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NASL FC Edmonton

Eddies Welcome League-Leading Cosmos to Clarke Field for Crucial Match

May 13, 2016 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
FC Edmonton News Release


EDMONTON, AB - FC Edmonton (2-2-2) will look to go four-straight-matches in North American Soccer League (NASL) competition without a loss when they play host to the league leading New York Cosmos (4-0-2), May 15 at Clarke Field.

The Eddies have seen their 2016 NASL season turn around in a hurry following a slow start to the Spring Season. In their previous three matches, the squad has combined for 2-0, 1-0 and 1-1 results against Ottawa Fury FC, Jacksonville Armada FC and Indy Eleven, respectively. The Edmonton squad's current string of success has lifted them into fifth place in the league table with eight points through six matches. A combination of defence and goalkeeping has been key for the Eddies throughout the Spring, with Matt VanOekel collecting no less than three clean sheets and posting a 0.80 Goals Against Average (GAA) between the woodwork.

Jake Keegan-a New York native himself-is developing into a threat in the attacking third for the Eddies, registering the first two goals of his Eddies career in the the team's recent three-game unbeaten stretch. The 25-year-old has received Team of the Week honours twice on through the first six weeks of league play and saw his most recent goal against the Eleven voted NASL Play of the Week.

New York has climbed to the top of the league table as the Spring Season moves closer to its conclusion. The historic club enters Sunday's match after registering back-to-back, clean sheet victories over Carolina RailHawks and Miami FC. To date, the Cosmos have conceded just three goals over the course of six matches and have amassed 12 points thus far in the Spring with four matches remaining. With the departure of both Raúl and Marcos Senna this past offseason, the Cosmos brought in the likes of Venezuelan international Juan Arango and Croatian Niko Kranjcar. Arango currently sits second in NASL scoring with three goals and leads the league in shots with 14.

Sunday's fixture is the first of three matches between the two sides in 2016 and will be a measuring stick of sorts for the Eddies squad. The Eddies last welcomed New York to Clarke Field on Sept. 27, where they put forth arguably their top performance of the season in a 2-1 Eddies victory. A win Sunday for either side would be huge, as the Eddies could pull within one point of their opponents, while the Cosmos could potentially move into sole position of first place overall.

"If we win we can potentially move up to third in the league," FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said. "It will be a strong Eddies side we have and we are playing well in the league. We have got to get back to competing and defending well like we have for most the season. If we do that, then we can be a handful for any team in the league. It's an exciting spell for us at the moment, the league is tight and there is nothing stopping us from getting three points on Sunday."

FC Edmonton hosts New York Cosmos, 2:00 p.m. MT, Sunday at Clarke Field. The match will be broadcast and streamed in Canada and the United States on ONE World Sports. Viewers in Edmonton can view the match on City TV Edmonton or follow along live on TSN 1260 radio.

For tickets and more information, please click HERE. For more information on FC Edmonton, please visit www.fcedmonton.com.

Match Details

Teams: FC Edmonton vs. New York Cosmos

Kick-off: May 15, 2016 @ 2.00 p.m. (MT)

Location: Clarke Field (Edmonton, AB)

Broadcast: City TV (Edmonton), ONE World Sports (Canada & United States)

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