Scorpions Ready for 4th of July Match with FC Edmonton

July 3, 2012 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
San Antonio Scorpions News Release


San Antonio, TX (July 3, 2012) - The San Antonio Scorpions are prepared to host FC Edmonton at Heroes Stadium on Wednesday, July 4 and will look to remain in first place of the NASL.

The match will be immediately followed by a post-game fireworks show presented by Magic in the Sky as part of the 4th of July celebration.

Wednesday will mark the third meeting between the Scorpions and Eddies (3W-3T-7L, 12 points) this season. San Antonio won the first match in a 2-0 shutout at Heroes Stadium on May 19 and the Scorpions scored two second half goals on May 27 in Edmonton to earn a 2-2 draw with the Eddies.

The Scorpions (7W-4T-2L, 25 points) are currently one point ahead of the second-place Puerto Rico Islanders at the halfway point of the regular season schedule.

SCOUTING FC EDMONTON

FC Edmonton enters the halfway mark of the season struggling to muster an offensive attack, failing to score a goal in each of the last three matches.

The Eddies were able to come away with a point in their scoreless draw against the Puerto Rico Islanders on July 1 in Edmonton.

Shaun Saiko, who has scored five goals this season, leads the team in goals. But only one other player on the Eddies roster has scored multiple goals this season (Michael Cox, 2). As a team, FC Edmonton ranks last in goals scored with just 12 in 13 matches this season.

In goal, the Eddies have had four different keepers stand in net with Lance Parker leading the pack with six starts. Parker giving up seven goals on 21 shots faced for a goals-against average of 1.17.

While FC Edmonton has struggled to put the ball in the back of the net, they have had much more success keeping teams from doing the same. The Eddies are third in the league in goals allowed (15).

The two sides will meet one more time this season in Edmonton on Aug. 8.

LAST TIME OUT

The San Antonio Scorpions defeated the visiting Atlanta Silverbacks 3-0 on June 30 in the first part of the Scorpions International Challenge.

A festive sold-out crowd came out and watched as the Scorpions move back to the top of the NASL table with their third win in four matches.

Scorpions forward Pablo Campos scored twice for San Antonio, giving him an NASL-best eight goals on the season.

Esteban Bayona scored the other goal for the Scorpions, opening the scoring with a header off a Hans Denissen cross in the 29th minute.

The match was followed by a friendly between Mexican Primera Division sides C.F. Monterrey Rayados and San Luis F.C. The Rayados won the match 1-0 over San Luis.

SUMMER SURGE

Offensively the Scorpions boast the league's leading scorer in Pablo Campos and the hottest scorer in Esteban Bayona.

Campos now leads the league in goals scored with eight after scoring twice against the Atlanta Silverbacks on June 30. Five of his eight goals this season came during the month of June.

Bayona has scored a goal in each of the past three matches and also is tied for second in the NASL with four assists this season.

The Scorpions have now scored 21 goals this season, tied for the second most this season.

STANDING STRONG

Scorpions goalkeeper Darryl Sattler registered another clean sheet Saturday, his seventh of the season, and has only given up six goals on 29 shots faced this season.

His goals-against average of 0.60 is the best among NASL goalkeepers this season.

He has gotten a lot of help from his defense, which has kept opposing strikers at bay for most of the season.

So far this season, the Scorpions have given up 44 shots on goal, the fewest total in the league.

HARMSE BIRTHDAY

Scorpions midfielder and captain Kevin Harmse will be celebrating his birthday on July 4.

COMING UP

The Scorpions will travel to Puerto Rico on Wednesday, July 11 for a midseason showdown with the Islanders as both teams battle for first place in the NASL. It will be the third meeting between the two sides this season.



North American Soccer League Stories from July 3, 2012


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