NASL FC Edmonton

Eddies Cap off 2017 Campaign in Rainy 2-1 Defeat to Miami FC

October 29, 2017 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
FC Edmonton News Release


MIAMI, FL. - FC Edmonton finished off its 2017 North American Soccer League (NASL) season with defeat to Miami FC in rainy conditions on Saturday, October 28, losing 2-1 to the league-leaders at Riccardo Silva Stadium.

Striker Kwadwo Poku scored a brace in an offensive second half that included FC Edmonton's Daryl Fordyce earning and converting a penalty to register the club's first goal against Miami FC in six all-time contests.

"That's our seventh game in 28 days travelling the length of the continent a few times," FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said post-match. "Most people in their lifetimes don't travel what we have in a month, so inevitably there were some tired legs there towards the last 20 minutes of the second half.

"I want to defend the players to the very end and thank them for their efforts because tonight summed up the season where we played well in tough conditions but failed to get many breaks. It's been a disappointing year because we believe the team should've been farther up the league this season."

A good effort on the road against the Fall Season champions ends a disappointing season for FC Edmonton, who miss out on the postseason while Miami FC look ahead to hosting a semifinal match against North Carolina FC or the New York Cosmos next weekend.

"At times [this season] we played well, like tonight for instance, where we managed to find ourselves in a drawing or winning situation but end up getting either beat or leave with only a point," Miller added. "I don't know how many games we lost by a goal this season but it has to be in the double-digit figures. We've not been good enough at the end of the day to get out of this situation, but we didn't give up. We ended the season with two 17-year-olds on the pitch, which is also a bright spot for the club."

Early pressure from FC Edmonton resulted in two back-to-back corners and centre-back Abdoulaye Diakité climbing high above his mark to redirect his header off the crossbar in the fourth minute. On the second attempt, the ball fell to right-back Nik Ledgerwood in the box but the Lethbridge, A.B. product pulled his shot wide to let Miami FC off early.

Just before the half-hour mark, Miami striker Vincenzo Rennella and right-back Hunter Freeman almost combined for the go-ahead goal when the ball bounced over the bar after the ball was volleyed on the low cross.

Both sides battled each other and the elements in a rainy first 45 minutes that was followed up with a torrential downpour of goals in the second half.

Kwadwo Poku opened the scoring in the 53rd minute after the Miami striker sidestepped Farago and buried the ball into the open net for the 1-0 advantage.

Three minutes later, FC Edmonton striker Daryl Fordyce was brought down in the box to give the Eddies the chance to equalize from the spot. After earning the penalty, Fordyce stepped up and slotted his spot-kick into the top-left corner past Miami goalkeeper Daniel Vega to level the score and register FC Edmonton's first-ever goal against Miami FC in six all-time meetings.

But just as Poku had put Miami FC ahead earlier in the half, the striker soon put them in the lead once more. Mares' low cross found its way through the box to an unmarked Poku, who slotted his shot into the bottom corner to put Miami ahead once again 2-1.

The 71st minute marker would be enough to close the book on the regular season for the Eddies and earn Miami FC the Fall Season title ahead of next week's beginning to the Championship, the NASL's four-team postseason tournament.

Check out the FC Edmonton Statistics



North American Soccer League Stories from October 29, 2017


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