NASL Midweek Action: Carolina Wins Again, FC Tampa Bay and Edmonton Draw

In Wednesday night NASL action, coach Martin Rennie’s Carolina RailHawks lengthened their undefeated streak to five games with a 4-2 triumph over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at WakeMed Park, while FC Tampa Bay had a precious three points snatched away late in the match as FC Edmonton came back to draw 1-1 in Florida.

Carolina RailHawks 4-2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Despite falling behind early, the Carolina RailHawks continue to impress with a solid 4-2 win in Cary over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.  The victory puts Carolina atop the NASL standings with a 4-1-1 record, three points ahead of the idle Puerto Rico Islanders, the one team to derail them so far in 2011.  Coach Daryl Shore’s Strikers team meanwhile falls to a record of one win, three draws and two losses on the young season.

Fort Lauderdale drew first blood when midfielder Patrick Otte connected in the 8th minute.  An alumnus of the Ventura County Fusion and England’s Middlesbrough Academy, the teenager’s first professional goal was a beauty, and Striker Likers had to be likin’ the youngster’s contribution.  But Carolina is hot like barbeque sauce laced with Tabasco, and Pablo Campos gained the equalizer just nine minutes later on a headed ball from the NASL’s current Superman imitator, Etienne Barbara.  Not to be outdone, Barbara drew a penalty kick at the 26-minute mark and converted the opportunity to put the RailHawks up by a 2-1 margin. The goal was a league-leading seventh for the Maltese Marksman, the NASL’s April Player of the Month.

At the hour mark, Campos scored again from a Floyd Franks corner kick to ratchet the score to 3-1 in Carolina’s favor.  It was the Brazilian’s third goal of the year.  The Strikers showed the moxie to stage a comeback, with 2nd half sub David Santamaria netting past Carolina’s Brad Knighton in stoppage time, but any hopes for a draw were dashed as Carolina’s veteran forward Allen Russell finalized the 4-2 scoreline with a last moment goal.

Martin Rennie’s RailHawks are currently in great form, rolling down the tracks like a nuclear powered freight train with Casey Jones pushing the throttle to the limit.  Already a +6 in goal differential, Carolina feature a potent attacking duo in Barbara and Campos, with Russell providing quality support stemming from his years of experience playing in Scotland and England. Solid midfield play and a strong backline featuring Kupono Low, Devon McKenney, Brad Rusin and John Krause demonstrate that Rennie is a master at building a team, and 2011 RailHawk newbies like Krause, Nick Zimmerman and Brad Knighton also prove that Rennie has a keen eye in evaluating talent.

Unless they incur a rash of injuries to key players, the RailHawks look like a team that will be immune to long slumps with their balance and depth. On Saturday they head to Montreal for an afternoon tilt with the Impact, who seem to be getting their act together after a slow start. Should be quite interesting.

In South Florida, Coach Daryl Shore will be looking to re-focus his club for the big Florida grudge match against FC Tampa Bay this coming Saturday.  So far in 2011, the sum for the Strikers doesn’t equal the talented parts on the field.  Earlier this season, one may have wondered if the team’s rebranding and off-field activities may have been a distraction, but six games into the season that dog won’t hunt, if it ever really did.  Strikers fans will be looking for an A+ performance from their club Saturday against FC Tampa Bay to dismiss unpleasant flashbacks of a 2010 Miami FC side that under-achieved until late in the season.  The Strikers certainly miss the injured Abe Thompson, who was a key to last year’s season late summer upswing.

FC Tampa Bay 1-1 FC Edmonton

How frustrating is it right now to be FC Tampa Bay Coach Ricky Hill?  It’s said that love is sweeter the second time around, but in Hill’s second go-round with in Tampa (he was a the 1992 Coach Of the Year while leading the Tampa Bay Rowdies), the 52-year-old Brit must be shaking his head. After gaining a 1-0 win over Montreal in the season opener at their new Al Lang Stadium home, Hill has had to deal with the injury losses of 2010 Tampa Bay stalwart Yendry Diaz and his in-form starting goalkeeper, Daryl Sattler. Making matters worse, talented defender Andres Arango, acquired from NSC Minnesota, has only been able to log 180 minutes on the pitch so far in 2011 due to suspension and injuries, and the team’s re-tooled attack, which inspired high expectations, has been firing more blanks than hits.  And then came Wednesday’s match.

After a scoreless first half, Hill’s men took the lead in the 51st minute on Chad Burt’s first 2011 goal; credit Pascal Millien with the assist.  As the game slipped into stoppage time, one can imagine Hill anticipating the taste of well-earned victory again.  But no go. FC Edmonton captain Chris Kooy beat rookie goalkeeper Jeff Attinella to gain a 1-1 draw, leaving Tampa Bay a bit deflated going into Saturday’s Florida derby.  Hill is a veteran campaigner, though, who knows that the professional season is a long one full of ups and downs, and one imagines he’ll have his team ready for the weekend clash.

Kudos to coach Harry Sinkgraven and the FC Edmonton club and organization for again earning a positive result.  Despite losing coach Dwight Lodeweges, his assistant, and GM Mel Kowalchuk in the off-season, owners Tom and Dave Fath deserve credit for staying the course in the face of adversity and making the right decision in hiring Sinkgraven, who was recommended by Lodeweges when he left to coach in Japan.

This young team are prime-time road warriors, having gained all 10 of this season’s points away from home.  This is not the expected scenario for a young team, but Sinkgraven has the recipe right by blending in some veteran Dutch players with a group of  young western Canadian talents. Sinkgraven has his team well-prepared prior to game time, and except for the breakdowns in their 5-0 home loss to Montreal, the team seems unusually poised, patient and focused.  Paul Craig is emerging as an attacker to rely on, with a goal and an assist in Edmonton’s Saturday win over Atlanta and with the vital assist to Kooy Wednesday following a Alex Surprenant free kick. Lance Parker again did well deputizing for suspended goalkeeper Rein Baart, making two fine first half saves to keep FC Tampa Bay off the scoreboard. Veteran Dutch defender Paul Matthijs, hurt earlier this season, was able to go the full 90 in Tampa.

This team is for real.  FC Edmonton will now enjoy a break of 11 days before playing their next two games at Foote Field, and hopefully fans in western Canada will demonstrate strong support for a club they can take justifiable pride in.

Photo courtesy of Montreal Impact/Pépé

The Montreal Impact played a friendly Wednesday against future MLS rivals the NY Red Bulls, defeating the visiting New Yorkers 1-0 in front of over 12,500 fans at Saputo Stadium. Ali Gerba scored the game’s only goal in the 37th minute from a long-distance cross by Philippe Billy. Impact backup goalkeeper Evan Bush shut down the Red Bulls, making eight saves, including a diving stop on a point-blank chance by young U.S. international Juan Agudelo.  Newly acquired attacker Mignane Diouf saw his first game action for the Impact.

“We are on the verge of becoming a real team,” said Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. “We are finding our marks and building together. We were really honest and professional in our work tonight. We prepared to win the game and we did everything we could to get the victory. Every player did his work. The public was really good for us tonight and that’s what Montreal needs.”