Strikers Defeat FIU 5-2 in Final Pre-Season Match
April 4, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
Fort Lauderdale, Fla - The Strikers cruised to a 5-2 victory over the FIU Golden Panthers on Saturday night in the final preseason match before the 2014 NASL season kicks off on Saturday, April 12 at Lockhart.
It was a game of two halves with six of the seven goals coming in the first 45 minutes. An opportunistic finish from Darnell King, a pair of headers from Marius Ebbers, and penalty kick goals from Carlos Salazar and Martin Nuñez rounded out the scoring for the Strikers.
Just ten minutes into the match King capitalized on a loose ball in the box following a set piece to give the Strikers an early lead. FIU responded with an equalizer six minutes later, but the score-line was short-lived.
Ebbers restored the Strikers lead within a minute of the FIU goal. Nuñez crossed the ball into the box from the left for the unmarked Ebbers to power a header into the back of the net.
The Strikers were awarded a penalty kick in the 23rd minute of the match after Nuñez was taken down from behind, inside the box. Set-piece specialist Carlos Salazar stepped up to the spot to score the Strikers' third goal of the night.
The Golden Panthers clawed a second goal back late in the first half, but Ebbers responded just minutes later with his second header goal of the game. This time it was Salazar's in-swinging ball from the right that was redirected by the big German forward into the far corner of the goal to give the Strikers a 4-2 lead going into the halftime interval.
With a comfortable lead in hand, coach G-nter Kronsteiner used the second half to experiment, testing out players in unfamiliar positions in a 4-4-2 lineup.
The only goal of the half came from a penalty kick. Following an intentional handball in the box, the Strikers were awarded their second spot kick of the night, which Nuñez tucked away with aplomb.
The Strikers will play a 30-minute intrasquad scrimmage at tomorrow night's VIP Kickoff Party at 7:30 p.m. The party is by invitation only (check your email, season ticket holders are invited!)
At the party will be the Strikers 2014 uniform unveiling, presentation of the Striker Girls Dance Team, an on-field kick-around, as well as free food and drink provided for all attendees. (We encourage fans to bring sneakers and a soccer ball for the kick-around and player autographs!)
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