NASL FC Edmonton

FC Edmonton's Season Comes to a Close with 1-0 Loss to Indy Eleven

Published on November 5, 2016 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
FC Edmonton News Release


FC Edmonton's Season Comes to a Close with 1-0 Loss to Indy Eleven in Hard-Fought Semifinal
FC Edmonton's Season Comes to a Close with 1-0 Loss to Indy Eleven in Hard-Fought Semifinal
(FC Edmonton)

FC Edmonton played in their first North American Soccer League (NASL) postseason match in five years against Indy Eleven on November 5, falling 1-0 in The Championship semifinal to put an end to their 2016 campaign.

Sinisa Ubiparipovic scored the matches' lone goal for Indy, while veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch earned the clean sheet victory to send his side to The Championship final.

Both teams showed jump in the opening five minutes of play, with Eddies' striker Tomi Ameobi sending a ball to the back of the net but whistled for a foul on the play. Indy's Eamon Zayed also found the back of the net shortly thereafter, but was played in offside to keep the match scoreless early.

The Eddies nearly jumped ahead early off a quick-acting counter, as defender Shawn Nicklaw sent a cross to teammate Sainey Nyassi inside the box, but the Gambian international's headed redirect went off the top of the crossbar.

2016 Golden Glove winner Matt VanOekel was called upon twice in the opening half hour in the Eddies' defensive third, making an early save on Indy's Don Smart's attempt from just outside the area that sent VanOekel diving to his left to make the save. The American 'keeper saw another shot coming from distance at the half-hour-mark, diving to his right to push the ball away from danger.

Both teams began to settle into the match as the half progressed, with Indy finishing the opening 45 minutes of play with three shots on net to the Eddies one. Set piece opportunities presented themselves at both ends of the pitch, with both teams finishing tied with three corner kicks apiece.

An entertaining half that featured several counterattack scenarios for both sides would finish in a 0-0 scoreline.

Indy midfielder Don Smart sent the first chance of the second half towards goal on 56 minutes, but the shot would go wide of VanOekel's right post. Teammate Justin Braun followed up three minutes later with another opportunity that would go wide of goal.

Indy took the lead on 63 minutes through midfielder Ubiparipovic, who had the ball fall to him at the top of the 18-yard-box before sending a perfectly placed strike to the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Looking for the equalizer, head coach Colin Miller sent Canadian Ben Fisk into the match on 68 minutes. Fisk's addition to the match was followed by a fit of stops and starts until a long ball from Nik Ledgerwood found the 23-year-old, who sent a header on net that would be swallowed up by Busch. Miller added another attacking option a few minutes later, inserting forward Jake Keegan into the match on 78 minutes as Indy began to work the clock.

The Eddies best of opportunity in front of goal came late, as a cross from Fisk found Ameobi in the box. Ameobi's header was on target, but a crucial save from Busch in-close preserved the home side's lead with under two minutes remaining.

Indy was able to hold their lead through stoppage time, collecting their first-ever postseason victory and setting up an appearance in the Championship finals next weekend against the winner of the New York Cosmos and Rayo OKC match.

"We are very, very disappointed of course with today's result," Miller stated post-match. "As an overall reflection of the season I'm very proud of the players for their efforts this year as well as the staff. Everyone connected with the club and as much as we are absolutely devastated with today's result, I think there are a lot of things to be positive about.

"It was a very, very hardworking game with two very, very tough teams and not a lot of difference between both sets of players," Miller added. "Their coach was saying the same thing after the game, that these types of games can go either way. The difference was that they took their chance and we had chances and didn't score."

Saturday's loss put an end to a fantastic season for the Eddies, who finished the NASL regular season in third place overall in the league with a club-best 15W-8D-9L record.

For more information on FC Edmonton and details on 2017 Season Tickets, please click HERE, call 780.700.2600 or visit www.fcedmonton.com.

Scoring

Indy Eleven: Ubiparipovic (63')

FC Edmonton: None

Cautions

Indy Eleven: None

FC Edmonton: Pape Diakite (83'), Adam Eckersley (90+2')

Indy Eleven

Jon Busch, Colin Falvey, Marco Franco, Greg Janicki, Nemanja Vukovic, Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Torrado, 75'), Don Smart (Lacroix, 80'), Dylan Mares, Brad Ring, Justin Braun, Eamon Zayed

FC Edmonton

VanOekel; Nicklaw, Diakite, Watson, Eckersley; Nyassi (Fisk, 68'), Fordyce, Ledgerwood, Shome (Keegan, 78'), Dustin; Ameobi

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FC Edmonton's Season Comes to a Close with 1-0 Loss to Indy Eleven in Hard-Fought Semifinal
FC Edmonton's Season Comes to a Close with 1-0 Loss to Indy Eleven in Hard-Fought Semifinal
   



North American Soccer League Stories from November 5, 2016


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