5 Matches Scheduled For Saturday as NASL Fall Season Enters Week 2
Soccer News: After kicking off Week 2 of the Fall Season with the national television debut of Wednesday Night Soccer on ONE World Sports, North American Soccer League (NASL) action rolls on this Saturday with a full slate of five matchups.
Ottawa Fury FC visits Minnesota United FC with hopes of extending a streak that set an all-time NASL record last week. The Canadian side hasn’t conceded a goal in its last 616 minutes on the field – a number that surpasses any mark set by a club in the league’s Golden or Modern Era.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies, who finished the Spring Season just a point behind the champion New York Cosmos, will look to continue their early-season momentum in San Antonio. The Scorpions return home on the heels of a 4-0 loss to FC Edmonton last Sunday.
Elsewhere, the Atlanta Silverbacks take a bolstered roster into the weekend having signed five new faces – several with attacking prowess – ahead of Saturday’s match against Jacksonville Armada FC. Also hosting Week 2 matches are the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Indy Eleven, who play host to FC Edmonton and the Carolina RailHawks respectively.
Atlanta Silverbacks vs. Jacksonville Armada FC
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11
Atlanta Silverbacks Park | Atlanta, Ga.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), CW17 (Local – Jacksonville)
The Silverbacks and Armada FC have hit some troubled times of late. Since getting off to hot starts in the Spring Season, both sides have cooled off, dropping their Fall Season openers and sitting towards the bottom of the combined standings – Jacksonville is in ninth place, and Atlanta brings up the rear in 11th.
But, for both sides, there is still plenty to be optimistic about. With the longer Fall Season, there is plenty of time to make up ground. For Atlanta, there are a lot of new additions to the roster – some of which are familiar faces. The club added twin brothers Paulo and Pedro Mendes, Junior Burgos, Mohammed Issahaku, Kosuke Kimura, and Abdul Bangura to create competition within the squad and revive a stagnant attack.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. FC Edmonton
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11
Lockhart Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), TSN GO (National – Canada)
The Strikers had to wait out a lengthy weather delay at WakeMed Soccer Park on Wednesday, but it was worth every second as they went on to pick up their first point of the Fall Season. Stefano Pinho continues to ride his wave of goalscoring form. The young Brazilian has five goals in his last four games. Fort Lauderdale will have to deal with a short turnaround, but should be buoyed by its home fans at Lockhart Stadium.
The Eddies are kicking off a three-game road trip with a high level of confidence. In a 4-0 win over San Antonio last Sunday, FC Edmonton showed their goalscoring prowess and turned in a much-improved defensive performance. Still, the Canadian side has to deal with some injuries, as well as the departure of Lance Laing (Jamaica) and Hanson Boakai (Canada) for international duty. Colin Miller will need his bench to step up once again in a match that could see the club debut of recent signing Pablo Cruz.
Indy Eleven vs. Carolina RailHawks
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), WISH-TV (Local – Indianapolis), WRAL2 (Local – Cary)
When Indy and Carolina step on to the pitch at Carroll Stadium on Saturday, it will be a matchup between two sides that are currently in stellar form. The Boys in Blue have gone unbeaten in their last four under interim head coach Tim Regan, while the RailHawks stretched their unbeaten run to six games after Wednesday night’s draw at home.
Tiyi Shipalane continues to be dangerous for the RailHawks, turning in another lively performance against the Strikers. The return of Austin da Luz and Simone Bracalello from injury has provided the RailHawks with a huge boost this Fall Season. Indy added a tricky winger of its own, securing the loan of Dane Richards from the New York Red Bulls, but he is not expected to be available until next week.
Minnesota United vs. Ottawa Fury FC
8 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11
NSC Stadium | Blaine, Minn.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), TSN GO (National – Canada), OttawaFuryFC.com (National – Canada/U.S.), Rogers TV (Local – Ottawa), KSTC45-TV (Local – Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Fury FC has been steadily climbing the combined standings on the back of their stellar defensive run. Owning a record shutout streak stretching six games without conceding a goal, Ottawa will look to continue its run in Minnesota. Finding the back of the net twice against the Armada FC in a recent 2-0 win could be the momentum changer the attack needed to find goals on a more regular basis.
Minnesota’s form has been irregular in 2015, and they started the Fall Season with a 3-1 loss to the RailHawks in Carolina. Back at home, the Loons will aim to get back to the form that saw them reach The Championship Semifinals a year ago.
San Antonio Scorpions vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies
8:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11
Toyota Field | San Antonio, Texas
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.)
The Scorpions and Rowdies are two teams that are currently headed in opposite directions. San Antonio is in 10th in the combined standings after a 4-0 loss to FC Edmonton, and with the ejections of goalkeeper Daryl Sattler and defender Nana Attakora in that match, they will be a bit shorthanded against a tough Tampa Bay side on Saturday night.
With a 2-1 win over the Silverbacks, the Rowdies climbed to the top of the combined standings and are unbeaten in eight games. Tampa Bay can start building a slight cushion with a result on Saturday with the second-place New York Cosmos on their bye week.
