Steven Sandor's Blog, page 60

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS Week 30/NASL Week 25/USL playoffs

The most notable Canadian MLS-NASL moment of the weekend came Sunday, when Ben Fisk got his first-ever NASL goal deep into stoppage time, giving his FC Edmonton side a 2-1 win over the Indy Eleven.

But, let’s move our focus back to the USL.That league’s regular season is done. But the playoffs got underway this past week, and we’d be remiss not to mention a few Canadian standouts:

• Mark Anthony Gonzalez scored two goals in a 3-0 win for Swope Park Rangers over LA Galaxy II;

• Kianz Frose got the winning goal in WFC2’s 2-1 triumph over Colorado Springs;

• Bradley Kamdem and Ryan James started for Rochester in its first-round triumph, with Dominic Samuel coming on as a sub.

The minute-by-minute NASL-MLS rankings can be found below.

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

1. Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 2317 (26)

2. Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 2290 (29)

3. Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 2290 (28)

4. Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 2241 (26)

5. Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 2012 (24)

6. Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL, 1913 (23)

7. Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 1777 (23)

8. Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647 (20)

9. Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1637 (22)

10. Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1588 (21)

11. Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1384 (29)

12. Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1382 (21)

13. Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1344 (19)

14. Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1276 (16)

15. Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 1139 (18)

16. Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL 1110 (14)

17. Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 1096 (19)

18. Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 1024 (12)

19. Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS, 945 (12)

20. Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 912 (14)

21. Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 846 (16)

22. Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 779 (18)

23. Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 777 (11)

24. Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)

25. Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 732 (11)

26. David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 720 (8)

27. Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 695 (11)

28. Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 646 (16)

29. Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 496 (10)

30. Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 403 (9)

31. Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 358 (9)

32. Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 299 (8)

33. Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 261 (3)

34. Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)

35. Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)

36. Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)

37. Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 79 (5)

38. Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)

39. Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 50 (2)

40. Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS Week 30/NASL Week 35/USL playoffs

The most notable Canadian MLS-NASL moment of the weekend came Sunday, when Ben Fisk got his first-ever NASL goal deep into stoppage time, giving his FC Edmonton side a 2-1 win over the Indy Eleven.

But, let’s move our focus back to the USL.That league’s regular season is done. But the playoffs got underway this past week, and we’d be remiss not to mention a few Canadian standouts:

• Mark Anthony Gonzalez scored two goals in a 3-0 win for Swope Park Rangers over LA Galaxy II;

• Kianz Frose got the winning goal in WFC2’s 2-1 triumph over Colorado Springs;

• Bradley Kamdem and Ryan James started for Rochester in its first-round triumph, with Dominic Samuel coming on as a sub.

The minute-by-minute NASL-MLS rankings can be found below.

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

1. Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 2317 (26)

2. Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 2290 (29)

3. Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 2290 (28)

4. Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 2241 (26)

5. Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 2012 (24)

6. Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL, 1913 (23)

7. Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 1777 (23)

8. Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1647 (20)

9. Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1637 (22)

10. Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1588 (21)

11. Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1384 (29)

12. Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1382 (21)

13. Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1344 (19)

14. Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1276 (16)

15. Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 1139 (18)

16. Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL 1110 (14)

17. Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 1096 (19)

18. Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 1024 (12)

19. Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS, 945 (12)

20. Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 912 (14)

21. Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 846 (16)

22. Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 779 (18)

23. Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 777 (11)

24. Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)

25. Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 732 (11)

26. David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 720 (8)

27. Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 695 (11)

28. Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 646 (16)

29. Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 496 (10)

30. Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 403 (9)

31. Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 358 (9)

32. Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 299 (8)

33. Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 261 (3)

34. Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)

35. Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)

36. Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)

37. Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 79 (5)

38. Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)

39. Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 50 (2)

40. Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

Fisky business: Eddies snatch confidence-boosting win over Indy

As the New York Cosmos continue their winning ways and look destined for the top seed in the NASL post-season, with each passing week it is seeming more likely that the Indy Eleven will be the No. 2 seed and FC Edmonton will be at No. 3.

Of course, that would mean that the two teams would meet in November’s NASL semifinals in Indianapolis.

So, Sunday’s meeting at Clarke Field between the two sides felt like a post-season preview. And the Eddies got a late goal from Ben Fisk — his first in the NASL — to take a 2-1 decision. That finishes the season series between the clubs, Indy and the Eddies each taking a home win, along with a draw between the clubs in Indiana.

Fisk, who came on as a second-half sub, took a pass from fullback Shawn Nicklaw and then fired the ball across Eleven keeper Jon Busch and into the corner of the goal.

For Fisk, who has been hitting goalpost after goalpost since joining the Eddies this past summer, getting one to hit the back of the net was a major relief. And it was a major boost for a team that hadn’t scored since Sept. 2’s 2-2 draw in Ottawa.

“It’s obviously been a frustrating few games,” said Fisk. “We’ve been coming close, creating great opportunities and stuff, but lacking those goals. So, just to get the monkey off the back, to get that first one, it was huge for the group. To get that second one, it was massive.

“It was one of the last plays of the game, so I was trying to give it everything I’ve got to get up in the play. It was a great pass by Shawn, I just took a touch and put it back across the keeper.”

For the Eddies, though they will likely start the post-season on the road, it must be a confidence boost to know that their record is very good against the first-place New York Cosmos and the Spring Champion Indy Eleven. The Eddies won two and drew one against the Cosmos. They were 1-1-1 against Indy, but that aforementioned loss came when FCE were without starting centre backs Pape Diakite and Albert Watson.

But, just before the 80-minute-mark of Sunday’s game, things weren’t looking nearly as rosy for the home side. They were down 1-0 to Indy, thanks to a goal from Eamon Zayed. The Eddies were about to hit 558 minutes of NASL play without scoring a goal. Daryl Fordyce and Tomi Ameobi had each seen golden chances to score end up missing the target.

And it looked dangerously like the team’s winless skid was about to be extended to seven games.

It was Diakite, who smashed a shot into the roof of the goal after a scramble in the box — where the ball was cleverly kept alive by Fisk at the end line just seconds before — who ended the scoreless streak and turned the game on its ear. And it set up the furious finish.

“We never stopped, we tried to keep going,” said FCE coach Colin Miller. “We never dropped our heads at any point. We never felt sorry for ourselves, even though it wasn’t our best second-half performance of the season. The subs added a bit of energy to us. But, Fisky, I’m delighted for him. His name was ‘Woodwork,’ he was hitting it so many times.”

The teams went to halftime tied 0-0, but the Eddies could thank keeper Matt VanOekel for just getting enough of his hand on a shot from Dylan Mares to deflect it off the bar. Mares has continually been a thorn in the side of FC Edmonton, so much so that it might be time to declare him the new Tommy Heinemann — the man who continually haunts the nightmares of FC Edmonton fans.

But Zayed gave the visitors the lead 11 minutes into the second half; he was able to separate himself from Nicklaw and directed in a low cross from Mares.

The Eleven, though, weren’t able to survive the dramatic end.

Findlay makes it clear he wants to drop “interim” tag from his coaching title

You don’t have to really be an expert in reading between the lines to come to this conclusion: Michael Findlay wants to use his time as the interim coach of the Canadian men’s national team to prove that he deserves to be the side’s full-time boss going forward.

He didn’t say it outright, but Findlay did everything but spell it out when he spoke with reporters Friday.

When asked about what he has to do as the interim coach of the national side, Finday said: “To have actual objectives to hand off to the next coach down the road, if it is not me.”

Emphasis on if it is not me, please.

He was later asked outright if he wanted the full-time job. He said that would be a decision made by Canadian Soccer President Victor Montagliani and General Secretary Peter Montopoli, but then added, “for me, personally, there isn’t a Canadian out there who doesn’t want to be the full-time coach.”

So, it’s pretty clear that Findlay is seeing the next few months as an audition — and it begins October 7 and 11 in Morocco, as Canada faces Mauritania and the host nation in friendly match-ups. The roster was announced Friday. Findlay will have a nucleus of young players, mixed with some veterans. Veteran midfielder Akiba Hutchinson, currently with Turkish giants Besiktas, is taking time to ponder his national-team future, and Findlay said he will respect that. Findlay said that striker Cyle Larin turned down the invite, as he wants to focus on the stretch run of the Major League Soccer season with Orlando City FC.

But Findlay said that, even though this international window comes just a month after Canada was eliminated from World Cup qualifying and coach Benito Floro departed, it’s important for this country’s national team to play.

“We want to play in all the FIFA dates,” he said. “We cannot afford to go dormant.”

As well, the roster features Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who has been frozen out of the national side by Floro since the Gold Cup.

While Floro had been critical of Osorio’s play, hinting that he wanted to see more out of him than a player who “ran around a lot,” Findlay — who had been Floro’s assistant — struck a more conciliatory tone. He said that Osorio simply didn’t fit into Canada’s tactical plan in the World Cup qualifiers, but that the midfielder was never really on the outs.

“It doesn’t mean that Oso wasn’t seen as a valuable part of Canada’s future.”

CANADA

1- GK- Simon Thomas | NOR / FK Bodø/Glimt

2- FB / M- Fraser Aird | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

3- FB / M- Maxim Tissot | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC

4- CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest

5- CB- David Edgar | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

6- CB- Doneil Henry | DEN / AC Horsens

7- F- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Walsall FC

8- M- Marco Bustos | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

9- F- Marcus Haber UNATTACHED

10- M- David Junior Hoilett UNATTACHED

11- M- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC

12- FB / M- Jamar Dixon | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC

13- M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC

14- M- Samuel Piette | ESP / CD Izarra

15- M- Adam Straith | NOR / Fredrikstad FK

16- M- Scott Arfield | ENG / Burnley FC

17- FB- Marcel De Jong | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

18- GK- Milan Borjan | BUL / PFK Ludogorets Razgrad

19- CB- Steven Vitória | POL / Lechia Gdańsk

20- CB / FB- Karl W. Ouimette | USA / Jacksonville Armada

21- M / F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Toronto FC

22- GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK Fotbol

23- M / F- Anthony Jackson-Hamel | CAN / Impact Montréal

VanOekel ties NASL clean sheet record, but Eddies forced to settle for draw at Jacksonville

Glass half full: Keeper Matt VanOekel recorded his 14th clean sheet of the season, tying the modern NASL record. And a point on the road in hot, humid conditions — and on three days rest — isn’t a bad haul.

Glass half empty: After Wednesday’s 0-0 draw at Jacksonville, the Eddies are now winless in six, and haven’t score a goal in five games. FC Edmonton now falls seven points behind the New York Cosmos in the fall season standings, and a home playoff game looks more and more unlikely.

“The guys are gutted in the change room right now,” said FCE coach Colin Miller. “We came here for three points, we only got the one. But we can take a lot of positives from this game.”

And what would those positives be? Well, even though the clean sheet allowed MVO to put himself in the record book, he only had one save of note to make, a diving parry of a free kick from Mechack Jerome. For long periods of the game, MVO could have gone up to the stands and enjoyed a cold beverage on a sweltering Florida evening.

“I felt, over the course of the piece, we could have won it,” said Miller. He felt that the Eddies started the game strongly, faded a bit later in the first half, but played well in the second half.

FCE’s Nik Ledgerwood in action against the Armada. PHOTO: NASL/TODD DREXLER

But, the Eddies really only tested Armada keeper Miguel Gallardo once, and that was a swerving blast off the foot of fullback Shawn Nicklaw from about 25 yards out. The Eddies won a lot of first balls in the Armada’s penalty area, but couldn’t get a second player involved on those plays.

And, as for MVO’s record-tying performance?

“I think it’s a wonderful achievement for the big fella,” said Miller. “It’s also a big achievement for all of his teammates who have helped him out. We wanted three, but this could end up being a big point for us on the road. That’s how Indy did it in the spring season, got what they could on the road and won their games at home. Now, we have to follow this up with a good performance at home this Sunday. If we get those good performances at home, we will be fine, though I don’t want to leave it to the last game of the season, like Indy did.”

While the playing surface was not pockmarked and choppy like it was when these teams met in the spring season, it did play slow on the evening. Miller noted several times when long balls knocked over the back four held up and didn’t go into touch. But, it also made the passing game a little tougher on both teams.

“It’s just so hot and humid here,” said Miller. “It’s unbearable, really.”

If Ottawa Fury was to move to USL, the club would need CSA’s blessing… and no application has been made

If the rumours are true and the Ottawa Fury is looking to leave NASL for the USL, the Canadian Soccer Association has yet to see any proof of it.

Canada Soccer has confirmed that it has not received an application from the Fury in regards to a potential USL move. Repeat. No application to the CSA has been made as of yet.

And Canada Soccer confirmed that a potential move by any club to the USL would need to be approved by the Association.

NASL owners are meeting this week in Atlanta; it’s a key get-together, as they are discussing the future of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, who need a new owner, after the previous ownership group walked away from the club. Rayo OKC has seen a share of upheavals this season, including a front-office clearout and a squabble over the team’s artificial turf playing surface. And the headlines have been filled with speculated departures of teams to USL, with Tampa Bay and Ottawa consistently mentioned.

Ottawa did recently close down its academy program.

But, in the eagerness to get the news out — some context has been lost. For Canadians, a lot of the material is coming from American media, who really don’t often take the time to understand the differences between the Canadian and Americans teams in shared leagues such as NASL. And one thing that continues to get lost in the flotsam and jetsam of the Twitterverse is that the CSA has the ultimate say on any team’s application to join the USL.

So, let’s look at, historically, the CSA has viewed the USL.

In 2013, there were no Canadian teams in USL’s professional tier. The league then announced a partnership with MLS, with the blessing of the United States Soccer Federation. The Canadian Soccer Association wasn’t made a part of that negotiation and, at the time, was pondering the Easton Report, which suggested that all Division-3 soccer teams in Canada should play in regional Canadian leagues. President Victor Montagliani said that the CSA would not sanction Canadian teams to play in USL.

But, in late 2014, when the Toronto Lynx looked at relocating to Hamilton and moving to USL’s pro league, Montagliani said that the CSA would look at Canadian teams in USL on a case-by-case basis, and that the association would do what’s best for Canadian players and Canadian coaches. That move never materialized.

Later that year, the CSA voted to allow TFCII, VWFC2 and FC Montreal to operate in USL. But the parameters were strict; they had to respect quotas that required half their rosters to be Canada-eligible players. But, none of these three teams — as they are viewed as affiliates of MLS teams, not freestanding clubs — are permitted to play in the Amway Canadian Championship.

Back to the present. If Ottawa was to pursue a move, they’d be the first Canadian independent club to be sanctioned in the post-MLS-affiliation-agreement USL. But there would be debate before any decision was made. Conditions could be placed on the team. And, possibly, a team could be allowed to play in USL but not in the Canadian Championship.

That previous paragraph covered off scenarios that could happen. But, as it stands, we can only speculate — because the Fury have not yet indicated to the CSA that anything will be changing on the club’s end.

But it needs to be said that, despite the scrutiny USL gets from the Canadian Soccer Association, it differs from NASL and MLS in that it has always granted domestic-player status to Canadian players, no matter if they play on American or Canadian teams. In MLS and NASL, Americans are domestics league wide but Canadians are forced to take up international roster spots on American teams. The result? More than 100 Canadians played in USL this season, and teams like Swope Park Rangers, Orlando City B and Rochester Rhinos routinely gave multiple starting slots to Canadians. Meanwhile, only six Canadians play for all the American MLS and NASL teams combined, and at least four of them have dual citizenship or green cards which allow them to count as Americans on those clubs’ rosters.

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS Week 29/NASL Week 24/USL Week 27 (FINAL)

We’ve reached the end of the USL’s regular season. In the end, more than 100 Canadian players appeared in at least one USL match this season. That’s an advertisement about the job opportunities provided by a league that — unlike NASL and MLS — allow Canadians to occupy domestic spots on the rosters on American teams.

To top it off, in Swope Park Rangers’ final game of the season, the only goals of the game were scored by Canadians, with Tyler Pasher and Amer Didic both getting markers for their club. Of any U.S. team, Rangers are the most Canadian-friendly; this year, more than 180 minutes of time per game were played by Canadians. Rangers are coached by Canadian Marc Dos Santos, who is set to move to NASL expansion side San Francisco Deltas next season.

But, another thing the USL’s Canadian roster shows us is that there is domestic talent out there to populate a Canadian Premier League, which Canadian Soccer Association President Victor Montagliani has stated on the record has a target date of 2018 for a launch. It’s easy to look at many of these Canadian names and think that those players would be well-served by a Canadian league.

HERE ARE THE CURRENT RANKINGS OF MINUTES PLAYED BY CANADIANS:

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS:

Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 2154 (25)  
Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 2137 (24)
Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 2114 (26)
Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 2110 (27)
Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1931 (23)
Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL, 1733 (21)
Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1625 (21)
Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 1621 (21)
Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1535 (18)
Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1498 (20)  
Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1300 (28)
Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1276 (16)
Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1251 (17)
Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1219 (19)
Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 1139 (18)
Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL  1110 (14)
Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS,  945 (12)  
Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 944 (17)
Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 934 (11)
Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 888 (13)
Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 846 (16)  
Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 779 (18)
Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)
Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 732 (11)
Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 695 (11)
David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 630 (7)
Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 610 (9)
Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 580 (15)
Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 403 (9)
Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 394 (8)
Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 288 (8)
Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 261 (3)
Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 209 (7)
Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)
Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)
Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)
Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 79 (5)
 Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)
Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 50 (2)
Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

 

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

Ottawa, NASL, 9070/26 (348.8)

Toronto FC, MLS, 6433/30 (214.4)

FC Edmonton, NASL, 4898/25 (195.9)

Montreal, MLS, 3593/30 (119.8)

Vancouver, MLS, 3571/31 (115.2)

Miami FC, NASL, 2137/25 (85.5)

Orlando City, MLS, 2110/30 (70.3)

Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1535/25 (61.4)

Carolina, NASL, 1498/25 (59.9)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1300/31 (41.9)

Jacksonville, NASL, 528/25 (21.1)

New York Red Bulls, MLS, 582/31 (18.8)

 

USL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

Janouk Charbonneau, FC Montreal, USL, 2501 (29)
Daniel Haber, WFC2, USL, 2252 (30)
Louis Beland-Goyette, FC Montreal, USL, 2233 (26)
Ryan James, Rochester, USL, 2129 (28)
Michael Cox, Orlando City B, USL, 2091 (28)
Skylar Thomas, TFC II, USL, 2015 (25)
Aron Mkungilwa, FC Montreal, USL, 2000 (24)
Brett Levis, WFC2, USL, 1986 (24)
Amer Didic, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1910 (28)
Anthony Osorio, TFC II, USL, 1882 (24)
 Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, FC Montreal, USL, 1866 (21)
Tyler Pasher, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1753 (24)
Maxime Crepeau, FC Montreal, USL, 1710 (19)
Shaan Hundal, TFC II, USL, 1686 (27)
Ballou Jean Yves Tabla, FC Montreal, USL, 1685 (21)
Bradley Kamdem, Rochester, USL, 1632 (26)
Zachary Ellis-Hayden, Orlando City B, USL, 1631 (20)
John Smits, Wilmington, USL, 1620 (18)
Kadin Chung, WFC2, USL, 1574 (19)
Dominic Samuel, Rochester, USL, 1568 (26)
Richie Laryea, Orlando City B, USL, 1549 (23)
Chris Mannella, TFC II, USL, 1545 (22)
Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1540 (27)
Raheem Edwards, TFC II, USL, 1513 (20)
Mark Anthony Kaye, Louisville City FC, 1467 (24)
Marco Bustos, WFC2, USL, 1460 (19)
Benjamin McKendry, WFC2, USL, 1441 (20)
Alessandro Riggi, FC Montreal, USL, 1433 (22)
Liam Fraser, TFC II, USL, 1461 (22)
Aidan Daniels, TFC II, USL, 1260 (23)
Mastanabal Kacher,  FC Montreal, USL, 1252 (22)
Callum Irving, Rio Grande Valley FC, USL, 1241 (14)
Zachary Sukunda,  FC Montreal, USL, 1208 (21)
Luca Uccello, TFC II, USL, 1182 (20)
David Choiniere, FC Montreal, USL, 1157 (16)
Anthony Jackson-Hamel, FC Montreal, USL, 1117 (15)
Nevelo Yoseke, FC Montreal, USL, 1080 (22)
Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, FC Montreal, USL, 1078 (13)
Philippe Lincourt-Joseph, FC Montreal, USL, 1052 (27)
Carlos Patino, Sounders FC 2, USL, 1049 (23)
Malik Johnson, TFC II, USL, 1041 (21)
Marco Dominguez, FC Montreal, USL, 1004 (15)
Giuliano Frano, WFC2, USL, 970 (22)
Josh Heard, Bethlehem Steel, USL, 927 (22)
Kianz Froese, WFC2, USL, 894 (13)
Jackson Farmer, WFC2, USL, 882 (10)
Yacine Ait-Slimane, FC Montreal, USL, 876 (19)
Quillan Roberts, TFC II, USL, 810 (9)
Jordan Murrell, Pittsburgh, USL, 734 (12)
Sean Melvin, WFC2, USL, 720 (8)
David Paulmin, FC Montreal, USL, 720 (8)
Matthew Baldisimo, WFC2, USL, 704 (19)
Alphonso Davies, WFC2, USL, 679 (11)
Thomas Gardner, WFC2, USL, 655 (16)
Marco Carducci, WFC2, USL, 630 (7)
Heikel Jarras, FC Montreal, USL, 592 (22)
Brandon John, Sounders FC2, USL, 545 (9)
Phil Di Bennardo, TFC II, USL, 537 (7)
Mo Babouli, TFC II, USL, 522 (6)
Jems Geffrard, FC Montreal, USL, 490 (8)
Robert Boskovic, TFC II, USL, 460 (12)
Charles Joly,  FC Montreal, USL, 450 (8)
Mackenzie Pridham, Sacramento Republic, USL, 449 (19)
Jordan Haynes, WFC2, USL, 428 (14)
Adam Bouchard, TFC II, USL, 409 (8)
Jonathan Grant, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 383 (18)
Angelo Cavalluzzo, TFCII, USL, 363 (5)
Sam Adekugbe, WFC2, USL, 329 (4)
Sahil Sandhu, WFC2, USL, 303 (11)
Duwayne Ewart, Pittsburgh, USL, 302 (9)
Marko Maletic, TFC II, USL, 297 (7)
Fabrice Mbvouvouma,  FC Montreal, USL, 273 (8)
Chris Serban, WFC2, USL, 273 (6)
Jordan Hamilton, TFC II, USL, 272 (4)
Simon Lemire, FC Montreal, USL, 267 (8)
Steven Furlano, TFC II, USL, 257 (3)
James Pantemis, FC Montreal, USL, 180 (2)
Jimmy-Shammar Sanon,  FC Montreal, USL, 150 (5)
Jay Chapman, TFC II, USL, 141 (2)
Mele Temguia,  FC Montreal, USL, 128 (4)
A.J. Gray, Orange County, USL 125 (6)
Nathan Ingham, TFC II, USL, 115 (2)
Mitch Piraux, WFC2, USL, 100 (2)
David Edgar, WFC2, USL, 90 (1)
Wandrille Lefevre, FC Montreal, USL, 90 (1)
Maxim Tissot, FC Montreal, USL, 90 (1)
Richlord Ennin, TFC II, USL, 89 (4)
Karl Ouimette, NYRB2, USL, 87 (1)
Andrew Dias, TFC II, USL, 80 (1)
Badreddine Boulajoul,  FC Montreal, USL, 77 (6)
Reshon Phillip, TFC II, USL, 77 (3)
Ethan Beckford, TFC II, USL, 65 (3)
Ashtone Morgan, TFC II, USL, 62 (1)
Pierre Lamothe,  FC Montreal, USL, 53 (4)
Joel Harrison, WFC2, USL, 51 (3)
Terren Campbell, WFC2, USL, 50 (8)
Raheem Taylor-Parkes, Bethlehem Steel FC, USL, 44 (3)
Rocco Romeo, TFC II, USL, 28 (1)
Dante Campbell, TFC II, USL, 23 (1)
Alan Camacho, WFC2, USL, 16 (1)
Leonard Sohn, TFC II, USL, 13 (1)
Nick Apostol, WFC2, USL, 9 (1)
Michael Baldisimo, WFC2, USL, 8 (1)
Nikola Stakic, TFC II, USL, 7 (1)

 

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

FC Montreal, 26877/30 (895.9)

TFC II, 18200/30 (606.7)

WFC2, 16514/30 (550.4)

Swope Park Rangers, 5596/30 (186.5)

Rochester Rhinos, 5339/30 (178)

Orlando City B, 5270/30 (175.7)

Wilmington Hammerheads FC, 1620/30 (54)

Sounders FC 2, 1594/30 (53.1)

Louisville City FC, 1467/30 (48.9)

Rio Grande Valley FC, 1241/30 (41.4)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 1036/30 (34.5)

Bethlehem Steel, 971/30 (32.4)

Sacramento Republic, 449/30 (15)

Orange County, 125/30 (4.2)

NYRB2, 82/30 (2.7)

Eddies spurn chance to make up ground in NASL fall season race

FC Edmonton’s rivals in the NASL post-season race — the ones who have yet to clinch their spots, that is — all endured miserable weekends. Miami FC lost. The New York Cosmos got hammered. Minnesota was beaten by the Ottawa Fury for the second consecutive time.

So the door was open for the Eddies, second in the NASL fall season standings, to make some hay, considering they were facing a Carolina team it had already beaten twice this season. But, instead, a 1-0 loss in Cary, N.C. meant that the Eddies didn’t lose anything in the playoff race, but lost a precious chance to gain any ground on their rivals.

The Eddies remain a point ahead of Miami, but five points behind New York, albeit with a game in hand.

The game’s deciding goal came in the 34th minute after a sustained period of RailHawks’ pressure that the Eddies should have dealt with. Cristian Raudales, starting in the holding midfield slot, got the ball at the top of his own penalty area and tried to play a cute pass rather than get it out danger. The ball was turned back over the home team, and the ball was crossed to Omar Bravo, who laid it off for Da Luz to slam home into the corner of the goal.

“It’s a shocking goal to give away at this level of football,” said FCE coach Colin Miller. “That situation could have been dealt with a lot better, a lot quicker.”

It was the least the hosts deserved; for much of the first half, the Eddies yielded too much space in midfield, allowing the RailHawks to build attack after attack. And, when the Eddies did intercept passes or get the chance to get themselves out of jail, they gave the ball away.

Eddies keeper Matt VanOekel was forced to make a sprawling save on Matt Watson to keep the gap at 1-0 going into halftime.

“In the first half, we weren’t at the races,” said Miller.

In the second half, the introduction of teenager Shamit Shome livened up the Eddies, and the team showed more threat going forward. A clever ball from Ben Fisk found Daryl Fordyce in the Carolina penalty area, but the forward chose for placement instead of power and he couldn’t get through the defensive traffic.

Fordyce got another chance to draw the Eddies level with a drive from outside the Carolina penalty area, but RailHawks keeper Brian Sylvestre came up with his best save of the night, a diving effort.

RailHawks defender Steven Miller was sent off in injury time, receiving his second yellow for late challenge on Adam Eckersley. The Eddies tried to apply some late pressure, but couldn’t get a shot on the Carolina goal.

It now marks the fourth straight game that the Eddies have gone without a goal. The team’s scoreless drought now dates back to Sept. 2.

Miller said that, while it’s frustrating that the team isn’t taking its chances, he feels that the Eddies have goals in them. “We are still creating chances, and we believe we have the players in place who can score the goals.”

Miller said Sainey Nyassi, who pulled his hamstring in Saturday’s game, won’t be available for Wednesday’s match in Jacksonville. As well, he said Shome will return to the starting lineup after helping bring the Eddies to life in the second half.

“He brought pace and he brought energy,” said Miller. “He will start on Wednesday, and there should be one or two more changes.”

Minnesota United’s lawyer asks court to order Canadian Mozzi Gyorio to pay more than 41K in legal fees

Mozzi Gyorio is learning just how expensive it might be to take a case to court, and lose.

On Wednesday, the lawyer who represented NASL side Minnesota United submitted a claim to the New York Supreme Court, asking for Gyorio and his legal team to pay US$41,651,78 in legal fees. Lawyer Matthew Melewski submitted to the court that he was being paid $300/hr to defend Minnesota United in its case against plaintiff, Gyorio. The case was tossed out of New York court in July.

Gyorio is currently on the roster of the NASL’s Ottawa Fury.

Gyorio had sued both Minnesota United and NASL after his contract was terminated in 2014. Minnesota United terminated his contract after Gyorio refused to comply with a team decision to send him to the team’s affiliated developmental side in the NPSL. Gyorio claimed that his contract didn’t allow for him to be sent to a reserve team.

But Gyorio’s case against Minnesota United was tossed out because the New York court said it had no jurisdiction over a contract signed in the state of Minnesota. As for the case against NASL, the court ruled that Gyorio did not exhaust all the options for relief provided in his contract, including arbitration or a hearing with the league commissioner.

“The contract at the heart of the lawsuit specifically prohibited this lawsuit,” wrote Melewski in his claim. “Plaintiff’s attorneys must have been aware of this provision, but brought a futile lawsuit anyway.”

Now, as the loser of the case, Gyorio could be on the hook for the fees.

FCE at Carolina: Fisk could go for fourth goalpost in a row, but a goal would be a lot better

Do you think it’s possible to make a prop bet on a player hitting the woodwork four games in a row?

Because FCE winger Ben Fisk is at three. In the Eddies’ last three matches — two draws and loss — Fisk has beaten the keeper, but not been able to get his first NASL goal.

“I think I’m getting in the right areas, so I’ve just got to try and keep my confidence high,” said Fisk, the Canadian who was started on the left wing over the course of the last three FCE matches. “I’ve had some good shots, I’ve been a bit unlucky not to score two or three, so I’ve got to keep getting in the right area and try to keep getting real service from my teammates and the goals will come.”

But Fisk, the former Whitecap who was signed by the Eddies early in the fall season, has looked good in creating those chances — and he knows he can’t let the regular hitting of posts keep him from continuing to try his luck.

“I’ve probably never hit the post three games in a row in my life,” he said. “The goals are coming… I think I am a guy with a lot of self confidence so, when I get in those, whether I’m skying it 20 feet over the bar or hitting the post, I’m gonna keep shooting.”

Fisk spent an injury-plagued 2013 season on loan from the Whitecaps to the Charleston Battery. So, when he and the Eddies travel to North Carolina to face the RailHawks, he’ll be in somewhat familiar territory — the Battery and RailHawks faced each other in exhibition play when Fisk was there. And the RailHawks still have some connections to the Whitecaps that date back to when Martin Rennie first coached in Carolina and then moved to Vancouver. Fisk is a former Whitecap colleague of both RailHawks keeper Brian Sylvestre and Matt Watson. So, even years after Rennie has departed, there are still connection that tie Vancouver and Cary, N.C.

What Fisk and his teammates will have is time to prepare. In the past, trips to Carolina have been marred with delayed flights, bad transfers and early morning arrivals. But, with the Eddies in contention for the the fall season title — currently five games behind the Cosmos with a game in hand — the team will get to Cary on Thursday, giving the Eddies a full training day in North Carolina on Friday, before Saturday night’s match. The Eddies will also carry 18 players on the trip— rather than the usual 16.

“[Owners] Tom and Dave Fath deserve the credit for that, they’ve been so supportive whenever we’ve required anything,” said FCE coach Colin Miller.

“I think it’s massive. We know that it’s massive. The players appreciate the extra day, I know it’s an incredible expense to the club, but Tom and Dave have been so supportive of anything we’ve needed. There have been times when we’ve left here and I’ve picked [assistant coach] Jeff Paulus up at three in the morning and we’ve not got to the hotel until seven or eight that same day, at night.”