Strikers Return to Postseason
Published on November 1, 2015 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers News Release
Jacksonville, Fla. (Sunday, November 1, 2015) - The Fort Lauderdale Strikers are returning to the postseason. By virtue of their 1-0 victory over Jacksonville Armada FC on Sunday afternoon at Community First Park, the Strikers secured the No. 4 seed in The Championship -- the North American Soccer League's four team postseason tournament.
Fort Lauderdale will travel to play No. 1 seed New York Cosmos at 2 p.m. EST on Saturday in The Championship Semifinal at MCU Park in Brooklyn.
Fort Lauderdale entered Sunday's match at Jacksonville needing a win or tie to advance to the The Championship tournament for the fourth time in five years. The win gives the Red & Gold 41 points to put them in fourth place in the NASL Combined Standings, two better than Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The Armada FC and Strikers were deadlocked for 87 minutes when Marlon Freitas muscled off a defender and fired a close-range shot past goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo and into the back of net. The Brazilian celebrated by removing his shirt and running toward the touch line, where his teammates joined him.
Fort Lauderdale, who lost last year's Championship Final 2-1 at San Antonio, qualified for postseason play for the fourth time in five NASL Modern Era seasons. The Strikers made the postseason in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
Strikers' goalkeeper David Meves stopped four shots to notch his fourth clean sheet this year.
The win comes in the Strikers first official match in Jacksonville and earns Fort Lauderdale its third victory this year over the Armada FC. The game was played in front of 9, 083 fans.
North American Soccer League Stories from November 1, 2015
- Storybook Inaugural Season Ends in Front of Record Crowd - Jacksonville Armada FC
- Strikers Return to Postseason - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Championship Field Set as Fort Lauderdale Claims No. 4 Seed on Final Day - NASL
- Strikers Clinch Postseason Berth - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Scorpions Part Ways with Head Coach Alen Marcina - San Antonio Scorpions
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