NASL FC Edmonton

Eddies draw 1-1 against 2012 NASL Champions

Published on May 4, 2013 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
FC Edmonton News Release


St. Petersburg, Florida (May 4, 2013) - The Eddies were a goalpost away from coming home with their first road win of the NASL season Saturday as they took on 2012 NASL Champions Tampa Bay Rowdies in St. Petersburg.

In their fourth game on the road this NASL season, the Eddies found themselves down early after Tampa Bay Rowdies' Georgi Hristov converted from the penalty spot in the 16th minute to make it 1-0 for the home team.

FC Edmonton 'keeper Lance Parker was the man called for the foul, bringing NASL Player of the Month Luke Mulholland down in the box after the midfielder had beaten the FC Edmonton offside trap.

Hristov calmly converted the penalty.

Tampa looked to have a slight edge in possession for the next 20 minutes but in the 36th, first-year Eddie Daryl Fordyce slipped a ball through the box to a charging Shaun Saiko and the team's leading scorer converted from close range.

The teams maintained the 1-1 score heading in to halftime.

Parker was called on to make a big save within the first 10 minutes of the re-start. He was forced to palm away a free kick from 20 yards out to maintain the draw.

FCE captain Neil Hlavaty had a nice chance for the Eddies five minutes later. The midfielder struck the ball from 30 yards out but Rowdies 'keeper Diego Restrepo came up big to make the save.

Both sides looked dangerous the rest of the half with the Eddies putting on most of the pressure in the last 15 minutes. Both teams had their chances but neither was able to capitalize.

In the 89th minute, it was Hlavaty who came closest to securing the three points but the bouncing ball which came off his knee hit the post and dribbled through the box and away from danger.

"We played Wednesday-Sunday-Wednesday and Tampa came out hard," said head coach Colin Miller after the game. "We were on our heels a little in the first half but the lads were brilliant in the second half. I'm so proud of them."

The 1-1 draw is FC Edmonton's second in the Sunshine State, having played to the same result in the season opener in Fort Lauderdale.

Next up for the Eddies is a home date on Mother's Day (May 12) at Clarke Stadium when they take on the Atlanta Silverbacks.

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