Steven Sandor's Blog, page 94

You can’t win with Canadians: Quintessentially Canadian Power Rankings, MLS Week 20/NASL Week 14

Mason Trafford, part of NASL’s top defensive unit

You can’t win with Canadians.

But the Ottawa Fury and FC Edmonton are off to red-hot starts in the NASL fall season. The Eddies are on top of the fall-season table. The Fury has moved into a post-season spot in the overall standings and is just a point behind the Eddies in the fall table.

But, you can’t win with Canadians!

The Eddies and Fury are the runaway leaders out of North Americans first- and second-division leagues when it comes to giving minutes to Canadians.

Didn’t you hear us? YOU CAN’T WIN WITH CANADIANS!

The Eddies have the No. 1 offence in NASL. The Fury are tied with the New York Cosmos in terms of the stingiest goals-against record.

Seriously, you can’t win with Canadians! Don’t you know anything about clichés?

This is what happens when Canadians are allowed to play. The sky doesn’t fall. The team doesn’t go winless. If you don’t ever present challenges for your Canadian players, how can they ever rise to them?

I get it, I get it. A lot of you are thinking “but that’s NASL, not MLS. It’s a lot different when you go up a division.” Fair. But I guess we’ll never be able to judge MLS until we see either TFC, the Impact or the Whitecaps giving the kind of first-team minutes to Canadian talent like the Eddies and Fury do. Whitecaps President Bob Lenarduzzi pledges that his club can get there in a decade. We will all have to mark 2025 on our calendars.

Until then, the Fury and Eddies deserve your support. Guilt free. Unless, of course, you’re still convinced you can’t win with Canadians. In that case, 1995 called — it wants its preconceived notions back.



MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS (MLS AFTER 20 WEEKS, NASL AFTER 14 WEEKS):

1. Ashtone Morgan, TFC, MLS, 1189 (14)

2. Mallan Roberts, FCE, NASL, 1170 (13)

3. Jonathan Osorio, TFC, MLS, 1116 (15)

4. Carl Haworth, OTT, NASL, 1011 (12)

5. Kyle Porter, ATL, NASL, 1001 (13)

6. Nana Attakora, SAS, NASL, 952 (10)

7. Tesho Akindele, FCD, MLS 938 (16)

8. Eddie Edward, FCE, NASL, 930 (11)

9. Cyle Larin, ORL, MLS, 878 (14)

10. Russell Teibert, VAN, MLS, 858 (15)

11. Dominic Oppong, ATL, NASL, 846 (13)

12. Adrian Cann, SAS, NASL, 810 (9)

13. Julian de Guzman, OTT, NASL, 800 (9)

14. Allan Zebie, FCE, NASL, 740 (10)

15. Mason Trafford, OTT, NASL, 720 (8)

16. Will Johnson, POR, MLS 623 (6)

17. Sam Adekugbe, VAN, MLS, 615 (7)

18. Marcel de Jong, SKC, MLS, 589 (8)

19. Frank Jonke, FCE, NASL, 531 (8)

20. Michael Nonni, FCE, NASL, 517 (10)

21.Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS, 511 (7)

22. Sadi Jalali, FCE, NASL, 468 (7)

23. Mauro Eustaquio, OTT, NASL, 385 (7)

24. Wandrille Lefevre, MTL, MLS, 360 (4)

25. Maxim Tissot, MTL, MLS 352 (6)

26. Drew Beckie, OTT, NASL, 343 (7)

27. Patrice Bernier, MTL, MLS 325 (11)

28. John Smits, FCE, NASL, 315 (4)

29. Kyle Bekker, FCD/MTL, MLS, 313 (8)

30. Hanson Boakai, FCE, NASL, 233 (7)

31. Patryk Misik, OTT, NASL, 166 (5)

32. Kianz Froese, VAN, MLS, 162 (7)

33. Jay Chapman, TFC, MLS, 122 (6)

34. Anthony Jackson-Hamel, MTL, MLS 107 (5)

35. Philippe Davies, OTT, NASL, 25 (3)

36. Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, MTL, MLS, 18 (2)

37. Bruno Zebie, FCE, NASL 13 (1)

38. Jordan Hamilton, TFC, MLS, 4 (1)

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIAN MAYBES — PLAYERS WHO COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR CANADA, BUT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER NATIONS AND HAVE NOT COMMITTED TO CANADA (MLS AFTER 20 WEEKS, NASL AFTER 14 WEEKS):

1. Ethan Finlay, CLB 1746 (21)

2. Steven Vitoria, PHI 810 (9)

TEAM RANKINGS, MINUTES PLAYED BY CANADIANS IN 2015 (INCLUDES BOTH SUREFIRES and MAYBES); RANKED BY AVERAGE MINUTES PER GAME:

FC Edmonton, NASL, 4927/14 GP (351.9) (+0.7)

Ottawa, NASL, 3450/13 GP (265.4) (-3.4)

Atlanta, NASL, 1847/13 GP (142.1) (-3.4)

Toronto FC, MLS, 2431/18 GP (135.1) (+2.9)

San Antonio, NASL 1662/14 GP (118.7) (+2.7)

Columbus, MLS, 1746/21 GP (83.1) (+0.7)

Vancouver, MLS, 1635/21 GP (77.9) (-3.5)

Montreal, MLS, 1162/16 GP (72.6) (-3.4)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1252/20 GP (62.6) (-2.7)

Orlando City, MLS, 878/20 GP (43.9) (-0.6)

Philadelphia, MLS, 810/21 GP (38.6) (-1.9)

Sporting Kansas City, MLS, 589/18 GP (32.7) (-1.9)

Portland, MLS, 623/21 GP (29.7) (+3)

New York Red Bulls, MLS 511/19 GP (26.9) (-1)

ISSUE 6 OF PLASTIC PITCH… OUT NOW!

Practice? Who needs practice? Eddies beat Rowdies despite lack of training

FC Edmonton is through the toughest road trip of their season; a three-games-in-seven days jaunt that took the club out to Florida, back to Texas and then back to Florida.

After beating the owners of the NASL’s best overall record, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 1-0 on Saturday, the Eddies finished the trip with five out of a possible nine points. They did it with more than half of their regular starters missing. And, four games into the second NASL season, the Eddies are at the top of the fall table.

And, in the overall standings, the Eddies are now just one point out of fourth spot, which represents the final post-season slot. The Indy Eleven plays Ottawa Sunday, so that might change. But, really, you can argue that, with this undefeated start to the fall season (2-0-2, including the 4-0 win over the San Antonio Scorpions in Fort McMurray), the Eddies have pretty well erased any deficits they inherited from a disappointing spring season.

All of this without setting foot in Clarke Field.



In fact, after the win over the Rowdies, FCE coach Colin Miller suggested to the Tampa TV crew that the Eddies might just remain at the top: “We’re going to tick a few people off if we win the fall season.” He even suggested how awesome it would be if Edmonton were to host a wintery Soccer Bowl in November.

He dialled that back when I spoke to him after the match, saying that “nobody at the club is getting carried away” and that “there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

What made Saturday’s win over the Rowdies all the more special was that the Eddies didn’t have one on-field training session between Wednesday’s draw in San Antonio and the kickoff at Al Lang Stadium.

“When we got here all of the grass fields were flooded, you could have taken a canoe across them,” said Miller. So, the team did some fitness work in the gym, but the players didn’t touch a ball.

When the game kicked off, the pitch was about as heavy as a pitch could be without a referee determining a field to unplayable. The ball died in splashes of water. And, in fact, Miller said he was concerned all day Friday and most of Saturday that the game would be postponed.

“I am sure if we would have got any rain during the game, the referee would have stopped it. That’s the thing. it’s a clay surface. It pals fantastic when it’s dry, but, when it’s wet, it’s six to eight inches of sand on top of clay, so it spits the water right back up.”

Interestingly, the slow conditions led to the Eddies’ first big scoring chance of the game. A long ball was played behind the Tampa back four; but it hit the ground and died. That allowed Eddies’ winger Michael Nonni the chance to get around Rowdies’ defender Ben Sweat and run onto the ball. But Tampa Bay keeper Matt Pickens came off the line to make the save.

Really, that was the only significant chance of the first half, as Eddies’ keeper Matt VanOekel had very little to do.

The Eddies took the lead early in the second half. A clever run and cut-back from Nonni set up a shot for Tomas Granitto, whose attempt was blocked. The rebound came out to Smith, whose shot was stopped by Pickes. But, the ball went out for a corner — and, on the ensuing set piece, defender Mallan Roberts headed the ball down towards goal; it hit Pickens, but then bounded off the back of Tampa defender Stefan Antonijevic for an own goal.

That’s the second time on the trip where an FCE shot resulted in an own goal — is it a sign that the Eddies’ luck is turning?

Tampa pushed back, hard. Sweat got in behind the FCE defenders, but his shot was parried away by VanOekel. Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen brought in strikers Georgi Hristov and Maicon Santos. Shortly after the subs were made, the Eddies defenders and VanOekel mae a series of blocks as the Rowdies laid siege to the Edmonton penalty area. And, finally, after a nice low cross from Maicon Santos, Eddies defender Kareem Moses’s last-second intervention prevented Rowdie Robert Hernandez from having a tap-in.

Frank Jonke, back from injury, came on as a sub and had a chance to double the Eddies’ lead, but Pickens came up with the save. But, soon after, the whistle sounded and the Eddies had not only survived, but thrived.

“This is a very good team, a very tough place to play,” said Miller of the Rowdies. “They have spent a lot of money on their roster. And, yes, they had moments where they put us under pressure, but we bent but didn’t break. And, when we had the chance, we put together some passes, as well, and we created chances.”

But he said when the rag-tag MASH crew of Eddies got to Fort Lauderdale, they’d set a goal of five points for the trip.

“They came through, the effort and dedication were phenomenal,” said Miller.

Eddies come back twice to earn point in San Antonio

Scorpion Omar Cummings unleashes a shot as Eddie Kareem Moses tries to recover. PHOTO: NASL

FC Edmonton did enough to win its first road game of the NASL season. Despite fielding a skeleton crew thanks to an injury crisis, the Eddies were still able to create scoring chances and got goals from Michael Nonni and Cristian Raudales.

But, the X factor in the game was Billy Forbes. On a night when his team didn’t defend well and gave the ball away too easily in midfield, the San Antonio Scorpions’ winger was a one-man dynamo, creating two goals and causing problems for the Eddies all night long.

In the end, a 2-2 result on the road has got to be seen as a valuable point for FCE. That point could come in handy come November. But, make no mistake, Wednesday’s match could be the best road game the Eddies have played all season.

The Eddies remain undefeated in the fall campaign, with five points from three games. But, starting the season with three road games (the Tampa date is still to come) after a “home” opener in Fort McMurray, the Eddies knew that July was going to be a challenging month. Injuries or call-ups that have kept seven regulars out of the lineup have made it worse. Really, a win and two draws is pretty darn good considering the nightmare injury scenario coach Colin Miller has to deal with.

If the Eddies can get something out of this weekend’s road date in Tampa — well, the silk purse will have been made out of the sow’s ear.



“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Miller after the game. “This stadium is one of the most difficult places to come in the league. They have so many quality players here [in San Antonio]. But the credit has to go to our guys, they just never gave up.”

San Antonio got off to a great start; less than 20 minutes in, Forbes rode a robust challenge from defender Kareem Moses at the top of the box, then laid the ball off for Omar Cummings, the NASL’s top scorer. In the 4-0 loss to the Eddies in Fort McMurray two weekends ago, keeper Matt VanOekel stoned Cummings on a couple of clear-cut chances. This time, on the Texas pitch, Cummings made no mistake, rolling the ball into the corner.

But, the Eddies soon drew level — and the Scorpions two Canadian defenders were caught flat-footed. Adrian Cann and Nana Attakora allowed Michael Nonni to make a late run into the box and finish a nice cross from Johann Smith.

(Yes, three of the four men mentioned in the preceding paragraph are former TFC players).

Miller said that he thought Smith played his best game as an Eddie.

VanOekel made a huge save before halftime, stopping Tyler Gibson from point-blank range after Forbes had laid off another killer pass after a blazing run.

Forbes wasn’t done. In the second half, he blew down the left side, then dashed around Eddies’ centre back Albert Watson in the penalty area. He then cut back a perfect pass to the far post, where Cesar Elizondo was waiting to place the ball into the goal.

“He’s one of the best players in the league,” Miller said of Forbes. “When he is creating quality build-ups, quality chances, it’s not a surprise.” But Miller noted that both of the San Antonio goals were created because Forbes pounced on “soft giveaways” from the visiting team.

“I’m biased, but I felt both of those goals, really, were against the run of play,” said Miller.

But, after that, the Eddies took over the game, dominating play in the middle of the park. Thiago made some deft runs and was unafraid to take San Antonio defenders on one-on-one. And Cristian Raudales was enjoying one of his best-ever games as an Eddie, spraying some decent passes around the park.

And Raudales then took the initative, blasting a shot from outside of the box that found the corner of the San Antonio goal.

“He does that in practice all the time. Thiago, too, he can hit them from distance. It’s not just Laingy [Lance Laing] who can hit the ball like that for us.”

From then on, it looked like the Eddies were the only team that would be able to get the winner — they just couldn’t convert their final few chances.

San Antonio keeper Daryl Sattler was forced into a diving save of another Raudales drive. And, with time running out, Raudales’s looping header went over the bar.

The Sattler save might have annoyed Miller; at halftime, in his TV interview, he blasted NASL for only handing Sattler a one-game suspension after the keeper saw red for blasting the ball in frustration at Eddie Lance Laing two matches ago. Miller said he wanted to “protect my players;” that there’s no way Sattler should have been back in the lineup for Wednesday’s match against the Eddies.

“I told the big man to his face after the game that I didn’t think he should be in the park,” Miller said, saying that Sattler was sent off for violent conduct — and that one-game suspension wasn’t appropriate for violent conduct.

Plastic Pitch 6: A look back at the Women’s World Cup, Cyle Larin, Chaim Roserie, Jackson Cup and more!

We delayed the release of Plastic Pitch No. 6; by our schedule, it should have come out in late June — but it made no sense to release it when Canada was in the midst of hosting the Women’s World Cup.

Now, the issue is finally out, with much of it dedicated to a look back to the biggest soccer tournament ever played on Canadian soil. As well, look for features on Cyle Larin, Chaim Roserie and a look at the history of the Jackson Cup.



INSIDE, YOU’LL FIND:

• We question if coach John Herdman’s loyalty to his old guard ended up hurting Canada’s already slim chances at the Women’s World Cup;

• We ask if, based on Canada’s talent level at the moment, the women’s team’s quarter-final exit was actually just about what we should have expected;

• We salute the American supporters, who came to Canada in droves — and turned Canadian stadiums into their home stadiums;

• We look at the importance of the third-place game; should it be allowed to continue?

• England Coach Mark Sampson talks about the importance of developing a pro domestic women’s league — a lesson that Canada may need to hear;

• Martin MacMahon assesses the impact artificial turf had on the tournament; have the anti-turf players softened their stances?

• Mike Wyman looks at how Montreal — an “event town” — performed as a WWC host city

PLUS:

• Chaim Roserie was born in Brooklyn, raised in Mississauga. At 16, he signed with the Jacksonville Armada. He tells us why he’s turned down Canada U17 invites and is focused on one day pulling on a US shirt.

• Kartik Krishnaiyer looks at the impact Cyle Larin has had on Orlando City’s season.

• Just how many former TFC players and coaches now work or play in the NASL? We take count.

• Benjamin Massey takes us inside the 100th anniversary edition of the Jackson Cup; where two rivals staged an epic extra-time battle in the mud.

THREE WAYS TO ENJOY PLASTIC PITCH:

Order through our Shopify store, and we can send issues directly to your desktop. (CLICK)

Through Apple (CLICK):

Through Google Play (CLICK).

To reflect the exchange rate, our issues have dropped in price from US$4.99 to US$3.99 (we have to price in American dollars because of, well, Apple and Google). We want to preserve the $5 Canadian cover price.

Each of our six issues comes with a free timed preview. If you access the mag through the Apple or Android apps, you get a half-hour of free reading time. It’s our try-before-you-by policy.

Floro inches away from looking like a genius; instead, he’ll be under heavy criticism

Marcus Haber fought off three Costa Rican defenders, but managed to keep his balance as he pursued the flight of a free kick lofted into the penalty area. Haber stretched out his leg, and the ball came off his knee. The ball went past Ticos keeper Esteban Alvarado and into the goal.

After a goalless 2013 Gold Cup, and two and two-thirds games of goalless attacking at the 2015 Gold Cup, the Canadians finally had put a ball into the net. And the lead. And a chance to survive the group stage. And the home team made most of the 16,000-plus at Toronto’s BMO Field — people who had endured a torrential downpour — happy.

Canadian soccer fans from coast to coast could exhale.

And then, we saw the flag. The linesman’s arm was up, the yellow flag pointed towards Haber.

Then, the replay; it showed Haber was a step ahead of those three defenders when the ball was struck. The linesman had got the offside call correct. We couldn’t even have the cold solace of a conspiracy theory.



Instead of going up 1-0, the game stayed at 0-0. It remained at 0-0 when substitute Andre Hainault was able to latch on to a free kick from Russell Teibert, but the bouncing shot was cleared off the line by Costa Rica’s Bryan Ruiz.

Two golden chances for a second-half winner. And neither paid off. In the end, a 0-0 draw that eliminated Canada at the group stage. For the second Gold Cup in a row, Canada went through an entire group stage without a goal.

There will be a lot of writers who will have their sharpened pens ready to stab Benito Floro voodoo dolls over the next couple of days. But, if Haber delays his run by a half second, if Hainault’s shot bounces a few inches higher and eludes Ruiz, well, the Canadian national-team coach looks like a genius, doesn’t he? He decided to start Haber rather than MLS super-rookie Cyle Larin. Floro also made the controversial call to bring in a defender, Hainault. with his third and final sub when Canada needed a goal — and still had forward Tesho Akindele on the bench.

Really, it’s OK to ask if we’re cursed. Maybe, when Canada won the 2000 Gold Cup, we agreed as a nation to use up a century’s worth of soccer karma. Maybe Martin Nash made a pact with the devil. Maybe Carlo Corazzin slaughtered a few too many goats.

Because, dammit, this game didn’t feel like the El Salvador or Jamaica matches, where Canada was totally disjointed. Julian de Guzman had one of his best games in years. Goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos made a series of tidy saves.

Canada had chances in the first half, as well. After Alvarado made a bizarre, ill-advised punch in front of his goal, de Guzman got to the ball and aimed his header towards the far side of goal. Allvarado recovered just in time to grab the ball.

De Guzman then nodded a ball into the area for Haber, who had only Alvarado to beat, but the keeper came off the line to make the save.

And, Maxim Tissot’s free kick grazed the post; it was a curving cross from the wing, and Haber was running through the middle of the area to play the ball. These are the worst kind of situations for keepers; they have to challenge the player who is coming in to meet the cross, even though the cross is starting to bend towards goal. Alvarado had to play Haber; when the striker didn’t make contact, Alvarado could only watch as the ball bounced once and then kissed off the outside of the post.

For sure, there are plenty of criticisms to be levelled against Floro and the Canadian team. But, really, their worst offences came in the first two group-stages, when they couldn’t put either El Salvador nor Jamaica under any sustained pressure. In each game, Canada had one real golden chance on goal. That was it.

But Canada had several very good looks at the Costa Rican goal, and couldn’t convert. That’s not the coach’s fault; he can’t make a player shoot straight. He can’t make sure a Costa Rican defender isn’t standing at the right place at the right time. In fact, a couple of his gambles were very close to paying off. But that’s not going to stop the critics.

Deep down inside, we all know it’s the goat’s blood. Maybe we’ll just need to double down with Satan ahead of the next World Cup qualifiers.

LOOK FOR PLASTIC PITCH 6 LATER THIS WEEK!

FCE coach Miller laments injury crisis, blasts NASL schedule-maker

FC Edmonton is hanging back in Fort Lauderdale, the site of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the Strikers, so it can prepare for Wednesday’s match in San Antonio, which is expected to kick off in temperatures well over 30 C.

Allan Zebie in action against the Fort Lauderdale’s Frankie Sanfilippo. PHOTO: NASL

Combine the heat with an, ahem, interesting travel schedule and the worst injury crisis in FC Edmonton history, and you have a series of headaches for FCE coach Colin Miller.

“Explain this to me,” said Miller. “We play in Fort Lauderdale Saturday, and tomorrow we’ll be flying through Tampa on the way to San Antonio. Then, we’re back in Tampa on Saturday. How does that make sense? Only in this league does this happen, I guess. I’m not sure about the stadium availability, but how does this happen?”

With FC Edmonton already the hands-down winner when it comes to NASL travel miles — and so many teams concentrated in the southeast — Miller doesn’t understand how the league can send the Eddies on a three-game road trip that takes them from Florida, out to Texas and then back to Florida. It would make more sense to schedule the Eddies on a proper road trip, where they’d play the Florida road dates in a row. That would not only help the team remain fresh, it would certainly help the pocketbook of the owner. For FCE, this will become more critical in the future, when franchises in Miami and Puerto Rico are added. NASL will need to start thinking about grouping the road games in the southeast so teams like the Eddies, Ottawa or Minnesota United aren’t punished.

When Miller worked with his team on Monday, only 13 players were available. Thanks to Gold Cup, the Pan Am Games and injuries, the lineup has been decimated.

The Eddies have just 15 players on the trip —including two goalkeepers — and used emergency signing Bruno Zebie as a sub in Saturday’s 1-1 draw. As well, the recently signed Pablo Cruz isn’t yet fit for full matches.

“We won’t have anybody arriving from Edmonton ahead of the San Antonio game,” said Miller. “We might get two players ahead of the Tampa game, but since they’re just coming back, we might only be able to use those players for 20 to 25 minutes.”



Six-goal man Lance Laing is at the Gold Cup. Hanson Boakai is at the Pan Am Games. Forwards Tomi Ameobi, Daryl Fordyce and Frank Jonke are hurt. Midfielder Ritchie Jones is out. Winger Sainey Nyassi is missing. Defender Eddie Edward played a full 90 in the fall season opener, a 4-0 win over the Scorpions in Fort McMurray. The next day, he woke up and his knee was swollen.

“It’s not like the injuries have been from overtraining,” said Miller. “I’ve never seen anything like this run of injuries. We’ve had terrible luck. Eddie goes and plays the full 90, he looks fine, and the next day he wakes up and the knee has swelled up. Ritchie Jones kicks into the turf and he’s out.”

Despite that, the Eddies top the NASL fall season table after two weeks. And credit has to be given to some of the young products. In the 4-0 win over San Antonio, fullback Allan Zebie had a composed performance against Billy Forbes, one of the quickest and most dangerous wide players in the league. Miller is hoping for a repeat performance on Wednesday.

“We can throw that 4-0 result out the window,” he says. “We know this San Antonio team is a a very good team. They beat Tampa 3-0 on the weekend.”

And Sadi Jalali — basically the only true striker on the team who is healthy — has been good. He was dangerous in the San Antonio game, scoring on a penalty and creating several other chances. His shot hit the post in Fort Lauderdale, then caromed back off the keeper and went in.

“When he hit the shot, I thought it was good enough to go in,” said Miller. “And, when it hit the post I thought ‘oh no, here we go again.’ But it bounced in off the keeper and it was nice to get the bounce this time.”

But Miller said that the play of some of the kids should put pressure on the players convalescing back in Edmonton. He’s been impressed by what he’s seen.

Quintessentially Canadian Power Rankings, MLS Week 19/NASL Week 13

Bruno Zebie

A lot of Canadians were unavailable to their pro teams because they were on Gold Cup duty this past weekend.

But, that doesn’t mean the Canadian scene was dead when it comes to the North American first and second divisions. This weekend, Bruno Zebie made his NASL debut, coming on as a sub for FC Edmonton in its 1-1 draw with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. But, what makes it all the more interesting is that his brother, Allan Zebie, started the game.

Two Edmonton brothers playing for FC Edmonton in an NASL game. Well, that’s why we have academies, right?

The brothers’ appearances helped FCE pad its already rather commanding lead over all the other MLS and NASL when it comes to giving playing time to Canadians. Really, we’re halfway through the season, and it’s hard to see anyone catching the Eddies.



MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIANS (MLS AFTER 19 WEEKS, NASL AFTER 13 WEEKS):

1. Ashtone Morgan, TFC, MLS, 1099 (13)

2. Jonathan Osorio, TFC, MLS, 1028 (14)

3. Carl Haworth, OTT, NASL, 1011 (12)

4. Mallan Roberts, FCE, NASL, 990 (11)

5. Tesho Akindele, FCD, MLS 927 (15)

6. Kyle Porter, ATL, NASL, 911 (12)

7. Russell Teibert, VAN, MLS, 852 (143)

8. Cyle Larin, ORL, MLS, 846 (13)

9. Eddie Edward, FCE, NASL, 840 (10)

10. Dominic Oppong, ATL, NASL, 835 (12)

11. Adrian Cann, SAS, NASL, 720 (8)

12. Julian de Guzman, OTT, NASL, 710 (8)

13. Nana Attakora, SAS, NASL, 672 (8)

14. Allan Zebie, FCE, NASL, 641 (8)

15. Mason Trafford, OTT, NASL, 630 (7)

16. Sam Adekugbe, VAN, MLS, 615 (7)

17. Marcel de Jong, SKC, MLS, 589 (8)

18. Will Johnson, POR, MLS 534 (5)

19. Frank Jonke, FCE, NASL, 515 (7)

20. Karl Ouimette, NYRB, MLS, 502 (6)

21. Wandrille Lefevre, MTL, MLS, 360 (4)

22. Michael Nonni, FCE, NASL, 353 (8)

23. Maxim Tissot, MTL, MLS 346 (5)

24. Drew Beckie, OTT, NASL, 343 (7)

25. Mauro Eustaquio, OTT, NASL, 340 (6)

26. Patrice Bernier, MTL, MLS 325 (11)

27. John Smits, FCE, NASL, 315 (4)

28. Kyle Bekker, FCD, MLS, 313 (8)

29. Sadi Jalali, FCE, NASL, 304 (5)

30. Hanson Boakai, FCE, NASL, 233 (7)

31. Patryk Misik, OTT, NASL, 166 (5)

32. Kianz Froese, VAN, MLS, 161 (6)

33. Jay Chapman, TFC, MLS, 117 (5)

34. Anthony Jackson-Hamel, MTL, MLS 91 (4)

35. Philippe Davies, OTT, NASL, 25 (3)

36. Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, MTL, MLS, 18 (2)

37. Bruno Zebie, FCE, NASL 13 (1)

38. Jordan Hamilton, TFC, MLS, 4 (1)

MLS AND NASL MINUTES BY PLAYER, THE CANADIAN MAYBES — PLAYERS WHO COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR CANADA, BUT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER NATIONS AND HAVE NOT COMMITTED TO CANADA (MLS AFTER 19 WEEKS, NASL AFTER 13 WEEKS):

1. Ethan Finlay, CLB 1566 (19)

2. Steven Vitoria, PHI 810 (9)

TEAM RANKINGS, MINUTES PLAYED BY CANADIANS IN 2015 (INCLUDES BOTH SUREFIRES and MAYBES); RANKED BY AVERAGE MINUTES PER GAME:

FC Edmonton, NASL, 4214/12 GP (351.2) (+0.8)

Ottawa, NASL, 3225/12 GP (268.8) (-2.6)

Atlanta, NASL, 1746/12 GP (145.5) (-4.9)

Toronto FC, MLS, 2248/17 GP (132.2) (-8.3)

San Antonio, NASL 1392/12 GP (116) (-2.4)

Columbus, MLS, 1566/19 GP (82.4) (+0.4)

Vancouver, MLS, 1628/20 GP (81.4) (-4.7)

Montreal, MLS, 1140/15 GP (76) (-5.4)

FC Dallas, MLS, 1241/19 GP (65.3) (-3.6)

Orlando City, MLS, 846/19 GP (44.5) (-2.5)

Philadelphia, MLS, 810/20 GP (40.5) (-2.1)

Sporting Kansas City, MLS, 589/17 GP (34.6) (-2.2)

New York Red Bulls, MLS 502/18 GP (27.9) (-1.6)

Portland, MLS, 534/20 GP (26.7) (+3.3)

Canadian midfielder Mozzi Gyorio launches breach-of-contract lawsuit against Minnesota United, NASL

Mozzi Gyorio

Canadian midfielder Mozzi Gyorio is suing Minnesota United and the North American Soccer League. The Prince Edward Island-raised Gyorio claims the team breached the terms of the contract, and that the league allowed it to happen.

Gyorio signed with the USL’s Austin Aztex in 2015, after he was released by Minnesota United in 2014. He previously was a regular starter for the NASL’s FC Tampa Bay franchise (now known as the Rowdies) and was also at English lower-division side, Fleetwood Town. Before going to England, he turned down an MLS entry-contract offer from Sporting Kansas City.

In a statement of claim (CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT) filed with the Manhattan Supreme Court, Gyorio’s legal team alleges that he made the decision to move to the United States in 2014 to join the club, was allocated one of the team’s seven international roster slots — and then was later instructed to join Minnesota United’s reserve team in the NPSL. He claims that being loaned out to a reserve team was not part of his contract .

Gyorio claims that he was told to go to the reserve side because Minnesota made a signing in May that put them over the number of internationals an NASL team is allowed to have. (Unlike USL, in NASL, Canadian players are not considered domestics on the rosters of U.S.-based teams.) Gyorio refused.

When that signing was made, Gyorio claims that the team asked him to move to the reserves “notwithstanding the fact that Gyorio did not sign a loan agreement and the contract did not specify any reserve or possibility of loan to an affiliate team.”

Also in the statement of claim, Gyorio says that he did not want to move to NPSL because it is “amateur” and “unsanctioned.”

After his refusal to go down to NPSL, Gyorio says the team circulated a new policy that asked players to comply with “reasonable operational requests” and that any failure to do so could be seen as a breach of contract.

Gyorio sent a letter of complaint to NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson. According to the statement of claim, “the League issued a response stating that it found no harm in the assignment of the contract to the reserve team, stating in fact it was a more formal approach of utilizing a reserve team that is commonly employed by professional soccer clubs both in the United States and around the world.”

In the statement of claim, John P. Kaplan, Gyorio’s lawyer, says that the NASL’s response was “completely arbitrary and without a legal basis.”

The league agreed that Minnesota could terminate Gyorio’s contract.

Gyorio’s claim alleges that the contract was terminated in August of 2014. He is suing to be paid out what is owing on his contract. None of the allegations made by Gyorio or his lawyer have yet been proven in a court of law.

Minnesota United is still seeking a stadium deal, but has been provisionally accepted as an MLS expansion team.

In the first issue of Plastic Pitch, Brian Quarstad wrote about how Gyorio was looking to start a new chapter in his career with the move to Minnesota United. Those pages are previewed below.

Does Miller deserve an apology? Comparing Canada’s scorelessness to FCE’s scorefulness

FC Edmonton’s Albert Watson chases Fort Lauderdale’s Dani Sanchez.
PHOTO: Jon van Woerden/FTL Strikers

Let’s think back to the 2013 Gold Cup. Interim Canadian national-team coach Colin Miller was taking a lot of criticism from this country’s soccer supporters. The claims were that Miller’s defensive style was a major reason for Canada’s goalless three-matches-and-out at the CONCACAF Championships. Miller was derided on message boards, Twitter, comment sections.

The constant criticism recreated Miller as a Mythic coach who didn’t want his team to score (if true, it would have made him the first soccer head coach in the history of soccer to not want his team to score goals).

Now, two years later, it’s looking like the cabal of Miller critics owe the man an apology — at least for the criticisms of how he handled the national side. While Canada flounders through another goalless Gold Cup (as Morrissey once sang: Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before), Miller’s FC Edmonton leads the NASL in goals scored. After a 1-1 draw with Fort Lauderdale Saturday, the Eddies have scored 23 times in 12 combined spring- and fall-season matches.

Under Benito Floro at the 2015 Gold Cup, Canada is goalless through two games — and faces a must-win final match against Costa Rica at BMO Field. Jamaica beat Canada 1-0 in Houston on Saturday night, thanks to a last-gasp headed goal from Rodolph Austin.

As Canada was getting shut out (again), the Eddies got a weird own goal in Fort Lauderdale to tie the game with just four minutes left on the clock. Sadi Jalali ripped a shot off the post; keeper Josh Ford dove and missed the initial attempt. The ball came back off the post, hit Ford in the back of the head, and rolled into the goal. For an Eddies team still dealing with what Miller calls the worst injury crisis he’s seen in over 30 years of pro soccer — as well as the absence of six-goal, four-assist left winger Lance Laing, who was on the Jamaican bench in the win over Canada — a draw in Florida is a decent result. And, despite many of the disappointments from the spring season, the Eddies are just four points out of the fourth and final post-season slot in the NASL combined standings. (The Eddies also top the table — thanks to goal difference — in the fall-season standings, but we’re just a couple of weeks in, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.)

“I’m extremely proud of everyone who’s traveled, they’ve put in a fantastic effort at a very, very difficult venue,” said Miller. “To go a goal down and to continue to come forward in the game, it speaks volumes about the character. I mean, it’s 92, 93 degrees, humidity, all that stuff. It wouldn’t have been an excuse because I don’t use it as an excuse — but it’s a fact.”



Bruno Zebie – signed on an emergency basis a couple of weeks ago, made his Eddies NASL debut on Saturday, coming on in the 77th minute. His brother, Allan Zebie, played the full 90 — so it marked the first time the Eddies had two brothers on the field together.

(Two Edmonton brothers, by the way — since this column suggests Miller deserves an apology for the criticisms he took when he led Canada, we might also want to address the “FCE never plays local players” naysayers, too)

The Eddies gave up a Walter Ramirez penalty-kick marker midway through the second-half, after a foul was called on keeper Matt VanOekel. Miller said VanOekel assured him that he did not foul the attacking player — and the keeper complained vociferously after the call was made.

Back to Houston and the Canada debacle.

The nature of the goal — a heartbreaker in second-half injury time — suggests that the game was closer than it actually was. Outside of one early chance for striker Tosaint Ricketts, Canada did nothing to threaten the Jamaican goal. In fact, despite the additions of talent such as Cyle Larin and Tesho Akindele, you could argue that the match against Jamaica was proof that Canada is more ineffectual going forward in the 2015 Gold Cup than it was in 2013.

Shots on target? Jamaica 5, Canada 1. Shots fired towards goal? Jamaica 16, Canada 3. And, before Jamaica got the Austin winner, the Reggae Boyz missed numerous chances, and had a shot cleared off the line. In fact, had Austin not headed home the winner, we’d be talking about how the Jamaicans’ poor finishing cost them points in a game they should have won by two or three.

For Canada, three attempts on frame. That averages out to one every half an hour. And just one shot that forced the keeper to make a save. One.

To put in perspective, Canadian women’s national-team striker Janine Beckie had to make more saves in a mop-up role Saturday when she was used as an emergency back-up in a 5-2 Pan Am Games-opening win over Ecuador. Beckie — who had already scored twice — had to come in late in the game after keeper Stephanie Labbe was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

This column is by no means an attempt to belittle Floro. But it does point out that Canada’s lack of scoring at the senior national-team level is problem that can’t be solved by a head coach alone. It is the result of mass problems in our coaching and developmental processes — and those issues can’t be hung on Floro in 2015.

Just like they shouldn’t have been hung on Miller in 2013.

(Apologies to Imre Kertesz for the headline)

Oh no: Canada starts another Gold Cup with a scoreless effort

Canada didn’t score at the 2013 Gold Cup. And, after a 0-0 draw with El Salvador to open Group B play, Canada is scoreless at the 2015 Gold Cup.

But at no time in that scoreless 2013 run did Canada have a chance as clear-cut, as golden, as the one that Cyle Larin spurned in the first half of the match in Carson, Calif. against El Salvador.

Larin was in alone. He’d rounded El Salvador keeper Derby Carrilo and had nothing but an open net.

And he blasted the ball high and wide. As in, nowhere close to the gaping target.

“The miss by Larin is part of the game, it happens,” Canadian national-team Coach Benito Floro said through an interpreter.

Yes, Larin’s momentum was taking him away from goal, not towards it, but a striker of his ability should be able to turn and get that ball towards goal. Alas, it was not to be — and, outside of two second-half headed attempts from Marcus Haber that both went directly to Carrilo, Canada didn’t create much else.



In fact, in terms of good chances at goal, Canada had the best opportunity (the Larin miss), but then the rest of the quality chances belonged to the El Salvadorans. Striker Irving Herrera had two great looks at the Canadian goal in the first half, but was denied both times by keeper Kenny Stamatopoulos.

But, while Stamatopoulos looked good on the Herrera chances, he was shaky late in the first half; on two consecutive El Salvadoran crosses, he decided to punch rather than try to catch the ball. On both occasions, the punches were mishit, and the ball stayed alive in attacking areas for the men in blue. Luckily for the Canadians, the ball pinged around the penalty area before going out of play.

In the second half, Tampa Bay Rowdie Richie Menjivar had the best chance for the El Salavdorans, but Stamatopoulos did well to cover up the shot from the top of the box.

Coach  Floro left veteran Julian de Guzman on the bench, deciding to start youngsters Samuel Piette and Kyle Bekker in holding positions in the midfield. But, the El Salvadorans enjoyed the majority of the play in the middle of the park, consistently pouncing on Canadian giveaways and exposing the two youngsters.

With Costa Rica drawing Jamaica 2-2 in the other Group B game, you could argue that the 0-0 draw is, well, OK. But the pressure will be on for Canada to get a result against the Reggae Boyz when they meet on Saturday in Houston.

But one thing we do know; that Canada simply doesn’t create enough chances where it can afford to miss open nets.