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Silverbacks Host NASL Spring Season Champion Minnesota United FC on Saturday

July 25, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


Atlanta, Ga. (July 25, 2014) - Jason Smith will officially begin his second stint as Silverbacks head coach this Saturday, and his club will have quite the challenge waiting for them when they take the field at 7:30 p.m. at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. 2014 NASL Spring Season Champion Minnesota United FC comes to Atlanta looking to extend their league unbeaten streak to seven games.

Although he was present for the Silverbacks' 1-0 home win over FC Edmonton last Saturday, Smith only assisted Eric Wynalda, who manned the bench for one final time before handing over the reins. It will be different this weekend, as Smith has been overseeing the team since Monday and putting together the gameplan on how to try and overcome league-leading Minnesota.

"It's always a difficult transition at this time of the year, but the boys look really good. We're just going to have to see if we can tweak a few things and make everyone a little bit sharper," Smith said. "I think the team morale is high so far, and there are a lot of things we can do in a short period of time to improve our overall performance."

A good result in front of the home fans would go a long way for Smith and the Silverbacks, especially given the momentum their opponents are bringing with them to Atlanta on Saturday. The Loons, as their commonly referred to, have won four of their last six NASL games, and haven't lost a league clash since May 12. What could be considered more impressive than their NASL win streak is the result they managed to post in an international friendly last Saturday. Head Coach Manny Lagos' team welcomed English Premier League side Swansea City FC to the NSC Stadium last weekend, and impressively dispatched the Welsh side by a score of 2-0.

While many would be quick to give the plaudits to members of the Loons' attack, it is their back line that has perhaps been most impressive in the club's recent games. The Brazilian center back pairing of Cristiano Dias and Tiago, along with outside backs Justin Davis and Kevin Venegas, have combined to post three consecutive shutouts this month (if you count the friendly against Swansea City). While the club's +6 goal differential in those three affairs is something to brag about, they will have a missing piece on Saturday in Atlanta. Davis, a key member of that defensive unit, will be forced to sit out after being sent off in the second half of the Loons' 1-0 win over the Carolina RailHawks on July 17.

The Silverbacks back line also posted a clean sheet in their last league game, blanking FC Edmonton, 1-0, in Atlanta last weekend. Defender and team captain Mike Randolph earned NASL Team of the Week honors for his performance against the Canadian side, while his back line mates Ramiro Canovas, Ryan Roushandel, and Borfor Carr also stood out in the win. Goalkeeper Joe Nasco, who was recently acquired on loan from Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids, made an immediate impact, coming up with a monster save on FC Edmonton midfielder Hanson Boakai late in the game.

"Last game, we showed that we have the tenacity to win games that aren't necessarily the prettiest ones you'll see. Edmonton came down and did a good job of disrupting what we were trying to do," Randolph said. "It wasn't our best game by any means, but we hung in there and got the win. That is what soccer is all about - sometimes you have to grind it out."

Enough about the defense, though - both teams have plenty to offer going forward. Silverbacks midfielder Pablo Cruz has scored in two of the last three league games, while forwards Jaime Chavez, Deon McCaulay, and Kwadwo Poku all found the net during the club's historic run to the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals this past month. For visiting Minnesota, Brazilian forward Daniel Mendes, who is on loan from Swedish side Kalmar FF, has bagged a goal in each of his last two league games, including the game-winner over the RailHawks last week. Familiar faces Miguel Ibarra and Christian Ramirez have also recently been on target for Minnesota. Ramirez is the league's leading scorer with six goals - that's one more than Atlanta's Chavez.

The Silverbacks and Loons met once in the NASL Spring Season, with the latter taking home a 2-1 win at Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Although the Silverbacks outshot Minnesota 18-6 in that game, second-half goals from Ramirez and midfielder Greg Jordan were enough to trump a well-struck tally by Poku. Saturday's game shouldn't feature too many new faces, as both teams have left their rosters mostly unchanged since the end of the spring season.

With their NASL Spring Season title, Minnesota is the only team in the league that already has a spot in The Championship, the league's four-team postseason bracket. The NASL Fall Season champion, along with the two teams that pile up the most total points over the spring and fall seasons, will round out The Championship participants. The Silverbacks are currently only three points of the pace for that final spot, so a win over the Loons this weekend would be massive.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, with stadium gates opening at 5:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, call 404-969-4900.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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