Strikers Face League-Leading Scorpions at Lockhart Saturday
Published on July 13, 2012 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (July 13, 2012) - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers (5W-5T-6L) will test their three-game home winning streak when they face the league-leading San Antonio Scorpions (8W-4T-3L) on Saturday, July 14 at 7:30p.m. EDT. This is the second meeting of the season and the first trip to South Florida for the expansion Scorpions. The first match of the season ended in a 2-2 draw at Heroes Stadium in San Antonio. Fort Lauderdale trails San Antonio by eight points in the NASL standings.
"It's going to be a tough match," said Strikers head coach Daryl Shore. "The team has had a good week of practice. If we take our chances well and stay focused as a team, we can get a positive result for ourselves and our home fans."
The Strikers return home to Lockhart Stadium where they have won their previous three matches and have only one loss on the season (5W-2T-1L). The Scorpions have been buoyed by their play on the road as they are the only team in the league with more wins than losses on the road (3W-2T-2L).
The first match between the teams this season saw a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 draw from the Scorpions on April 21. Strikers forward Andy Herron scored both Fort Lauderdale goals, but Scorpions forward Hans Denissen scored in second half stoppage time to earn the first home point for the first-year club.
The Strikers are led by the scoring trio of Mark Anderson, Walter Restrepo and Herron. Anderson leads the team in goals with seven in the NASL and two more from his play in the U.S. Open Cup. Restrepo is the Strikers' most versatile offensive threat, and as might be expected of a player wearing the number 10 jersey, leads the team in assists with six to go with his five goals. Herron is tied with Restrepo with five goals on the season, despite missing six games due to injury.
San Antonio are lead by forward Pablo Campos and goalkeeper Daryl Sattler. Campos finished last season with the second most goals in the NASL with 12, and is on pace to surpass that total this season. Sattler leads the league with a 0.58 GAA, and has shutouts in eight of his 12 matches this season.
Fort Lauderdale will be without their captain Toni St=E5hl, who is suspended for the match after having accumulated five yellow cards during the regular season.
"Toni's our captain, so missing him is obviously not ideal," said Shore. "That being said, we are confident in the ability of our players to step up and produce when called upon."
A boost to the defensive unit may come from the Strikers' latest signing in Scott Gordon. The 24-year-old defender spent last season with the Strikers before joining Chivas USA of Major League Soccer before the start of this season. Gordon was waived by Chivas on July 6 and re-signed with the Strikers just six days later on July 12. Gordon played in 23 games for the Strikers in 2011, scoring one goal and one assist.
STRIKERS EAGERLY WELCOME NEW YORK COSMOS NASL RETURN IN 2013
Yesterday, July 12, the NASL announced the New York Cosmos have joined the NASL and will begin league play in the 2013 season. The NASL Board of Governors unanimously approved the Cosmos' membership during its meetings this week in New York.
"We are extremely excited to have the New York Cosmos join us in the North American Soccer League. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that the NASL would resume play with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the New York Cosmos. It's a tremendous boost for the NASL and the sport of soccer in North America," said Strikers President Tim Robbie.
The original Fort Lauderdale Strikers and New York Cosmos faced each other every year from 1977 to 1983 when the Strikers left the NASL. The last match between the two sides to be contested at Lockhart Stadium came on May 4, 1983 with the Strikers winning 4-1 in front of 13,741 fans.
The Cosmos ownership group, New York Cosmos LLC is an international partnership led by industry veteran Seamus O'Brien. They are committed to putting the brand back at the forefront of North American soccer. The New York Cosmos began play in 1971, spending fourteen seasons in the earlier NASL, winning five Soccer Bowl trophies and bringing some of the biggest names in world soccer history to North America. The Cosmos last won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1982.
The Cosmos played their home games against the Strikers in the newly-built Giants Stadium starting in 1977. Strikers head coach Daryl Shore remembers being a part of the many thousands of fans who attended those Cosmos home games.
"The addition of the Cosmos to our league not only shows where our league is headed, but to have another old-school NASL team join is great," said Shore. "I remember as a kid growing up in New York, going to Cosmos games in Giants Stadium. To have the rivalry again of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the New York Cosmos is nothing but great things for our league."
INJURIES/OUT
- Defender Toni St=E5hl will be suspended for the match due to yellow card accumulation during the regular season.
- Defender Lance Laing (ankle) is training with the team, but is expected to miss this week's match.
- Midfielder Polo Morales (tib/fib fracture) is out for the remainder of the season.
MATCH FACTS
- Strikers are 5W-2T-1L at Lockhart Stadium this season
- Strikers are 0W-1T-0L all-time against the Scorpions
- Strikers midfielder Walter Restrepo leads the league in assists (6)
- Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser is second in the NASL in saves (64)
- Scorpions goalkeeper Daryl Sattler leads the NASL in GAA (0.58)
- Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser has played every minute so far this season (1440)
- Strikers midfielder Mark Anderson is third in the NASL in goals (7)
- Scorpions forward Pablo Campos is second in the NASL in goals (8)
2012 STAT LEADERS
Goals: Mark Anderson (7)
Assists: Walter Restrepo (6)
Shots: Mark Anderson (43)
Yellow cards: Toni St=E5hl (5)
Red cards: Toni St=E5hl (2)
Saves: Matt Glaeser (64)
GAA: Matt Glaeser (1.69)
Minutes: Matt Glaeser (1440)
NEXT MATCH
The Strikers travel to Minnesota for a mid-week matchup against the Stars on Wednesday, July 18, at 8:30p.m. EDT. Contact info@strikers.com or call (954)606-0400 for more information. Follow the Strikers on twitter @FTLStrikers and like us on Facebook to get the latest news and updates from South Florida's professional soccer team. All Strikers NASL matches are streamed live on www.strikers.com/live.
North American Soccer League Stories from July 13, 2012
- Silverbacks Ink Three, Release Four - Atlanta Silverbacks
- Rowdies Visit Eddies for First Time this Season - FC Edmonton
- Strikers Face League-Leading Scorpions at Lockhart Saturday - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Scorpions Begin Home-And-Home Set with Strikers - San Antonio Scorpions
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