NASL Playoffs Kick Off on Saturday
The NASL postseason kicks off today with a pair of semifinal matches held in New York and Indianapolis. The highest-advancing seed will host The Championship Final, which will be held the weekend of November 12th.
NASL Soccer News: Four North American Soccer League (NASL) clubs will compete for the Soccer Bowl Trophy when The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament, kicks off with a pair of semifinal matches on Saturday. The New York Cosmos and Indy Eleven will play host for the two games, starting with a kickoff between the Eleven and FC Edmonton. After an unbeaten Spring Season, Indy earned the right to host, while the Cosmos wrapped up the Fall Season title and the No. 1 seed in the postseason thanks to the club’s finish atop the Combined Standings.
The Cosmos have reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons as the other three clubs in The Championship have one previous postseason appearance combined. The defending champion Cosmos will host Rayo OKC, which became the first club to reach the playoffs in its first season since the Cosmos in 2013. New York will now look to contain a red-hot Rayo OKC side that hasn’t lost in its last 10 games.
In the opening semifinal match, FC Edmonton heads to Carroll Stadium looking to stun Indy and its passionate home crowd. The Eddies have played well during their two previous trips, but they will have to do something no team has done in 2016 to reach The Championship Final: defeat Indy at home. The Boys in Blue will host their first postseason game after Eamon Zayed’s dramatic hat trick helped seal the Spring Season title.
Indy Eleven vs. FC Edmonton
3 p.m. ET | Saturday, November 5
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.) NASL.com (National – Canada), WISH-TV (Local – Indianapolis)
Under head coach Tim Hankinson, Indy has grown tremendously as the club is set for its postseason debut. The Boys in Blue will line up in front of their home fans, who have not seen Indy lose all season after the club posted a 13W-3D-0L record at Carroll Stadium. Indy recorded a 1-1 draw and 1-0 win against its semifinal opponent, FC Edmonton. Zayed, who scored 15 goals during his first NASL campaign, and the presence of strong veteran leadership, including club captain Colin Falvey and goalkeeper Jon Busch, have led the club in its charge towards The Championship. Indy has scored three goals apiece in three of its last four matches in the Fall Season and will hope they can continue that run of form to give the home fans plenty to cheer about on Saturday.
FC Edmonton returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and it will be the club’s first appearance under head coach Colin Miller. Miller has built a culture at the club on the characteristics of hard work and defensive focus of the game. Those attributes were on full display over the course of the 2016 season as the Eddies conceded just 21 goals in 32 league contests. Matt VanOekel has been recently noted as one of the best goalkeepers in North America, and has broken league records for shutouts (16) and goals against average (0.55).
New York Cosmos vs. Rayo OKC
7 p.m. ET | Saturday, November 5
Shuart Stadium | Hempstead, N.Y.
Watch | ONE World Sports (National – U.S.), ESPN3 (National – U.S.), NASL.com (National – Canada)
The Cosmos return to the postseason as the No. 1 seed as they look to defend their 2015 crown. Venezuelan star Juan Arango finished the regular season with 15 goals and seven assists – he finished tied for second in the league in both categories. The club’s attacking side has been in great form over the course of the season as the Cosmos finished with a league record of 59 goals scored. New York has had an incredible year at Shuart Stadium as well, finishing without a loss – 14-2-0. Dating back to last year’s postseason, the Cosmos haven’t lost a home game in their last 21 contests. The Cosmos were played tough by their postseason opponent, Rayo OKC, during a pair of games at Shuart Stadium, ending with a 1-0 win and a 1-1 draw between the sides.
Rayo OKC enters The Championship as the hottest team in the NASL. The side storms into the postseason on a 10-game unbeaten run and a five-game winning streak. Head coach Gerard Nus has turned his veteran lineup into a possession-oriented, high-pressing team and the club has reaped the benefits. Michel has taken his opportunities as he finishes the regular season with 14 goals. At the back for Rayo OKC, Futty Danso and Sebastien Ibeagha have led a stellar defensive, but the pair has also played a role in the team’s goalscoring efforts. Danso has three goals on the season, while Ibeagha scored one of the club’s most crucial tallies of the year, finding the back of the net in the 2-0 win over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers that moved the club into the driver’s seat for the final playoff spot. The club hasn’t looked back, playing with confidence going into its trip to New York. Nus’ first game in charge was against New York (1-1 draw). He also has a win against the Cosmos to his name, with the club posting a 3-0 win in the only meeting at Miller Stadium this campaign.
Photo Credit: North American Soccer League
