Ottawa Fury FC v.s Carolina Railhawks
By: John Frusciante
This was an exciting match , the first match of the 2015 spring season. During the first half the Railhawks were in control . They were leading the attack in the first half. Shipalane scored the first goal of the game to put the Railhawks up 1-0. It was a great goal because it looked like he was trying to cross the ball to a teammate in the box , but it went in the back of the net. The goalkeeper couldn’t stop it , it was a great first goal.
Throughout the first half the Railhakws were in control and that led to great scoring chances and the Fury just had to defend , the Fury didn’t have that many opportunities. The Fury had a penalty shot and it was saved. The Railhawks were than given a penalty shot because Shipalane was knocked down in the box. Nacho Novo stepped up to take it and put it in the back of the net. That goal put the Railhawks up 2-0 , going into halftime. In the second half the Fury were in control and it was looking like they were going to come back. In the 84th minute Brandon Poltronieri scores and the score is 2-1 , with the Railhawks in the lead. Late in stoppage time Simone Bracello who come off the bench puts the game away .
The final score was (Carolina) 3-1 (Ottawa) . This was a great first match of the season . A lot of opportunities for both side , moving forward they have to capitalize on most of them. Julian Deguzman during the second half recieved a redacted and has to serve a one match suspension next week. How will that affect the the Fury moving forward when they play Atlanta next week . Leave your comments and thoughts on the match below.
San Antonio Scorpions v.s Tampa Bay Rowdies
By: Kevin Collins
On a night that was filled with anticipation and excitement, the only exciting part of the Scorpions 2015 season opener was reliving the memories of last year’s championship. The team held a ring and banner raising ceremony before kickoff, which included a touching moment when Michael Kelley got to sign a NASL contract, received a championship ring, and received a Scorpions jacket to wear. You can read his story, here.
It was a truly touching moment and perfectly represents what the Scorpions and Soccer for a Cause are all about.
Michael walks on the pitch with his mom, the Hartman family, and GM Howard Cornfield.
Unfortunately, that is where the good times ended on opening night. In front of 6,723 excited fans, the Scorpions were routed by the retooled visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-1. San Antonio still has yet to win a season opening game in their history.
In my match preview I had predicted a 2-2 draw thinking that the excitement of the pregame ceremony would prevent us from taking all three points. I was correct in that it would distract us, but unfortunately, we came out empty handed and sit at the bottom of the league table.
Our defense had trouble with the Rowdies forwards all night long. In a surprising lineup change, newcomer Abdul-Salaam got the nod over Zourab Tsiskaridze who had been playing with the team for most of the pre-season. It seemed as though Tsiskaridze had been playing pretty well as a defensive midfielder but was left out of the starting lineup for some reason. He warmed up with the team and looked fit – he was listed as available as a substitute.
While our back line had some chemistry issues, our midfield and attackers couldn’t do much in the first half. The entire game was littered with yellow cards and questionable reffing for both sides and included a yellow accumulated red card for Julius James, who will miss the Scorpions next game. The home squad had a couple of opportunities to bring a goal back, but were thwarted by the crossbar. It seemed as though most of our attacks were not built up from the back, but rather through long balls down the field. This is definitely an area that the team must improve on. The lone Scorpions goal came by Omar Cummings who tapped in a Castillo rebound in second half stoppage time. A consolation prize for a team that was thoroughly out played all night long.
San Antonio has its bye week this week and play next at home against the visiting Indy Eleven. Defense and goal scoring are the two areas that need the most improvement if the Scorpions want any chance at the Spring season. With only 10 games total, and 9 remaining, the Spring is a sprint and in order to win the Spring, the Scorpions can’t allow anymore games like on Saturday.
Armada v FC Edmonton Match
by Roberto Cavendish
Eddie Edward of the FC Edmonton ‘Eddies’ was a perfect foil, an NASL everyman that fate and the coltish league placed between the Jacksonville Armada FC and recognition.
Edward, the defender of the Edmonton right, had barely tested the tightness of his laces with a few sprinting steps when, twelve seconds after the whistle, the Armada’s Jemal Johnson fired a shoulder high fireball from somewhere beyond Edward’s consciousness, over GK Matt VanOekel’s stretching arms, and into the record book.
Boom! A cannon fired.
And the Armada attack, and a night-long melee with Edward and his co-defender Albert Watson, was on, marked with the scent of cannon smoke.
The Eddies had a terror of their own in Lance Laing, their left forward and most talented ball handler. Laing kept the Armada mid-field busy and defenders like the Armada’s Matt Bahner in a Thermopylae-like hero mode during a long first half as the teams took the 1-0 score into the 40 minute zone and as Bahner and GK Miguel Gallardo bodily absorbed the force of Laing’s shots and heated crossers.
Then the Armada midfield found a combination of geometry to spring the ball to diminutive Alhassane Keita, the Jacksonville side’s biggest gun, and the chance was not wasted, as Keita fired a right footed shot hard at the corner net, and found home.
A soon to be announced home crowd of 16,164 leapt to their feet. Piped in disco music began, and the players in Jacksonville navy blue mauled one another with hugs. The night was turning to magic.
What seemed not a minute of play later, the Armada scored a third time, as expactant star MF Marcos Flores headed a pass from Bochy Hoyos, the coaches’ son, past VanOekel on a plane as thin as an x-ray. As the half arrived Jacksonville led Edmonton 3-0.
And then it rained. Fulsomely. An eye-clouding Florida rain turned the pitch into a bog, the Armada seemed slowed, and the Eddies’ legs began to revive. Laing slipped a wet knuckleball of a ground shot past Gallardo. The score went 3-1 with most of the second half remaining.
The rain went on, the Eddies found more chances to strike, but Miguel Gallardo, who is built like a Captain America, seemed to have the use of his shield, as he ably deflected the burners the Edmonton forwards managed to get off as the rain slackened.
Jacksonville made one key substitute; Pascal Millien came in for Jemal Johnston at left wing. Mllien, a speed merchant, instantly found a rapport with Keita and the pair took every run at a fourth goal, utterly sapping what was left of Edward and Watson. With a minute to go, Edward, at wit’s end, shoved the cub-like Millien out of bounds, and this almost ended with a two-team fight, but the clock ran out and both players were soon warmly clapping shoulders and thanking the referees.
The Armada had prevailed, 3-1, in the first match of this new season. One goal a piece for Keita, Flores, and a vindicated Jemal Johnson (whose critics were growing during a quiet preseason), the usual late-game thrill of Millien’s relief, and stalwart play by Gallardo, Bahner, and the backfield–it was a recipe for fan ecstasy.
The Jacksonville Armada FC now move on to Fort Lauderdale for their first regular road match at hoary old Lockhart on April 11.
New York Cosmos v.s Fort Lauderdale Strikers
By: John Frusciante
This is a great rivalry , and it was a great match . During the first half it was back and forth . Both defenses were solid , and were shaky at times. Leo Maura looked good in his debut with the Strikers , he provided experience and talent that they never had before in that position. Each side had great opportunities to put one in the back of the net but couldn’t capitalize. The first half ended 0-0 .
A well played first half and very interesting one. During the second half we saw the same type of style of play from both sides. In the 56th minute Raul was taken off , the commentaries and supporters were surprised . Total NASL learned at the conclusion of the match that the Cosmos took Raul out earlier than expected because of precautionary reasons. The New York Cosmos boss Giovanni Savarese said that Raul has a small tear. He will get checked out by the medical staff and we will bring you a update later on in the week about his status. In the 58th minute Walter Restrepo took a free kick for the Cosmos and Leo Fernandes headed it right into the net the Strikers keeper , couldn’t even stop it. It was a successful set piece. After that goal the Cosmos sat back and just defended. The Strikers were attacking but the Cosmos defense was solid even with the absence of Hunter Freeman.
A notable chance for the Strikers was when PC , got past 2 Cosmos defenders and Jimmy Maurer made a big save to keep the Cosmos in front. There was a large crowd and great atmosphere , hopefully we can see this at all the Strikers home matches. Next up for the Strikers is in state rival the Jacksonville Armada . Next up for the Cosmos is Indy Eleven.
Indy Eleven v.s Atlanta Silverbacks
By: John Frusciante
This was a close contest. It was a great match because we got to see the new look Atlanta Silverbacks under the control of Gary Smith . Also we got to see their new style of play. During the first half their was a battle in the midfield , and both teams had few chances to score. Halftime 0-0 .
In the second half they both came out aggressive , looking for the goal that would put them on top. That goal came in the 47th minute by Atlanta Silverbacks forward Shaka Bangura . After that goal Indy Eleven were pressing and trying to score a equalizer. It continued to go back and forth. Late in stoppage time Indy Eleven was awarded a penalty shot . Don Smart stepped up and took it , 1-1.
Indy Eleven take one point on the road . It was a decent result since they were down most of the game. Indy Eleven face a tough test against the New York Cosmos. Atlanta’s next opponent is Ottawa Fury .
