Strikers Defeat Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 at Home
October 5, 2013 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
FORT LAUDERDALE (October 5, 2013) - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers defeated in-state rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies by a score of 2-1 in a Florida Derby match at Lockhart Stadium in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
A goal on either side of halftime from Martin Nu̮̱ez and Bradlee Baladez gave the Strikers maximum points at home in front of a crowd of 3,612 at historic Lockhart Stadium.
"The first half was the best from this team of the season so far," said Strikers head coach G-nter Kronsteiner. "We were very concentrated and there were a lot of chances we had to defend. Nobody expected that we could beat them."
Nu̮̱ez scored the opener in the 22nd minute of the match and Baladez grabbed the eventual winner with crisp strike from inside the 18-yard box in the 86th.
It was all one-way traffic in the first half as the Strikers peppered Rowdies goalkeeper Diego Restrepo with six shots on goal. The goalkeeper made some fine saves to keep his side in the game.
Restrepo's goal was breached when Nu̮̱ez buried Carlos Salazar's precision cross from the left. The ball took a slight deflection of Stefan Antonijevic but fell to Nu̮̱ez who was waiting at the back post to send the ball over the line.
Paulo Jr. had a chance to double the lead a half-hour into the match after going in alone on Diego Restrepo. The Brazilian telegraphed his shot and the goalkeeper was able to get down to his left to save.
Diego Restrepo produced his best save of the night minutes later to deny Paulo Jr. again. The Strikers forward carved out some space from the top of the box and unleashed a rocket on goal. The Venezuelan-American keeper was equal to the shot, diving to his left with an acrobatic save.
There was nothing Restrepo could do to keep out the Bradlee Baladez game-winner. A skillful dummy by Justin Chavez on a Paulo Jr. through-ball opened up space for the on-loan FC Dallas forward to finish past Restrepo, sending the home crowd into a rapturous applause.
Strikers goalkeeper Richard SÃÆánchez was largely untested, making just two saves over the course of the match. Carl Cort scored a peach of a goal for the Rowdies to the delight of the traveling Rowdies fans, Ralph's Mob, but it was merely a consolation for Tampa Bay.
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North American Soccer League Stories from October 5, 2013
- Minnesota United FC Falls 1-0 to New York Cosmos - Minnesota United FC
- Narrow Win In Minnesota Edges Cosmos Closer To Soccer Bowl Berth - NASL
- Zahorski's Goal Gives Scorpions 1-0 Win - San Antonio Scorpions
- Strikers Defeat Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 at Home - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Rowdies Late Goal Not Enough to Avoid 2-1 Loss to Strikers - Tampa Bay Rowdies
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