NASL FC Edmonton

Eddies Take Spoils in First Preseason Test

Published on June 29, 2014 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
FC Edmonton News Release


KAMLOOPS, BC (June 29, 2014) - FC Edmonton kicked off it's first game of the club's 2014 July preseason and helped the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association (KYSA) start off their 50th anniversary celebrations on Sunday, July 29. In front of full stands at McArthur Island Park in Kamloops, BC, FC Edmonton celebrated a 5-1 victory over a team of Kamloops Men's All-Stars.

The match started off with John Smits in net and Kareem Moses, Albert Watson, Mallan Roberts and Eddie Edward in defence. Lance Laing continued his role in midfield alongside Milton Blanco, Neil Hlavaty and Michael Nonni, while Frank Jonke and Daryl Fordyce played up front for the Eddies.

History repeated itself in the first minute off the match. FC Edmonton's Fordyce picked up the ball in midfield right after kick off and fed a ball through to Jonke who waited on the shoulder of the last defender. Jonke's shot landed in the back of the net and the Eddies were up 1-0 inside 20 seconds of kick off.

FC Edmonton kept the pressure on the Kamloops side as their next opportunity on net was only a few moments later off the head of Fordyce, however, his effort was well saved. In the following 10 minutes, a volley from the top of the box by Laing crossed the goal-line, but the goal was disallowed and the play was called offside.

The Eddies doubled their lead inside 24 minutes when, once again, Fordyce fed a ball across the box to Jonke, but Jonke's defender fouled the FCE striker to earn a penalty kick for the visiting team. Hlavaty stepped up to the spot, and sent the "˜keeper in the wrong direction to bring the score up to 2-0.

FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller was true to his word cycling through all three goalkeepers as John Smits made way for Tyson Farago in the 27th minute. Lance Parker came into the match in the 60th minute to finish off the match.

Before the end of the first half, FC Edmonton saw another effort by Fordyce ping off the post, a missed Eddies penalty kick and another goal disallowed thanks to the offside flag.

The second 45 minutes saw Farago remain in net, Laing return to his usual spot at leftback, Moses move to centerback along with Roberts and FCE Academy player Allan Zebie fill in at rightback. Blanco and Hlavaty started the half in midfield along with Massimo Mirabelli and Edem Mortotsi. Sadi Jalali and Horace James rounded out the Eddies side for the remainder of the 90 minutes.

The Kamloops All-Star team proved that they were still in the match thanks to a goal to kick off the second half. In the 53rd minute an unmarked KYSA alumni, Kyle Bowman, found his finish into the top of the Eddies net to make it interesting at 2-1.

Mortotsi gave FC Edmonton another comfortable two-goal lead in the 57th minute and James added to that lead to make it 4-1 before the 70th minute. Zebie finished off the match scoring after playing a give-and-go with Nonni down the near side of the pitch. A cheeky back-heel flick from Nonni left Zebie with an opportunity to shoot and making no mistake, he made it 5-1 just before the full time whistle.

"I'm very grateful to Kamloops and their soccer association for hosting us," said Miller after the match. "We achieved what we wanted to achieve and that was getting the guys 90 minutes. We created some good chances and played some good football, but we're not a finished product."

The Eddies now travel to Vancouver Island to take on Victoria Highlanders FC on Wednesday, July 2 (7pm MT KO). FC Edmonton kick off the North American Soccer League (NASL) season on July 13 in a match against Ottawa Fury FC presented by West Edmonton Mall. Tickets for the match start as low as $10 in the YMCA Family Fun Zone and can be purchased at all four Edmonton YMCA locations. For all other ticket inquiries, visit www.fcedmonton.com or call 780.700.2600.

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