Championship Rematch, South Florida Showdown Headlines List of Season-Opening Matchups

Published on April 1, 2016 under North American Soccer League (NASL) News Release


NEW YORK - The 2016 NASL season gets underway on the heels of a massive week for the league, which recently added three national broadcast partners - beIN SPORTS, CBS Sports Network, and ESPN3 - to go along with ONE World Sports. Following the trio of TV announcements, the San Francisco Deltas were unveiled as the league's 13th club - and first on the West Coast.

On the field, this weekend's action should be just as exciting. All of the NASL sides have rebuilt and reloaded for the upcoming campaign with Greek international Georgios Samaras (Rayo OKC), Honduran international Wilson Palacios (Miami FC), and Venezuelan international Juan Arango (New York Cosmos) highlighting the incoming talent.

Week 1 of the Spring Season features a rematch of The Championship Final, which ended in thrilling fashion as the Cosmos held on for a 3-2 win over Ottawa Fury FC last November. The matchup gets underway as the lone Sunday affair on the NASL's opening weekend.

Saturday marks the debut of two of the three expansion sides in 2016 (Puerto Rico FC starts in the Fall Season). Rayo OKC hosts FC Edmonton at Miller Stadium, while Miami FC begins its inaugural NASL season on the road at Lockhart Stadium against its South Florida rival, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Here is a preview of all of the opening weekend contests of the 2016 Spring Season:

Carolina RailHawks vs. Minnesota United FC

3 p.m. ET | Saturday, April 2

WakeMed Soccer Park | Cary, N.C.

WATCH | ESPN3 (National - U.S.), NASL.com (National - Canada), TWC SportsChannel 323 (Regional - North/South Carolina), FOX 50 (Local - Cary/Raleigh), MY29 (Local - Twin Cities)

The Carolina RailHawks are celebrating their 10th anniversary, have a new owner in local entrepreneur Stephen Malik and a renewed commitment to excellence. Coach Colin Clarke made several key signings with the goal of bringing a title to The Triangle. The RailHawks focused on the back line with the signings of Simon Mensing and Paul Black (Atlanta), Drew Beckie (Ottawa), and Kareem Moses (Edmonton). Carolina also added steel and creativity with the arrivals of James Marcelin (Fort Lauderdale) and Marvin Ceballos (Indy).

Minnesota took the league's best offense into The Championship Semifinals, but only put one goal past Ottawa goalkeeper Romuald Peiser. The Loons' prolific offense got even stronger, though, with the offseason enlistment of Stefano Pinho, last year's top goalscorer with Fort Lauderdale; and dangerous Jamaican international Lance Laing from Edmonton. Defenders Justin Davis and Kevin Venegas remain as great threats going forward.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Miami FC

7 p.m. ET | Saturday, April 2

Lockhart Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

WATCH | beIN SPORTS (National - U.S., Canada), SFL-TV (Local - Fort Lauderdale), International outlets*

A lot of people have this game and this date circled on their calendars. Miami FC makes its debut in the NASL, while the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have been preparing since early January for the Spring Season kickoff. This marquee match is a South Florida Derby and Coastal Cup match rolled into one, which will also serve as the NASL's inaugural match on beIN SPORTS.

Fort Lauderdale coach Ciao Zanardi signed several players with ethics based in joga bonito including Kléberson, Maicon Santos, Adrianinho, and Matheus Carvalho to go along with last year's standout, PC, and veteran Gabriel. Zanardi also made a couple of strategic signings of NASL veterans like Julius James, Nana Attakora, and Neil Hlavaty in the hope of getting past the semifinals of The Championship.

Miami FC and its coach, Alessandro Nesta, could bring an Italian tactical approach to the NASL. The roster is a mix of players with NASL (captain Jonathan Borrajo, Mason Trafford, Jaime Chávez, and Pablo Campos) and international experience (Wilson Palacios, Dario Cvitanich, Rhett Bernstein, and Matuzalém). Miami FC's debut match is without a doubt the start of something big.

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Indy Eleven

7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, April 2

Al Lang Stadium | St. Petersburg, Fla.

WATCH | ONE World Sports (National - U.S.), ONEWorldSports.com (National - U.S., Canada), BHSN 1147 (Local - St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay)

Tampa Bay coach Stuart Campbell is set to lead the Rowdies for his first full season, while Tim Hankinson returns to the NASL touchline with Indy Eleven.

Tampa Bay, which last year fell only a few points shy of playing in The Championship, the NASL's four-team postseason tournament, quickly added firepower when the club signed Tom Heinemann (eight goals, four assists) from Ottawa. It is hoped that Heinemann, teamed with midfielders Freddy Adu, Junior Burgos, and Walter Ramirez, among others, can energize an offense that tied for the second fewest goals (33) in 2015.

Indy Eleven could be one of those teams that flies in under the radar as Hankinson remakes the roster. One of the key additions is midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic from Ottawa, a good fit with Dylan Mares and Don Smart, plus veteran Spanish midfielder Gorka Larrea. Hankinson also went out and signed MLS veteran Jon Busch, joining Keith Cardona in goal. As the Eleven prepared for the start of their third year in the NASL, the club also signed Colombian forward Jair Reinoso.

Rayo OKC vs. FC Edmonton

8 p.m. ET | Saturday, April 2

Miller Stadium | Oklahoma City, Okla.

WATCH | ESPN3 (National - U.S.), NASL.com (National - Canada), Cox 703 (Local - Oklahoma City)

Along with Miami FC, Rayo OKC will make its NASL debut during the league's opening weekend when the side hosts FC Edmonton.

Alen Marcina, formerly in San Antonio, is Rayo OKC's first coach. He has put together an appealing and potentially dangerous side with the signings of former Greek international Georgios Samaras; former U.S. international Robbie Findley; NASL veterans Billy Forbes, Rauwshan McKenzie, and Futty Danso. Defender Kosuke Kimura, who spent last season in Atlanta, gives Rayo OKC speed coming out of the back. Midfielder Derek Boateng played in two World Cups for Ghana and could form a strong connection with El Salvador international Richard Menjivar.

The Eddies have several young Canadian internationals -- Shamit Shome, Sadi Jalali, and Marko Aleksic, among others -- on the books, and also signed senior international Nik Ledgerwood. Edmonton spent part of the preseason in Scotland, winning three of four games. Coach Colin Miller is entering his fourth year in charge. With Lance Laing now in Minnesota, the skillful Dustin Corea has the option of moving back to his natural left-sided position. Defense was bolstered in the offseason with the signing of former Manchester United Academy player Adam Eckersley, who joins Eddie Edward, Mallan Roberts, and Allan Zebie in front of goalkeeper Matt VanOekel.

New York Cosmos vs. Ottawa Fury FC

6 p.m. ET | Sunday, April 3

Shuart Stadium | Hempstead, N.Y.

WATCH | ONE World Sports (National - U.S.), ONEWorldSports.com (National - U.S., Canada), Rogers TV (Local - Ottawa)

This juicy season opener on Long Island is a rematch of The Championship Final, won by New York, 3-2, last November. For the defending champion Cosmos, there is no replacing retired Spanish stars Raúl and Marcos Senna, but sporting director and coach Giovanni Savarese has instead gone for quality and quantity. The Cosmos may be the deepest team in the league, a flexible roster that added former Croatian international Niko Kranjcar to signings from South America in Yasmani Duk (on loan), Juan Arango, and Yohandry Orozco.

Ottawa played for the Soccer Bowl Trophy in only its second year in the league. Now comes a medium rebuild under Paul Dalglish. The heart of Fury FC's record-setting defense -- goalkeeper Romuald Peiser and center back Rafael Alves -- stayed in Canada's capital city, but much else has changed. There's quality in the midfield with Julian de Guzman, the captain of Canada's national team, the young Canadian Mauro Eustaquio, and Marcel de Jong. Dennis Chin and Idan Vered, an Israeli signed recently, will try to match the 2015 production of Tom Heinemann.

*Fort Lauderdale and Miami each have international TV partners in various countries. Visit strikers.com and miamifc.com for more information.

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North American Soccer League Stories from April 1, 2016


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