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NASL Miami FC

Miami FC Closes Out the Spring on the Road

June 10, 2016 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Miami FC News Release


MIAMI, Fla. - The Miami FC closes out the 2016 Spring Season with a road trip to Minnesota. The Miami FC and Minnesota United FC will kick off Saturday at 8 p.m. as the beIN NASL Game of the Week.

Closing Strong

The Miami FC hosted undefeated Indy Eleven last weekend, in the team's final home match of the Spring Season.

The first half saw the Miami FC offense come out fast and aggressive. The buildup play was great, creating multiple scoring chances. Unfortunately, the Miami FC was unable to grab a lead.

Indy Eleven pushed back in the second half, controlling the ball and pressuring the Miami FC defense.

Goalkeeper Daniel Vega and the backline were up to the task, keeping Indy off the board.

The Miami FC's best chance came in stoppage time when Michael Lahoud found room in the box and got under a Richie Ryan free kick. He connected perfectly with the ball but missed the goal by mere inches.

 After the final whistle had blown, the Miami FC secured its third-straight shutout and fifth point in three matches.

The Vault is Closed

The Miami FC allowed 12 goals to open the season but have hit their stride as the Spring Season is coming to a close.

The Miami FC has not conceded a goal in 310 minutes, the second best streak this season, against some of the top competition in the NASL. They held the Carolina RailHawks scoreless when they were the top scoring team in the league, shutdown FC Edmonton with a goal, while the Eddies had the top defense in the league and ended Indy Eleven's three-match scoring streak.

Additions to the midfield and Adailton moving to the backline has transformed the Miami FC's defense as a whole.

The Miami FC midfield has done a great job controlling the ball during the last three matches. They have won the possession battle twice, including 55% against the Indy Eleven.

The Miami FC backline has stood strong in the face of strong pressure during the last three weeks. They have faced 45 shots over the last three matches, but only nine have been on target. The culmination of this defense came last week, when Indy posted a shot accuracy of just nine percent.

Players to Watch

Blake Smith has been the Miami FC's resident winger, bringing speed and a non-stop motor to the team's attack.

Smith has picked up 150 touches over the past three matches and done well as a distributor when on the ball. He has completed 75 of 101 passes for a solid 74% completion rate.

His crisp passing and constant movement has made him a nuisance for defenses as the Miami FC offense has picked up as of late.

Vega has been the catalyst of this defensive renaissance with his calming presence in goal.

He has saved an NASL-high 29 shots this season, many of them coming in key situations during the team's defensive streak.

Vega stopped five shots against Carolina, three against Edmonton and the only shot he faced against Indy.

Roster Moves

The Miami FC has parted ways with midfielders Bryan Arguez and Sergio Van Kanten.

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North American Soccer League Stories from June 10, 2016


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