Goals by Dani Sánchez and Léo Moura; star performance by goalkeeper David Meves not enough
Published on April 19, 2015 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. FC Edmonton
(Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Credit: Tony Lewis / FC Edmonton)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Sunday, April 19, 2015) - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers lost to FC Edmonton 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Clarke Field in front of a crowd of 2,351.
The defeat comes despite a shining performance by Strikers goalkeeper David Meves. The 24-year-old Fort Lauderdale netminder made six crucial stops including a save on a penalty kick.
FC Edmonton opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match. Following a counter attack, Eddies' midfielder Ritchie Jones received a square pass from Sainey Nyassi inside the box and stroked it in after slipping past the Strikers' defense unmarked.
The lead lasted just 13 minutes, thanks to Dani Sánchez, who netted the equalizer in the 20th minute. Following a turnover forced by Jose Angulo, Marlon Freitas sent Sánchez the ball, and he delivered a bending left-footed shot from the right side of the 18-yard box that sailed into the far corner of the net. The goal is the Spanish attacker's first for the Strikers.
Edmonton squandered a golden opportunity to go into the second half with a lead after Frank Jonke's penalty kick was saved by Meves. The Eddies were awarded the spot kick after Daniel Navarro was adjudged to have brought down Nyassi in the box.
The Strikers came out of the halftime break on the front foot, and captain Léo Moura gave his side the lead in the 62nd minute with his second goal of the season. The ball fell kindly for Moura to tap home from close range after Edmonton goalkeeper Matt VanOekel fumbled a low shot from PC at the near post.
Edmonton made a pair of substitutions in the 73rd minute that turned the tide of the match as forwards Tomi Ameobi and Sadi Jalali took to the pitch.
Almost immediately following the changes the Eddies equalized. Nyassi rifled in his first goal for the Eddies from a tight angle following a corner kick. Meves got a touch on the strike as it made its way to the far post, but the shot was too powerful to keep out.
Less than five minutes later Edmonton substitute Ameobi tallied the winner. Former Strikers player Lance Laing crossed the ball from the left flank for Ameobi to rise above his marker and head off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net.
Meves kept the Eddies at bay on several occasions and came up big on one-on-ones with Jonke in the 55th and 59th minutes. The goalkeeper carried on despite being injured on the earlier play.
"I thought we had a good start to the game, obviously outside of the first five minutes," said Meves. "We have to lock it down -- I mean we just can't give up as many chances as we did. It's just disappointing."
Aly Alberto Hassan made his 50th appearance with the Strikers after entering the game in the 72nd minute. Evans Frimpong came on late in the match for Daniel Navarro as the Strikers pushed for an equalizing goal.
Assistant Coach Ricardo Lopes was dismissed by the officials late in the first half after Navarro -- making his first start for the Strikers -- took an elbow to the face from an FC Edmonton player in the 30th minute. Navarro went to the sideline for treatment and eventually returned.
The Strikers return to Canada next Saturday for a 3 p.m. EDT match at Ottawa Fury FC.
Images from this story
 Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. FC Edmonton (Tony Lewis / FC Edmonton) |
North American Soccer League Stories from April 19, 2015
- Eddies Earn First Three Points of the 2015 Season - FC Edmonton
- Goals by Dani Sánchez and Léo Moura; star performance by goalkeeper David Meves not enough - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Scorpions Fall 1-2 to Indy Eleven on Late Goal - San Antonio Scorpions
- ew York Cosmos' Win In Front Of Sellout Crowd Headlines Action-Packed Night Of NASL Spring Season Ac - NASL
- Sergio Pena's Late Shocker Lifts Indy Eleven to First Win of 2015 - Indy Eleven
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