, and we’re proud that the flexibility of the NASL model remains an extremely attractive proposition for investors seeking to become part of an authentic, competitive soccer league. While we don’t want to take anything away from what is sure to be another exciting postseason, we’re focused on ensuring that, in 2017, the NASL is one of the most competitive soccer leagues around.”

Bill Edwards bought the Rowdies near the end of 2013 and has been one of NASL’s most outspoken and colourful owners. In 2015, he fired coach Thomas Rongen and general manager Farrukh Quraishi less than a year after hiring them. “’They had a five-year plan, and I have a one-year plan.”

This year, Edwards caused waves in the league when he ordered the public release of a video illustrating the number of times he felt his team had been jobbed by the referees. The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) also administers officials for USL, so he’s not getting away from them by moving leagues.

“This move is a necessary and positive step toward reaching the long-term goals and objectives of the club,” Edwards said in a release issued by the Rowdies.

VSI Tampa Bay played at the USL-PRO level in 2013, but lasted just one season in that league. Poor attendances were driven by the stadium’s poor location and the competition from the NASL Rowdies.

The Fury won the 2015 NASL fall season going away, but there were signs of trouble before the playoffs. Coach Marc Dos Santos announced he would be leaving the team at the end of the season for Swope Park Rangers (he’ll return to NASL in 2017 as the coach of the San Francisco Deltas). After the Fury lost the final, the team went on a cost-cutting spree that saw many of the 2015 regulars move on to other teams.

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS FINAL/NASL Week 28

Three Canadians made their NASL or MLS debuts this past weekend.

With it being the last weekend of the MLS regular season — and the penultimate weekend of the NASL regular-season schedule — some coaches experimented with their lineups. Some of the coaches wanted to rest regulars ahead of the playoffs, and others were already looking towards next season. It meant  that three Canadians got the chance to make their season debuts.

Brett Levis got a few minutes in as a Whitecaps sub; David Choiniere started for the Impact, and defender Marko Aleksic got into the starting XI for FC Edmonton.

With the addition of those three players, the number of Canadians who have played in MLS or NASL games this season has jumped to 44.

Here are the rankings:

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

 

Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 2677 (30)
Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 2451 (30)
Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 2383 (31)
Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 2365 (28)
Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 2354 (28)  
Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL, 2093 (25)
Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 2047 (26)
Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1659 (23)
Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647 (20)
Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1590 (23)  
Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1569 (25)
Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1538 (22)
Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1514 (31)
Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1456 (18)
Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 1185 (20)
Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 1139 (18)
Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 1114 (13)
Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL  1110 (14)
Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS,  962 (13)  
Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 952 (14)
Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 912 (14)
Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 868 (17)  
Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 791 (14)
Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 779 (18)
Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 777 (11)
Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)
David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 720 (8)
Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 695 (11)
Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 646 (16)
Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 475 (10)
Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 399 (11)
Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 299 (8)
Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 261 (3)
Tyson Farago, FC Edmonton, NASL, 180 (2)


Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 170 (7)
Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)
Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)
Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)
Marko Aleksic, FC Edmonton, NASL, 87 (1)
David Choiniere, Montreal, MLS, 76 (1)
 Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)
Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 63 (3)
Brett Levis, Vancouver, MLS, 6 (1)
Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

 

TEAM RANKINGS, MINUTES PLAYED BY CANADIANS IN 2016, RANKED BY AVERAGE MINUTES PER GAME:

Ottawa, NASL,10752/31 (346.8)

FC Edmonton, NASL, 6418/31 (207)

Toronto FC, MLS, 6995/34 (205.7)

Montreal, MLS, 4181/34 (123)

Vancouver, MLS, 3967/34 (116.7)

Miami FC, NASL, 2677/31 (86.4)

Orlando City, MLS, 2383/34 (70.1)

Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647/31 (53.1)

Carolina, NASL, 1590/31 (51.3)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1514/34 (44.5)

New York Red Bulls, MLS, 582/34 (17.1)

Jacksonville, NASL, 528/31 (17)

Our unofficial Team Canada, Swope Park Rangers, loses USL final

Our unofficial Team Canada in the USL final ended up being overhwelmed by New York Red Bulls II.

NYRBII won the USL championship at home Sunday night, beating Swope Park Rangers by a 5-1 count. For Rangers’ Canadian coach, Marc Dos Santos, it marked the second straight year he faced a New York team in a championship game — and lost. In 2015, his Ottawa Fury lost to the New Cosmos in the NASL Championship game.

Swope Park, exploiting USL rules which allow Canadians to be treated as domestic players on the roster of Canadian and U.S.-based teams, started three Canadians in the final — Amer Didic, Tyler Pasher and Jonathan Grant. And Canadian Mark Anthony Gonzalez, who suffered a hamstring injury last week, came in as a 61st-minute sub. Grant had been getting more minutes in the playoffs, and Didic has turned so many heads this season as a real breakthrough player.

But, Rangers were under pressure from the opening kickoff and had a difficult time dealing with the Red Bulls’ high press. There were sequences where the Red Bulls would create a chance, get the ball back, get another chance, another chance, score. Basically, the Red Bulls dare you to counter their high-tempo attack; gamble that they’ll run you into the ground before you can really figure out how to strike back.

The Red Bulls’ goal that made it 3-1 — effectively ending the games as a contest — saw the home side flood the penalty area and win the ball back several times before Brandon Allen scored the second of his three goals.

Swope Park’s only goal came from ex-FC Edmonton midfielder Tomas Granitto, on a free kick that bounced through the penalty area and found the net.

Now, Dos Santos will leave for his third team in three years. He will take over as the first coach in the history of the NASL’s San Francisco Deltas.

I’ve spoken to more than a few players who have played for MDS in the past; and it’s clear that their loyalties run pretty deep. They’ll tell you about what an excellent motivator he is.

So, don’t be surprised to see several players who have worked under MDS in the past to try and make moves to San Francisco. My guess is that his cellphone will be buzzing and his email inbox will be filled with highlight videos from free agents. But if the Deltas make the final in NASL final, they might hope to face anybody but the Cosmos.

Remember the Titan: Scoreboard at centre of penalty-kick controversy in Edmonton

Titan is the name of the largest mobile HD screen in North America. It is 39 feet wide by 22 feet high, and it is stationed at the north side of Clarke Field, giving FC Edmonton’s fans a clear view of whatever happens on the field. Repays are crystal clear and, ahem, larger than life.

Titan may have been the Eddies’ Man of the Match Sunday. The replay screen was front and centre in what was a controversial finish to FC Edmonton’s final regular-season home game of 2016, a 1-0 win over the Jacksonville Armada.

The game was scoreless in second-half stoppage time; the Eddies mounted one final attack. Midfielder Sainey Nyassi danced on the edge of the penalty area, looking to get by the Armada’s Mechack Jerome. Nyassi was brought down by Jerome, and referee Yusri Rudolf awarded the Eddies a free kick inches outside the box.

Nyassi and the Eddies howled in protest, arguing that foul occurred inside the area. Then Titan came to life, showing the incident in glorious slow motion. Nyassi’s feet were inside the box when he was brought down. Every FCE player on the field pointed to the screen.

And then Rudolf pointed to the spot. He changed his mind. The free kick became a penalty kick, and Daryl Fordyce beat keeper Miguel Gallardo to decide the game.

It needs to be stated the Rudolf was clearly talking on his headset to another official about the call. But the fact is, he changed the call after the crowd and FCE’s players howled after the replay was displayed in the stadium. But, it could have been unfortunate timing, that he got information from his linesman just as the replay was coming to a head.

This is the key, though. There wasn’t a person in the stadium who believed that anything other than the replay influenced the decision. And that included the players and coaches of the Jacksonville Armada.

“You can’t use replay to change a call,” Armada coach Mark Lowry fumed after the game.

“But, if you’re going to use it (replay), Mechack got his foot on the ball. Then change the call.”

Lowry said he wouldn’t like it if the teams were reversed. He wouldn’t want to get a win based on such a controversial call.

Daryl Fordyce buries the penalty. PHOTO: TONY LEWIS/FC EDMONTON

FCE coach Colin Miller said that, no matter what happened at the end of the game, his team deserved the three points.

“We’ve had so many bad decisions go against us over the years, it’s nice to have one in our favour.”

The truth is, the game should never have got to the 90-minutes-plus mark at 0-0. The Eddies should have had a lead at halftime against a team that was playing its fourth game in less than two weeks.

The Eddies had a number of good scoring chances throughout the game; a headed effort from Tomi Ameobi headed attempt that was stopped by Gallardo, a Dustin Corea shot that was blazed over the bar — and a Ben Fisk shot that was stopped after the midfielder danced through a couple of Armada defenders.

But the one miss that will be talked about came in the first half; Ameobi made a hard pass into the penalty area that found Corea in front of the Armada goal. The net was empty. Corea was maybe three feet out.

He sent the ball well over the goal. Yes, the ball came through a crowd of players and looked to take a bad bounce just before it got to him, but Corea was almost down to the goal line.

Ameobi went over to console Corea after the miss.

“It can happen to any of us, especially with this turf, when the ball bounces awkwardly before it comes to you,” Ameobi said.

The Eddies knew going into the game that they will be going to Indy to face the Eleven in the NASL Championship Semifinals. So, Miller made some decisions to stretch his squad. Captain and league MVP candidate Albert Watson wasn’t even in uniform. And his central-defence partner, Pape Diakite, didn’t start.

Marko Aleksic, an Edmonton academy product, got his first NASL start. He’s appeared in games before, but he hadn’t been in the starting XI until Sunday.

“It didn’t feel that fast today,” said Aleksic. “I felt the team was very organized and that really helped me.

“First half, they caught us on two breaks, but it was nothing serious. The first half, we outplayed them 100 per cent. The second half was an even game, it was kind of chippy, nothing really going on, no pressure on the back line. It was pretty chill, that second half.”

The ending? Not so chill.

“It’s crazy, especially being from here in Edmonton, that’s the type of moment you want here in Edmonton, Clarke Stadium, stuff like that. That’s what you think of when you think of football and think of your hometown, you want both of those to come together.”

The playoff spot is sealed, but Miller wants Eddies to finish season on high note

It’s a strange situation. The NASL regular season still has two weeks of games left to play, yet both FC Edmonton and the Indy Eleven know exactly who they’ll be playing in the first round of the Championship.

Each other. At Indy.

But, before we can even get to the subject of (insert Jim Mora voice here) playoffs, there’s the matter of Sunday’s home regular-season finale against Jacksonville, the team that put the stake in Miami FC’s playoff hopes with a 3-2 upset victory on Wednesday.

After the Jacksonville match, FCE finishes the season on the road in Miami.

So, how does coach Colin Miller prevent his players from looking past these two games? Indy won 3-2 over Tampa Bay Wednesday, so no they’re-mailing-it-in criticisms can be launched at the team the Eddies will face in the first week of November.

“I’m hoping the incentive for all the players is that want to be in the starting 11 for the Indy game,” said Miller.

Miller said that when professional players play at half speed or with their hearts not in the game, that’s when trouble happens.

“When players try and pace themselves, that’s when they so often get hurt. Or they start to play poorly and then they lose their place.”

Miller said he still wants FCE to finish second in the combined standings (the Eddies are two points behind Indy at the moment, each team with two games left to play).

“I want the final games of the season to be positive. The Indy game will look after itself. Reputations and standards are set all season long, not just in the playoffs. We definitely want to finish the season off on a high note.”

The Eddies will be without centre back Pape Diakite this weekend, as he serves his suspension. Miller said he has a couple of injury issues, but he won’t say who could be missing on Sunday. But keeper Matt VanOekel is back to 100 per cent, and midfielder Dustin Corea is training.

But he was pleased with the intensity shown in Thursday’s training session.

“It’s as good as we’ve looked this year. We’re in a terrific place. We know that we didn’t play very well Saturday in Minnesota (a 3-1 loss), we played poorly against a very good team. Honestly, the road trip was disappointing.”

So, the Eddies need to swing back into good form this week, so they can hit the playoffs running. Indy’s still winning games even though the places have been clinched; the Eddies would like to do so, as well.

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS Week 32/NASL Week 27

With just a week left to go in the MLS regular season, and with the NASL teams having two or three games each left on their schedules, this has become clear:

Mason Trafford will be Canadian who has played the most minutes in either MLS or NASL this season. Trafford has a 124-minute lead over Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio. But Osorio has just one game left on his schedule; so Osorio can’t make up the ground.

As well. Trafford and his Miami teammates have three games left on the season; so, unless something unusual occurs, Trafford will be the runaway leader by the time all the games are played.

Tyson Farago started two games in goal this week for FC Edmonton, pushing the number of Canadians who have played in MLS or NASL this season to 41. And, in other notable Canadian news, Tosaint Ricketts came on as a sub and scored the equalizer for Toronto FC against the rival Montreal Impact.

Here is the latest ranking of minutes played by Canadians:

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 2497 (28)
Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 2373 (29)
Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 2362 (30)
Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 2275 (27)
Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 2265 (27)
Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL, 2003 (24)
Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 1957 (25)
Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647 (20)
Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1637 (22)
Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1589 (22)
Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1524 (21)
Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1479 (24)
Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1451 (30)
Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1366 (17)
Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 1185 (20)
Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 1139 (18)
Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL  1110 (14)
Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 1024 (12)
Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS,  962 (13)
Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 912 (14)
Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 868 (17)
Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 862 (13)
Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 779 (18)
Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 777 (11)
Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)
David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 720 (8)
Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 717 (13)
Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 695 (11)
Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 646 (16)
Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 475 (10)
Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 370 (10)
Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 299 (8)
Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 261 (3)
Tyson Farago, FC Edmonton, NASL, 180 (2)
Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)
Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)
Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)
Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 80 (6)
 Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)
Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 63 (3)
Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

 

TEAM RANKINGS, MINUTES PLAYED BY CANADIANS IN 2016, RANKED BY AVERAGE MINUTES PER GAME:

Ottawa, NASL,10379/30 (346)

Toronto FC, MLS, 6876/33 (208.4)

FC Edmonton, NASL, 6077/30 (202.6)

Montreal, MLS, 3925/33 (118.9)

Vancouver, MLS, 3871/33 (117.3)

Miami FC, NASL, 2497/29 (86.1)

Orlando City, MLS, 2362/33 (71.6)

Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647/30 (54.9)

Carolina, NASL, 1589/30 (53)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1451/33 (44)

Jacksonville, NASL, 528/29 (18.2)

New York Red Bulls, MLS, 582/33 (17.6)

 

Swope Park Rangers’ win over WFC2 is actually a good thing for Canadian soccer

It’s still fresh, and the players, coaches and supporters of WFC2 aren’t going to want to hear this:

But the fact that Swope Park Rangers (the American affiliate of Sporting Kansas City) beat WFC2 (the Canadian affiliate of the Vancouver Whitecaps) 3-0 in the USL’s Western Conference final is actually a good thing for soccer north of the border.

What? How is that? What I just wrote is preposterous, right? A Canadian journalist stating that an American team beating a Canadian team could be a good thing? Someone ought to punch me in the face. Heck, I ought to punch myself in the face.

But, let me finish my argument.

Swope Park Rangers, this season, have created one of the most interesting cultures in the North American soccer Petri dish. That’s because the club, despite being affiliated with an American MLS team, has embraced Canadian talent like no other U.S.-based pro team.

By now, if you’ve followed this site, you’ve heard the argument: In NASL and MLS, Canadians AND American players are considered domestics on Canadian clubs, but only Americans are considered domestics on American clubs. Compare that to USL, where Canadians are treated as domestics on both sides of the border. In USL, no matter where they play, Canadians don’t take up international roster spots.

The double standard has been a great source of frustration for the Canadian Soccer Association. But, CSA and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani said that he expects some kind of solution on the Canadians-as-domestic rule by the time MLS Cup rolls around. Whatever that solution is, it would spill over from MLS to NASL.

And, under the direction of Canadian coach Marc Dos Santos, who will be leaving to join the NASL San Francisco Deltas in 2017, Swope Park Rangers benefitted from the fact that Canadians are seen as domestics in the USL. In Saturday’s Western final against WFC2, Swope Park started four Canadians — Amer Didic, Jonathan Grant, Mark Anthony Gonzalez and Tyler Pasher.

Four.

On an American team going to a championship game.

Yes, say what you want about the quality of USL, but the fact is that an American team has four Canadians starting in its most important game of the season. Say what you will about Canadians not being good enough, or American teams not being willing to take on Canadian players, but Swope Park has become the uncomfortable counterpoint. Canadians start. Canadians contribute.

Gonzalez had three goals in the playoffs before he set up the opener (then went off injured) against WFC2. Pasher set up the second goal and scored the third.

So, if there are any hiccups as the CSA hopes to create a new playing field for Canadians when it comes to MLS and NASL, Montagliani has the Swope Park Rangers example in his back pocket.

It gives him — and proponents of Canadian soccer development — a strong argument.

Eddies give up three for the first time this NASL season; locked in as NASL’s No. 3 seed

FC Edmonton surrendered three goals in a game for the first time in NASL play this season, and the team’s hopes of hosting a first-round playoff match evaporated.

After taking a 1-0 lead Saturday night thanks to a howler from Minnesota United keeper Sammy N’djock, the Eddies surrendered three unanswered goals to the Loons. The 3-1 loss, coupled with New York’s win over Jacksonville, ensures the Cosmos will win the fall season title. The loss assures that the Eddies will enter the NASL playoffs as the No. 3 seed and will visit Indy in the NASL semifinals.

But, with two regular-season games left, the Eddies won’t be treating the remainder of the schedule as lame-duck matches.

“The players know they are playing for their places,” said Miller. “The players know that they are looking to get their places for that Indy game. There is no relying on reputations. Some players know they have to step it up. But, there’s no panic. We made the playoffs with four games to spare.”

For the second straight game, NASL goals-against-average leader Matt VanOekel was on the bench, with Tyson Farago starting in goal for the Eddies. Miller said he was told that if VanOekel played, there was a “30 per cent” chance he’d reinjure a bad hamstring, and the coach didn’t want to take that chance. Farago surrendered two goals to Christian Ramirez and a headed goal from Stefano Pinho. To be honest, Farago didn’t get a lot of help from the players in front of him.

But things did start off brightly for the Eddies; in the 16th minute, Daryl Fordyce’s free kick was hit right into N’djock, but the keeper spilled the ball, leaving Albert Watson an easy chance to put home the rebound.

The Eddies, though, weren’t able to hold off a Minnesota team looking to hold onto fourth place in the overall standings — and the ability to control its own destiny in the hunt for the final playoff spot. Just seven minutes after Watson gave the Eddies the lead, Ramirez cut through the middle of the Eddies’ defence after a wonderful flicked-on pass from JC Banks. Ramirez, the NASL’s leading scorer, ripped the ball into the top of the goal.

The Loons looked poised to take the lead before halftime; the home side was ready to sweep a ball into an open goal after a scramble in the box, but the offside flag saved the Eddies.

Ramirez then flicked the ball at goal that forced Farago into a good save. Banks was poised to put the rebound in an open goal, but a challenge from Watson got the ball to safety.

FCE’s Tomi Ameobi battles Minnesota’s Brett Kallman PHOTO: MINNESOTA UNITED FC

Miller withdrew winger Ben Fisk at halftime. Miller said it was a tactical move.

The Eddies continued to flirt with danger in the second half, and were made to pay. Kevin Venegas played a perfectly weighted ball into Edmonton’s penalty area; Ibson knocked it down and squared it for Ramirez, who beat Watson to the ball and bundled the ball into the goal.

Pinho added the insurance goal when he beat Eddies centre back Pape Diakite to a cross.

Diakite, thanks to yellow-card accumulation, will miss next weekend’s game. As well, fullback Shawn Nicklaw is one yellow card away from suspension, and Miller said that might influence his lineup decisions heading into the playoffs.

“If we keep defending like that, we’ll get what we deserve,” said Miller. “But we were playing our third game in seven days, Minnesota had a week off. It’s a combination of tired legs, poor defending and lack of discipline. But take nothing away from Minnesota; it’s a good team and they are battling for that fourth position.”

Rotated Eddies’ squad loses on rainy night in Fort Lauderdale

The weather was fit for, well, maybe a Kraken.

But Geison Moura’s early headed goal stood up as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers beat FC Edmonton 1-0 Wednesday.

The game was played in a south Florida rainstorm that, at times, intensified to the point where the wind was howling and the drops looked like ocean spray coming down on the players. So, with a heavy field, maybe it was all well and good that FCE coach Colin Miller chose to rotate his squad.

Even though the Eddies were playing their game in hand on the first-place New York Cosmos, FCE sat several regulars after Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay that clinched a playoff spot. Left back Adam Eckersley served a suspension for yellow-card accumulation. Winger Dustin Corea and forward Tomi Ameobi didn’t start. Shamit Shome started the game on the bench. And NASL single-season clean-sheet record holder Matt VanOekel didn’t start in goal for the first time this season. Captain Albert Watson wasn’t in the squad, let alone the starting XI.

Watson took a couple of big blows to the head in Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay.

The understudies were victimized in the first half. Moura beat his marker, fullback Allan Zebie, to a cross launched by former Toronto FC defender Julius James. Moura sent his headed-effort goalward; keeper Tyson Farago, playing for the first time this NASL season, leapt and got his hand to the ball, but couldn’t keep it out.

FCE’s Nico Di Biase in action against Fort Lauderdale PHOTO: NASL

A few minutes later, Moura should have doubled the home side’s lead; he was able to skip past centre back Karsten Smith, starting in Watson’s place. Moura was in alone on Farago, but his chipped effort went well wide.

The weather got progressively worse as the first half went on, and the game descended into war of attrition — as the scoring chances began to wane and the teams struggled to come to terms with the wind.

The Eddies didn’t allow the Strikers any real great scoring chances in the second half, but the visitors weren’t able to generate much to threaten the Fort Lauderdale goal. The Eddies finished the night with two shots on target, while the Strikers got four on Farago’s net.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose, I didn’t think that Fort Lauderdale was that much better than us on the night tonight,” Miller was quoted after the game. “We didn’t create enough chances, our final ball wasn’t there and we didn’t defend the cross well on the goal. The players put in a good effort, but overall we fell short on the night.”

Miller said an issue FCE faces when it tries to test the depth of the squad is that many of the reserve players don’t see enough competitive matches. While some of the other NASL teams can find leagues or exhibition games for their reserves, FCE’s players need to rely on training sessions.  “We don’t have the quality in the Edmonton area to give them competitive games,” the coach said.

“I’m just disappointed that we come off the high of Sunday (the playoff-clinching win over Tampa Bay). The attitude was great. We spoke about them playing the ball forwards far, far more in the second half and ,once we started to do that, we put them under serious, serious pressure.”

So, the Eddies remain five points behind the Cosmos in the race for first place in the NASL fall season. The Cosmos and Eddies each have three games left. But it would now take nothing short of absolute craziness for the Eddies to escape the No. 3 seed. It looks as if FC Edmonton will visit the Indy Eleven (guaranteed a minimum of a No. 2 seed because of its spring season title) in the first weekend of November for a Championship Semi-Final.

But, with the Eddies needing to labour through a heavy schedule near the end of the season, and with the post-season looming, managing the roster took precedence.