Steven Sandor's Blog, page 64

Ledgerwood: Distractions in Honduras won’t be factors ahead of CanMNT’s big game

Nik Ledgerwood thinks that this version of the national team is far different than the one that went down to Honduras in 2012 and was eliminated from World Cup contention with a program-shattering 8-1 loss.

Even if some of the players are the same, four years more experience makes a world of difference.

“To be honest, I think we’re a more experienced team now than we had going in there four years ago,” Ledgerwood said Thursday. “Now everyone knows what to expect, it’s not the unknown. We know how much we’ve got be switched on and how much it means to the country and all of us. Everybody is taking this very seriously, and I think we’ve got a great group of players. I think everybody expects to get a result down there.”

Ledgerwood will play with FC Edmonton Sunday at home to Puerto Rico FC, then leave Monday for Canada’s training camp in Orlando, Fla. Canada will play in Honduras Sept. 2 before heading to Vancouver for a Sept. 6 game against El Salvador. Each of those three teams is vying to finish second in Group A behind Mexico, and earn a spot in the Hex — which is the final stage of CONCACAF qualifying. Honduras and Canada are tied for second, but Honduras’s goal difference is three better than Canada. So, if Canada loses to Honduras Sept. 2, the only way it gets the spot is by beating up on El Salvador and hoping Mexico mercilessly pummels Honduras.

But, conditions will be tough in San Pedro Sula. The game will kick off in tropical heat, at 3 p.m. local time. And, as is always the case when a Canadian side travels to Central America, the team will be subjected to a variety of distractions, from bus drivers who don’t know the way to the training ground to all-night parties just outside the team hotel.

“Of course. Always, going to those countries, there’s always something that happens, or has been done in the past,” said Ledgerwood. “Look, three o’clock kickoff. Last time, it was a national holiday for them. And that time in Panama they had the fireworks show outside our hotel. It is always expected going down to those countries, and I think we now have the core group of guys who are used to that and it doesn’t play a factor anymore.”

And, to quote a very Canadian hockey cliche, the Canadians can’t get overly hyped for the Honduras game; they have to be very business-like in their approacl

“As much as we’re excited and looking forward to it, we can’t treat it as the be-all, end-all,” said Ledgerwood. “We have to treat it like any other game, and that’s what we’ve been doing in the qualifying circles. We’ve been getting prepared, doing a lot of video work, tactically I think we’re at the best we’ve been in a long time. And I think that’s going to be huge going down there. So, I think Benito has prepared us exceptionally well for the two games coming up. Now it’s just trusting our ability and going down confidently and doing the business.

“You only have three or four days to prepare, and most of that is recovering from the games on the weekend that we’ve played, because everyone is travelling in from all over the country, from overseas. So, I think it’s making sure everyone is fit, healthy and on the same page and switched on, ready to go.”

Floro quietly unveils roster ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers

It’s pretty well standard practise for a senior national-team coach to field questions in a media conference call as a major roster announcement is made.

That wasn’t the case Thursday, as men’s national-team coach Benito Floro wasn’t made available in the wake of his roster announcement. Canada has two make-or-break World Cup qualifiers to play, Sept. 2 in Honduras and then home to El Salvador Sept. 6 at BC Place. It is expected that Floro will have an availability when the Canadian national team convenes for camp next week in Orlando, Fla. (The 11 has submitted some questions about the roster through Canada Soccer that we’re hoping to have Floro answer).

No doubt there would have been questions about the exclusion of veteran Will Johnson, who has featured in a couple of Toronto FC matches since recovering from a broken leg — an injury suffered while scoring arguably the most dramatic goal in the history of the Voyageurs Cup.

Maybe the coach didn’t want to field any more “why do you continue to refuse to select Jonathan Osorio” questions which are pretty much standard for Floro media availabilities. Of all Canadian players in MLS, Osorio has logged the second highest number of minutes — only behind Cyle Larin, who scored for Orlando City in Wednesday’s loss to Tosaint Ricketts (who also scored) and Toronto FC.

But maybe the most likely answer to the no-press-availability question is that Floro and everyone involved in Canadian soccer knew that much of the talk was going to be about a return to Honduras, the place where Canada’s most recent World Cup qualifying run came to a brutal end, in the form of an 8-1 shellacking that rocked the program. That was two coaches ago. Floro wasn’t the coach in that game; and it’s probably fair that he doesn’t want to have to answer for a loss that really had nothing to do with him.

We knew going in that Julian de Guzman was a no-go; Ottawa Fury coach Paul Dalglish a couple of weeks ago confirmed that JDG’s knee injury would keep him out of the picture. But we also didn’t get to ask why Floro stuck with certain players — such as Karl Ouimette, who isn’t getting regular starts for Jacksonville since being loaned there by the New York Red Bulls. As well, Jamar Dixon, who recently signed with the Fury, got the call.

CANADA

1- GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Impact Montréal

2- FB- Nik Ledgerwood | CAN / FC Edmonton

3- CB- Manjrekar James | HUN / Vasas Budapest

4- CB- Dejan Jaković | JPN / Shimizu S-Pulse

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

6- M- Jamar Dixon | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC

7- M- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Walsall FC

8- FB- Doneil Henry | ENG / West Ham United

9- F- Marcus Haber | Unattached

10- M- David Junior Hoilett | Unatached

11- M- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC

12- CB- André Hainault | GER / 1. FC Magdeburg

13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | TUR / Beşiktaş JK

14- M- Samuel Piette | ESP / CD Izarra

15- CB- 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 Gdansk

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

21- F- Cyle Larin | USA / Orlando City SC

22- GK- Kenny Stamatopoulos | SWE / AIK Fotbol

23- M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas

Race for the prize: Looking at the scramble for three remaining NASL post-season spots

As we hit the halfway point of the NASL’s fall season, we’ve seen three teams — FC Edmonton, the Indy Eleven and New York Cosmos — break into a lead pack in the overall standings.

So, unless we see a major capitulation by either the Eddies or the Cosmos — remember that Indy is guaranteed a spot in the four-team post-season as the Eleven is the spring-season title holder — we’re going to watch the rest of the teams battle for the fourth and final playoff spot.

In NASL, the spring and fall season champions each get a home playoff game. The team with the best overall record between the two secures home advantage for the Soccer Bowl, if it advances to the game, that is. The No. 3 and No. 4 playoff seeds go to the teams with the best overall records in the league outside of the two season “winners.”

Let’s look at what the teams need to do:

FC Edmonton

First place, fall standings; First place, overall standings

The goal for the Eddies is to extend its lead atop the standings as much as possible through September. In October, the Eddies finish with three of their last four games on the road — so the team needs to take advantage of its game at Clarke Field, where it hasn’t lost since April. The goal for this club? To make sure November playoff games are played in sub-zero conditions at Clarke Field.

Key game: Sept. 17 at New York Cosmos

This could be the decider when it comes to which of these teams gets to host the Championship semifinal. Eddies have already beaten the Cosmos twice this season, but both of those were in Edmonton.

New York Cosmos

Second place, fall standings; Second place, overall standings

The Cosmos trail the Eddies by two points in the fall standings, one in the overall chart. But, if the Cosmos don’t win the fall, the overall standings may be moot — it will likely be the No. 3 seed. The big issue? The Eddies have a game in hand. The Cosmos will likely need to improve on a poor road record in order to get to the summit.

Key games: Aug 31 at home to Indy, Sept. 24 away to Indy

The Cosmos and Indy can’t afford to beat up on each other while the Eddies have the chance to pull away. Best scenario for Edmonton is that the Cosmos and Indy draw both games. Eddies have only one game each left against Indy and the Cosmos

Indy Eleven

Spring season champs; Third place, overall standings

Indy’s goal is to secure the No. 1 seed. This incredibly quick team, that gets late goals because they’ve run the opposition into the ground, would be slowed down immensely by a hypothetical Soccer Bowl in the Edmonton cold. But, the Eddies are three points up in the overall standings, with a game in hand.

Key games: See New York Cosmos above… Indy and Cosmos could end up pummelling each other as Eddies pull away.

Minnesota United

Fourth place, fall standings; Fourth place, overall standings

Eight points out in the overall standings, seven points out in the fall standings. The realistic goal for Minnesota is to hang on the No. 4 seed, then go on a magical playoff run like this club did back in 2011. But, will MLS be a distraction. We saw how the anticipation of moving to MLS wrecked a very talented Montreal Impact in 2011 — the players stopped playing for the team, and treated every game like a tryout. Minnesota’s talent tells us this club will hang on.

Key game: Oct. 15 at home to FC Edmonton

This game won’t just be about holding onto fourth, it’ll be about sending a message heading towards the playoffs. If Minnesota wants to convince us it’s a contender, it will need this one.

Miami FC

Fifth place, fall standings; Ninth place, overall standings

Thanks to a miserable spring season, Miami FC has one chance to make the playoffs — win the fall season. Right now, Miami FC is eight points behind the Eddies, but with a game in hand — and two games in hand over most of the rest of the league. It will burn one of those games on Wednesday in Ottawa. The team has spent seven digits to improve the roster, and a 4-0 win in Minnesota gave us a glimpse of what this team can do when it’s on. But is it a bridge too far?

Key game: September 11 at FC Edmonton

If Miami FC is to mount a challenge for the fall season, it needs to sweep FCE in the fall season. And that means going to the House of Horrors that is Clarke Field and winning a game there.

Rayo OKC

Sixth place, fall standings; Seventh place, overall standings

The task is clear. Rayo OKC need to make up a six-point gap to Minnesota in fourth, with 12 games left to go for each team. But, will the soap opera in the front office be a distraction? Will the threats of cost-cutting measures affect morale?

Key game: Sept. 3 at Minnesota United

Rayo has just one game left against the Loons, the team they need to chase down. If they don’t steal three points in Minnesota, we can begin writing the eulogy for the season.

Carolina’s Omar Bravo
PHOTO: FC EDMONTON/TONY LEWIS

Carolina RailHawks

Seventh place, fall standings; Sixth place, overall standings

The RailHawks trail Minnesota by five points for that fourth overall spot. But the RailHawks have a game in hand. And, Colin Clarke’s men don’t have to go back to Clarke Field, a place where they have never won a game.

Key game: Oct. 22 at home to Minnesota United

Carolina has to hang in the race, and be close enough to make this game really matter. The RailHawks tend to be a different kind of team on the putting green that is WakeMed Park, so this could be a big one near the end of the regular season.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Eighth place, fall standings; Fifth place, overall standings

The Strikers, like Carolina, have to target Minnesota in fourth spot. The Strikers are five points back, and look to be over that early fall-season swoon that coincided with reports about players’ paycheques coming in late. Is the addition of Amauri going to be a difference maker? He looked great with two goals against Ottawa.

Key game: Aug. 31 at home to Minnesota United

This upcoming game will either put Fort Lauderdale right back in the playoff race or all but bury the Strikers.

Jacksonville Armada

Ninth place, fall standings; 11th place, overall standings

The Armada aren’t going to be in the playoffs. Fourteen points back of Minnesota is a bridge too far.

Key game: Sept. 28 at home to FC Edmonton

This is a chance for the Armada to play spoiler. The Armada ruined the Eddies season last year, taking seven of nine points from FCE.

Ottawa Fury

10th place, fall standings; 10th place, overall standings

A loss to Jacksonville at home and then a loss on the road to the Strikers all but ended this team’s playoff hopes.

Key game: This Wednesday at home to Miami FC

If Miami is to make a surge for the fall season, it needs to win its games in hand. It will burn one Wednesday in Ottawa. The Fury can end the Miami FC challenge before it really has a chance to get going.

Tampa Bay Rowdies

11th place, fall standings; eighth place, overall standings

Since owner Bill Edwards went on a tirade about officiating, and the team issued a video of calls it felt went against it during the season, the Rowdies have gone into a death spiral. The Rowdies have surrendered a series of game-changing penalties. Do. Not. Ever. Embarrass. The. Refs. Still, the Rowdies are seven points behind Minnesota, so not quite dead…

Key game: This Saturday at home to Rayo OKC

After failing to make up ground with losses to the Cosmos, Minnesota and the Eddies, the Rowdies must right the ship this weekend. Another loss at home and it might be all she wrote.

Puerto Rico FC

12th place, fall standings; 12th place, overall standings

They’re not going to win the fall season, but this team has been very competitive. It will get points at home. That brutal road trip will hurt some of the contenders down the stretch.

Key game: Oct. 8 at home to Minnesota United

Indy, the Eddies and the Cosmos have all burned their trips to PR; but the Loons still have to go there, and surviving the plane ride, the heat and the humidity is key for a team looking to hang on to fourth.

Levis a fit for the Whitecaps: CIS product makes the MLS jump

The CIS may present the most difficult route for a Canadian player to get to the highest tiers of North American pro soccer.

It’s not that CIS universities are that much more than NCAA schools; but, with the rise of pro academies and the glitz of the NCAA, the CIS, well, it isn’t scouted all that much. Canadian University soccer is too often seen as a place where players squeeze a few more years of first-team play out of themselves.

And that’s why, whenever a CIS product signs a major pro contract, it’s reason for Canadians to applaud. On Tuesday, the Vancouver Whitecaps announced that University of Saskatchewan product Brett Levis has been promoted from its USL side to a full MLS contract. The deal runs through 2017 with options for ‘18 and ‘19.

Levis is the Huskies’ all-time leader in assists and ranks second all-time in goals. He had eight goals in 40 games with WFC2.

“Brett is a great example of a player who took his opportunity,” said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson in a release issued by the club. “With Whitecaps FC 2, he showed skill and versatility, and the willingness to learn and adapt to a new position. When given the chance to train and to play for the first team, he’s taken full advantage of it.”

Levis is not the first CIS product to play in MLS. Right now, University of Montreal product Wandrille Lefevre is playing for the Montreal Impact. And he’s not the sole Husky to play pro soccer. Paul Craig played with FC Edmonton in NASL.

This year, a Calgary Foothills team — packed with CIS players — got to the PDL final in a league stacked with teams filled with top-flight NCAA prospects. The CIS guys held their own, and lost in the final on a very controversial penalty call late in the championship game. When players like Lefevre and Levis — or the many CIS products who have played in NASL — get the call, it gives hope to those like the University of Calgary’s Dominic Russo, who was nominated for the PDL’s MVP award for his play with Foothills in 2016.

In the past we’ve seen CIS products like Paul Hamilton, John Smits, Craig, Gagan Dosanjh and Elvir Gigolaj play with FC Edmonton, with varying degrees of success. We must remember that Hamilton, though, was an NASL First XI selection early in his pro career.

But this year, we might see the best FC Edmonton CIS story of them all, as Shamit Shome plays for the Eddies, while going to the University of Alberta at the same time. Last season, he played for the Golden Bears.

The USL has many CIS grads featuring on its teams’ rosters.

So, maybe it’s time we all paid a little more attention to Canadian university soccer.

Overwhelmingly Canadian Power Rankings MLS Week 24/NASL Week 19/USL Week 22

If there is one Canadian player who has the “coach puts my name in the lineup in pen” distinction, it is Janouk Charbonneau of FC Montreal.

Of the more than 100 Canadians who have played in USL this season, Charbonneau is the runaway leader in minutes played, with 1,970 spread out over 23 appearances. The defender is part of a FC Montreal side that averages just a little more than 900 minutes per game of playing time to Canadians; that means that 10 out of 11 90-minute slots are taken by Canadian players.

While FC Montreal’s parent club, the Impact, suffered one of their most embarrassing defeats in history — Saturday’s 3-0 loss at home to a Chicago Fire team that hadn’t won a road game, since, well… there really was a Chicago fire — FC Montreal won 3-2 over Canadian Josh Heard and Bethlehem Steel, and Charbonnea got, ho hum, another 90 minutes.

Here are the rankings of all minutes played by Canadians in MLS, NASL and USL:

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

Cyle Larin, Orlando City, MLS, 1689 (22)
Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC, MLS, 1664 (21)
Eddie Edward, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 1528 (18)
Nik Ledgerwood, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1519 (18)
Mason Trafford, Miami FC, NASL, 1507 (17)
Carl Haworth, Ottawa, NASL, 1421 (17)
Drew Beckie, Carolina, NASL, 1349 (17)
Will Johnson, Toronto FC, MLS, 1308 (16)
Tesho Akindele, FC Dallas, MLS, 1155 (24)
Maxim Tissot, Montreal, MLS/Ottawa, NASL,  1123 (14)
Fraser Aird, Vancouver, MLS, 1120 (14)
Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS/Jacksonville, NASL  1109 (13)
Nana Attakora, Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1085 (13)
Shamit Shome, FC Edmonton, NASL, 1060 (15)
Kyle Bekker, Montreal, MLS, 997 (16)
Mallan Roberts, FC Edmonton/Ottawa, NASL, 947 (12)
Wandrille Lefevre, Montreal, MLS, 934 (11)
Marcel De Jong, Ottawa, NASL/Vancouver, MLS,  855 (11)
Patrice Bernier, Montreal, MLS, 770 (14)
Julian de Guzman, Ottawa, NASL, 770 (11)
Jay Chapman, Toronto FC, 734 (17)
Kyle Porter, Ottawa, NASL, 731 (10)
Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC, MLS, 714 (10)
Mo Babouli, Toronto FC, MLS, 567 (14)
Mauro Eustaquio, Ottawa, NASL, 476 (11)
Russell Teibert, Vancouver, MLS, 460 (8)
Allan Zebie, FC Edmonton, NASL, 403 (9)
Jamar Dixon, Ottawa, NASL, 284 (5)
David Edgar, Vancouver, MLS, 270 (3)
Marcel DeBellis, Ottawa, NASL, 171 (2)
Ashtone Morgan, Toronto FC, MLS, 156 (7)
Kianz Froese, Vancouver, MLS, 150 (5)
Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC, MLS, 148 (5)
Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver, MLS, 111 (2)
Alphonso Davies, Vancouver, MLS, 89 (4)
Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal, MLS, 79 (5)
 Mozzi Gyorio, Ottawa, NASL, 65 (2)
Marco Bustos, Vancouver, MLS, 50 (2)
Ben Fisk, FC Edmonton, NASL, 24 (2)
Raheem Edwards, Toronto FC, 2 (1)

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

Ottawa, NASL, 6543/19 (344.4)

Toronto FC, MLS, 5294/25 (211.8)

FC Edmonton, NASL, 3957/19 (208.3)

Montreal, MLS, 3277/24 (136.5)

Vancouver, MLS, 2610/26 (100.4)

Miami FC, NASL, 1507/18 (83.7)

Orlando City, MLS, 1689/23 (73.4)

Carolina, NASL, 1349/19 (71)

Fort Lauderdale, NASL, 1085/20 (54.3)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1155/26 (44.4)

Jacksonville, NASL, 527/21 (25.1)

New York Red Bulls, MLS, 582/26 (22.4)

USL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS

 Janouk Charbonneau, FC Montreal, USL, 1970 (23)
Daniel Haber, WFC2, USL, 1798 (24)
Louis Beland-Goyette, FC Montreal, USL, 1787 (21)
Skylar Thomas, TFC II, USL, 1755 (21)
Brett Levis, WFC2, USL, 1626 (20)
Ryan James, Rochester, USL, 1616 (22)
Aron Mkungilwa, FC Montreal, USL, 1603 (19)
 Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, FC Montreal, USL, 1596 (18)
Michael Cox, Orlando City B, USL, 1571 (22)
Anthony Osorio, TFC II, USL, 1551 (19)
Ballou Jean Yves Tabla, FC Montreal, USL, 1533 (19)
Maxime Crepeau, FC Montreal, USL, 1530 (17)
Shaan Hundal, TFC II, USL, 1494 (23)
Chris Mannella, TFC II, USL, 1370 (20)
Dominic Samuel, Rochester, USL, 1342 (21)
Richie Laryea, Orlando City B, USL, 1341 (20)
Kadin Chung, WFC2, USL, 1331 (16)
Amer Didic, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1329 (21)
Raheem Edwards, TFC II, USL, 1288 (16)
Liam Fraser, TFC II, USL, 1284 (20)
Aidan Daniels, TFC II, USL, 1281 (22)
Tyler Pasher, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1279 (17)
John Smits, Wilmington, USL, 1260 (14)
Bradley Kamdem, Rochester, USL, 1207 (20)
Mark Anthony Kaye, Louisville City FC, 1180 (20)
Marco Bustos, WFC2, USL, 1177 (15)
Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 1137 (20)
Benjamin McKendry, WFC2, USL, 1128 (16)
Zachary Ellis-Hayden, Orlando City B, USL, 1091 (14)
Alessandro Riggi, FC Montreal, USL, 1089 (17)
Zachary Sukunda,  FC Montreal, USL, 1074 (17)
Mastanabal Kacher,  FC Montreal, USL, 1059 (19)
David Choiniere, FC Montreal, USL, 1011 (14)
Marco Dominguez, FC Montreal, USL, 992 (14)
Callum Irving, Rio Grande Valley FC, USL, 971 (11)
Giuliano Frano, WFC2, USL, 903 (20)
Jackson Farmer, WFC2, USL, 882 (10)
Luca Uccello, TFC II, USL, 855 (18)
Malik Johnson, TFC II, USL, 845 (17)
Philippe Lincourt-Joseph, FC Montreal, USL, 813 (21)
Nevelo Yoseke, FC Montreal, USL, 811 (19)
Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, FC Montreal, USL, 748 (9)
Josh Heard, Bethlehem Steel, USL, 734 (17)
Yacine Ait-Slimane, FC Montreal, USL, 732 (14)
Jordan Murrell, Pittsburgh, USL, 719 (10)
Carlos Patino, Sounders FC 2, USL, 672 (17)
Sean Melvin, WFC2, USL, 630 (7)
Quillan Roberts, TFC II, USL, 630 (7)
Anthony Jackson-Hamel, FC Montreal, USL, 586 (9)
Matthew Baldisimo, WFC2, USL, 573 (15)
Brandon John, Sounders FC2, USL, 545 (9)
Alphonso Davies, WFC2, USL, 544 (9)
Phil Di Bennardo, TFC II, USL, 537 (7)
Kianz Froese, WFC2, USL, 516 (8)
Jems Geffrard, FC Montreal, USL, 472 (7)
Marco Carducci, WFC2, USL, 450 (5)
Charles Joly,  FC Montreal, USL, 450 (8)
Thomas Gardner, WFC2, USL, 427 (12)
Robert Boskovic, TFC II, USL, 367 (11)
Angelo Cavalluzzo, TFCII, USL, 363 (5)
David Paulmin, FC Montreal, USL, 360 (4)
Jordan Haynes, WFC2, USL, 348 (10)
Adam Bouchard, TFC II, USL, 342 (7)
Sam Adekugbe, WFC2, USL, 329 (4)
Heikel Jarras, FC Montreal, USL, 324 (16)
Jonathan Grant, Swope Park Rangers, USL, 307 (14)
Mackenzie Pridham, Sacramento Republic, USL, 303 (15)
Sahil Sandhu, WFC2, USL, 303 (11)
Duwayne Ewart, Pittsburgh, USL, 302 (9)
Fabrice Mbvouvouma,  FC Montreal, USL, 273 (8)
Chris Serban, WFC2, USL, 273 (6)
Simon Lemire, FC Montreal, USL, 267 (8)
Steven Furlano, TFC II, USL, 257 (3)
Mo Babouli, TFC II, USL, 252 (3)
Jordan Hamilton, TFC II, USL, 182 (3)
James Pantemis, FC Montreal, USL, 180 (2)
Marko Maletic, TFC II, USL, 156 (4)
Jay Chapman, TFC II, USL, 141 (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)
A.J. Gray, Orange County, USL 69 (3)
Ethan Beckford, TFC II, USL, 65 (3)
Ashtone Morgan, TFC II, USL, 62 (1)
Badreddine Boulajoul,  FC Montreal, USL, 57 (3)
Joel Harrison, WFC2, USL, 51 (3)
Pierre Lamothe,  FC Montreal, USL, 45 (3)
Raheem Taylor-Parkes, Bethlehem Steel FC, USL, 44 (3)
Terran Campbell, WFC2, USL, 31 (6)
Dante Campbell, TFC II, USL, 23 (1)
Jimmy-Shammar Sanon,  FC Montreal, USL, 18 (1)
Alan Camacho, WFC2, USL, 16 (1)
Leonard Sohn, TFC II, USL, 13 (1)
Mele Temguia,  FC Montreal, USL, 10 (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, 21634/24 (901.4)

TFC II, 15277/25 (611.1)

WFC2, 13553/24 (564.7)

Swope Park Rangers, 4062/23 (176.6)

Rochester Rhinos, 4175/24 (174)

Orlando City B, 3993/24 (166.4)

Wilmington Hammerheads FC, 1260/23 (54.8)

Sounders FC 2, 1217/24 (50.7)

Louisville City FC, 1180/25 (47.2)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 1021/23 (44.4)

Rio Grande Valley FC, 971/24 (40.5)

Bethlehem Steel, 778/24 (32.4)

Sacramento Republic, 303/24 (12.6)

NYRB2, 82/23 (3.6)

Orange County, 69/25 (2.8)

All alone in first place: Magical Matt leads FC Edmonton fifth win in a row

Top of the table. NASL fall season.

Top of the table. NASL combined standings.

Five wins in a row. Nine home wins in a row. And, with Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies on a waterlogged pitch, FC Edmonton has won two in a row on the road.

Matt Van Oekel recorded his 10th clean sheet of the season. Incredibly, he has yet to be named NASL Player of the Week. If he doesn’t get the award this week, it’s proof that those who make those decisions pick the names out of a hat — and don’t actually watch the games.

Like so many other times this year, we’ve seen the Eddies hold fast, and then score late. This time, the Eddies got a 71st-minute penalty from Daryl Fordyce, after Rowdie Darnell King was judged to have fouled Tomi Ameobi in the penalty area.

In the wake of of a team-issued video that highlighted owner Bill Edwards’ displeasure with PRO referees assigned to NASL games, the Rowdies seem to keep getting critical penalties called against them. They gave up two PKs last weekend in a loss to the Cosmos. Funny, that.

But MVO was tremendous on Saturday.

“We have got to be better defensively,” said FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller. “I don’t want big Matt to be our man of the match too many more times this season.”

Miller, though, said his team had to play in difficult conditions. The field at Al Lang Stadium doesn’t drain well, so after a torrential rain, there were spots on the field where the ball stopped dead, and some where it looked to pick up speed and skid. Basically, it was unpredictable.

Adam Eckersley and Matt VanOekel in action against Tampa Bay. PHOTO: ERIC TILLOTSON/NASL

“I think, after this game, after the game we just played in what has to be one of the most difficult venues in the league and the type of football Tampa plays, it speaks to everyone involved, the players and staff. I can’t say enough about the effort of the players, in this incredible heat and humidity.”

VanOekel got to work early in the game. Just two minutes off the opening kickoff, Joe Cole cut the ball into the box for Carlos Preciado, who was alone in front of goal. But VanOekel came off his line, cut off the angle, and made the stop.

Minutes later, he had to be alert to stop a backheel from Cole.

But MVO wasn’t nearly done. In the 15th minute, he made a fantastic double save, coming off his line to rob Cole, then getting over to stop the rebound attempt from Preciado.

He was in perfect position in the 27th, to handle a headed effort from Tamika Mkandawire.

As good as the double-save was, MVO may have topped it in the 59th, when he sprawled to make a stop on Preciado. For good measure, after the Eddies took the lead, Van Oekel made another diving stop, this time on Cole.

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Preciado should have had a hat trick, or that Cole could have had a brace.

The Rowdies brought in Tom Heinemann, the man who has scored so many winning goals against the Eddies in his career; and the fact that he blasted a ball over the bar late in the match, when he was in a prime position to score — well, that’s a sign that things have changed for the Eddies.

The Eddies are home next Sunday against Puerto Rico. The team will look for its 10th win in a row at home. And, the Eddies know that all of the NASL is now looking up at them. And, with every passing week, the chance that we’ll see post-season soccer in wintry Edmonton conditions becomes more likely.

Heck, a playoff game in Edmonton might be the first time the NASL brass gets to the city this year!

Young players shine as Canada claims bronze in Rio

Coach John Herdman decided to change things up a little bit for Friday’s Olympic bronze-medal match; he put teenager Deanne Rose into the starting lineup, in place of Janine Beckie.

Rose would score the opener and set up Christine Sinclair’s marker as Canada got to the podium with a 2-1 win over the hosts from Brazil.

Let’s be absolutely clear; while the result in 2016 — third place — was identical to what the Canadian women’s national team accomplished in 2012, it’s clear that this edition of the squad was markedly better than the team from four years ago. The Canadians lost just one of six games in the tournament — and Herdman and his charges will be able to boast that they beat several of the so-called top-tier sides along the way.

They beat Australia, despite being down to 10 players for more than three-quarters of the match. They knocked France out of the tournament. All things being equal, if you put the 2012 team against the 2016 team, you’d expect the 2016 edition to win.

This side has made significant strides forward since the disappointment of that loss to England at the 2015 Women’s World Cup.

The fact that such impressive performances were turned in by youngsters — from fullback Ashley Lawrence to midfielder Jessie Fleming to Beckie to Rose — bodes well for a program that, just four years before, was starved for young talent.

The opening goal was created by two of those young phenoms. After Canada cleared a Brazilian free kick, Lawrence burst up the left wing with the ball at her feet. She absolutely blew past Brazilian right back, Fabiana. It looked kinda like the Roadrunner going past Wile E. Coyote. All Fabiana needed was a stick of dynamite in her hand and Acme anvil tied around her ankle.

Lawrence kept her composure and slotted the ball across to Rose, who slammed the ball goalward. Barbara, in the Brazilian goal, got a piece of the shot, but couldn’t keep it out.

Fleming and Rose then helped Christine Sinclair celebrate her 250th cap in style. In the first half, Sinclair blasted a free-kick off the bar. But, in the second half, she was able to slot home after a nifty series of passes. First, Fleming found Rose in the penalty area with a well-placed through ball, then Rose squared the ball back to Sinclair. Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer showed some veteran guile by taking a touch to make sure the ball settled before stroking it into the goal.

Soon, after, Rose would join Sinclair in the post-and-goal club, as she put an effort off the upright.

In the 66th minute, Lawrence went another of her rampaging runs, this time off the right wing. She turned towards goal, and her effort was just kept out by the fingertips of Barbara. A rebound was scrambled away just before Sophie Schmidt could arrive to tap it in.

But, would those posts come back to haunt Canada? That was the question after Beatriz made it 2-1, after Canada didn’t deal with a throw-in into the penalty area. Beatriz got ball side of defender Shelina Zadorsky, turned and was able to place her shot inside the post.

It was as close, though, as the hosts would get. And Canada can look back at a tournament where it finished with five wins out of six games.

Canadian defender Didic makes Sporting Kansas City debut in CCL

On the same day the Eddies announced that a deal had been reached to send academy prospect Amer Halilic to German side TSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen, Amer Didic, another FC Edmonton product, made his Sporting Kansas City debut.

Didic and fellow Canadian Tyler Pasher were called up from the USL’s Swope Park Rangers to Sporting Kansas City for Tuesday’s CONCACAF Champions League clash in Trinidad and Tobago against Central FC.

Didic played the full 90 minutes; it wasn’t all rosy for the Canadian, as he was the defender closest to the play when Kenwyne Jones scored for Central FC. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Didic, a centre back, is one of four Canadians playing for Canadian coach Marc Dos Santos at Swope Park Rangers. It’s an odd situation — as outlined in issue 9 of Plastic Pitch, out now; even though they play for an American team, Didic and his three Canadian teammates do not take up international roster spots. That’s because the USL treats all Canadians as domestics, no matter if they play for Canadian or American teams.

But, in MLS, a Canadian who plays for an American team must take up an international roster spot; meanwhile Americans are treated as domestics no matter which side of the border their employer is located. It’s a bizarre situation where the affiliated feeder league has different designations than the parent league — if it is indeed fair to call MLS a parent league.

So, while Didic got the call for a CONCACAF Champions League match, it would be much more difficult for him to earn an MLS contract.

Dos Santos is leaving Swope Park at the end of the season to become the coach of NASL expansion side, San Francisco Deltas.

Still, Tuesday was a great day if you were an Edmontonian named Amer.

A deal is made: FC Edmonton sends prospect Halilic to Germany

In terms of wins and losses, there is no doubt that FC Edmonton has entered uncharted territory; the club is at the top of the NASL fall standings, losing just one of their first eight matches.

But, maybe just as vital, is news that the team’s academy has sent a prospect to Europe — in an above-board, honest-to-goodness, play-by-the-rules transaction between two clubs.

The Eddies announced Tuesday that academy prospect Amer Halilic has signed a pro deal with Germany’s FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen.

The Eddies confirmed that a deal has been consummated between the clubs, but won’t release the terms.

Halilic grew up in Edmonton, but was born in Germany. He is currently 18 years of age.

“FC Edmonton gave me a chance to step up my game and training when we didn’t really have something like that before in Edmonton,” Halilic said in a release issued by the club. “FC Edmonton helped me realize that it’s more than just training and games, it’s about mentality and preparing for those training sessions and games…Personally I would also like to thank [Academy Technical Director] Jeff Paulus, because the three years I’ve been at the Academy, Jeff has always pushed me to be better and has always had faith in me as a player.”

For a lower-division club to survive, it needs more than bums in seats and sponsor deals. It needs to get some kind of compensation for players it develops. So, for FCE to be able to show that it’s made a transaction with a German pro club — albeit one in a lower division — it ends up being a selling point in attracting young players to the academy. It piques the interest of other clubs.

Of course, when Swedish third-tier side Landskrona BoIS announced last month that it had signed former FCE midfielder Hanson Boakai, the issue of compensation was front and centre. Boakai has played in non-league games for the Swedish side; league play is set to resume August 21. FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller has said that the club’s stance is that if Boakai is signed by a European pro team, that FCE would be owed training compensation as specified by FIFA rules. The Eddies will not comment further on the Boakai situation.

It is worth noting that a sponsor is paying Boakai’s contract.

FC Edmonton feels “a different type of pressure” as NASL frontrunners

It hasn’t been like this for FC Edmonton. In past seasons, the fall-season script has gone like this: Try to get back into the chase for a post-season spot, and fall just short.

But it’s so different this season, as the team looks to make the playoffs for only the second time in club history. The Eddies are tied with spring-season champ Indy Eleven atop the fall-season standings. The Eddies are just a point behind Indy in the overall standings.

This is key, though: The Eddies have a game in hand on Indy, as well as the New York Cosmos, also in the three-team chase for the top of the NASL fall-season and overall standings. And, the Eddies have only one game each left against Indy and the Cosmos. Those two still have to play each other twice.

So, based on points-per-game, based on the schedule, you’d have to make FCE a slight favourite over the Cosmos and Indy to take the top seed. Emphasis on “slight.”

But the Eddies know that, going into this weekend’s match on the road to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, that this fall season isn’t like the ones that have come before. It’s about building a lead over their rivals, not playing catch-up.

Eddies supporters celebrate the team’s ninth home win in a row last Sunday. PHOTO: TONY LEWIS/FC EDMONTON

“We’re well aware of that; it’s a different type of pressure,” said FCE coach Colin Miller. “From being at the bottom of the league and trying to, where everywhere else in the world you fight against relegation, you fight for survival — but now it’s a different kind of pressure. Can we keep this going? We’re fearful of no one, but respectful of everyone… This mindset we have amongst our players, we’re only looking up the way.”

Being in a spot where you don’t, for the moment, need help from other teams — it’s a good place to be in. Edmonton goes to Tampa Bay not having to worry what Indy or the Cosmos or any other team does. The Eddies know if they keep getting results, they’ll be in the post-season. And if they keep on this torrid fall-season pace — 6-1-1 through eight games — they know that in November they’ll be hosting rather frosty post-season matches at Clarke Field.

“We don’t focus on what’s going on last night in the league and who beat who and who can catch us and who couldn’t catch us,” said Miller. “We take it one game at a time — it’s an old cliche, it’s boring, but it’s a fact. You take it one game at a time, we’ve given ourselves at minimum into the playoffs and hopefully win the championship.

“It’s a great pressure to have. You’re not worried about anyone else. You’re only worried about your own squad of players and how you approach the game. And we’ve been very positive in every game — we’ve told the lads that when we go to Tampa, we don’t want the line dropping, the defence dropping too deep. We want to be as brave as we can away from home.”

With the team only having lost one of its eight fall-season games — an away match in Indy that saw FCE without both of its regular starting centre backs — Miller hasn’t had to make too many changes. In fact, an unchanged starting XI has been a regular sight.

But that may need to change in a couple of weeks. After the August 28 game at home to Puerto Rico, it’s expected that Nik Ledgerwood will have to leave to join the Canadian national side for its two early September crucial World Cup qualifiers. The Canadian Soccer Association hasn’t confirmed a call, but the Eddies are bracing to lose Ledgerwood for a week.