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NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota is the venue for the last regular season meeting between Minnesota Stars FC and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The last time out, the Stars defeated the Strikers 2-1 at home, winning the season series between the teams with a 2-1-0 record and a game left to play.

The match against Fort Lauderdale will be the Stars fourth match of a four-game home stand that included big wins against Puerto Rico Islanders and Tampa Bay Rowdies, and a loss to a new-look Atlanta Silverbacks side. Last weekend the Stars returned to winning ways, defeating the Rowdies by two goals to one. Former Strikers forward Martin Nuñez opened the scoring, before Kentaro Takada scored the eventual game-winner .

At the weekend the Fort Lauderdale Strikers drew 2-2 with the league-leading San Antonio Scorpions at Lockhart Stadium. Andy Herron looked to have won the game for Fort Lauderdale with his second goal of the match, scoring off a free kick just outside the box in the 90^th minute, but the Scorpions pressed for an equalizer and found it through Pablo Campos who pulled his team level with his league-high tenth goal of the season.

Campos’ stoppage-time equalizer means that the Strikers have dropped points three matches in a row because of an inability to maintain a lead. The week before, up 3-1 on the road against the Carolina RailHawks, Fort Lauderdale conceded twice in the dying minutes in the match to draw 3-3.

Should the Strikers take the lead, they will have to keep focus for the entire 90 minutes as the Stars are no strangers to scoring late goals. In the month of April alone, Minnesota scored three times in the final five minutes to snatch a win in Edmonton and a secure a dramatic draw in Atlanta. A win would see the Stars level on points with the league-leaders, San Antonio. The Strikers, seven points ahead of seventh-placed Atlanta, are hanging on for the sixth and final playoff berth as the gap between the two clubs continues to get smaller.

Minnesota Stars FC vs. Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Wednesday, July 18, 2012— 8:30 P.M. EDT

NSC Stadium   Blaine, MN

Webcast: NASL on ustream

2012 Series:  Minnesota, 2-1-0, 7 points

2011 Series:  Fort Lauderdale, 2-2-0, 8 points

                                                Minnesota                       Fort Lauderdale

Head Coach                        Manny Lagos                    Daryl Shore

2012 Records                    4th: 7-5-4, 26 points         6th: 5-5-6, 21 points                        

Last Five Games                W L W L W                          L W L T T

Goals Leader                     Simone Bracalello (4)      Mark Anderson (7)         

                                              Martin Nuñez (4)                Andy Herron (7)

                                              Amani Walker (4)

Assists Leader                 Brian Kallman (3)             Walter Restrepo (6)

                                              Amani Walker (3)

Minnesota

• The Stars are five points ahead of the sixth-placed Strikers in 4^th, and have played one less match the visitors.
• Martin Nuñez has scored three goals in his last three home matches.
• Three different players are joint top scorer for the Stars this season.

Fort Lauderdale

• The Strikers have picked up just two points from a possible six after allowing stoppage-time equalizers in each of their last two matches.
• Playmaker Walter Restrepo leads the league with six assists.
• Fort Lauderdale have signed Real Salt Lake Forward Paulo Jr. on loan.