Strikers Defeated in the Championship Final
Published on November 15, 2014 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
SAN ANTONIO, TX (Saturday, November 15, 2014)- The Fort Lauderdale Strikers will have to wait another year for a chance to win a first-ever NASL Soccer Bowl after falling to the San Antonio Scorpions by a score of 2-1 in The Championship Final at Toyota Field.. Billy Forbes doubled the lead on a counter attack before Walter Ramirez pulled one back for the Strikers. The comeback attempt fell short as the Scorpions held on to claim the Soccer Bowl trophy for the first time in their history.
The game started with intensity as Martin Nuñez flashed an effort wide inside of five minutes. San Antonio got their first real look on goal when an opportunistic long strike from Castillo skipped past the left post and wide.
Castillo went close to scoring directly from a corner kick minutes later, but Contofalsky was able to swat the attempt away. At the other end, Aly Alberto Hassan got his first look on goal following a counter attack, dragging his left-footed effort wide of the far post shortly after the half-hour mark.
Hassan had the Strikers best chance just five minutes before the halftime interval. Shawn Chin slipped the Weston native behind the defense, whose first-time shot went just inches wide of the far post.
The Strikers started the second half much like the first, controlling the ball and attacking the Scorpions' goal. Just minutes after the restart King surged into the box and fired over the bar.
The turning point in the match came shortly after the hour mark when the Strikers failed to convert a penalty kick.
A long-range strike by Chin was parried by Saunders right into the path of Stefan Antonijevic who was taken down by Cesar Elizondo. Nuñez stepped up to take the kick but rattled the crossbar with his effort and the game remained scoreless.
Despite being outplayed for much of the match, the Scorpions took the lead just minutes later, punishing Fort Lauderdale for the missed opportunity with a world class bicycle kick goal from Castillo. The Colombian midfielder connected on a precision cross from the left from Josue Soto with an acrobatic strike past Contofalsky from the edge of the box to make the score 1-0.
San Antonio doubled their lead on a swift counter-attacking move 15 minutes from time. A long ball from Castillo sent Billy Forbes on a run past the Strikers' defenders and through on Contofalsky. The NASL assist leader picked his corner and put the hosts in front 2-0.
The Strikers responded through substitute Walter Ramirez just four minutes later. The winger played a give-and-go with Mark Anderson and rifled a shot past Saunders and into the roof of the net to cut the score-line in half and restore hope for the Strikers.
Chin forced a save from Saunders on a freekick in the 84th minute, and Anderson fired wide five minutes later. The Strikers pushed for the equalizer, but the Scorpions defense held firm, ending the Strikers' eight match unbeaten streak and capturing the Soccer Bowl.
North American Soccer League Stories from November 15, 2014
- Scorpions Crowned 2014 NASL Season Champions with 2-1 Victory - San Antonio Scorpions
- Strikers Defeated in the Championship Final - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
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