LEAGUE PREVIEW | Cosmos Aim To Continue Unbeaten Run, United Or Armada FC Can Jump To Second Place
The 2015 Spring Season finale is rapidly approaching, and the race for the championship is becoming much clearer in the standings. Week 8 action gets underway on Saturday with an afternoon affair between Ottawa Fury FC and Indy Eleven at TD Place.
Kicking off the Saturday night fixtures are the unbeaten New York Cosmos and the surging San Antonio Scorpions, who will meet at 7 p.m. ET at Shuart Stadium. Matches in Fort Lauderdale and Minnesota get underway at 7:30 and 8 p.m. ET, respectively.
FC Edmonton will host the Atlanta Silverbacks to round out league play at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Ottawa Fury FC vs. Indy Eleven
3 p.m. ET | Saturday, May 23
TD Place | Ottawa, Ontario
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), OttawaFuryFC.com (National – Canada/U.S.), Rogers TV (Local – Ottawa)
Ottawa and Indy are each seeking their second wins of the 2015 Spring Season, and the second-year clubs will look to snap two-match losing skids to build positive momentum as the Spring Season nears its close. The similarities continue for the sides, as they both have been goal-shy of late.
Sergio Peña leads the Eleven with two goals on the season, while Ottawa has four players with one goal. Fury FC’s last goal came on April 25 when Rafael Alves scored against his former team in a 3-1 loss to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
New York Cosmos vs. San Antonio Scorpions
7 p.m. ET | Saturday, May 23
Shuart Stadium | Hempstead, N.Y.
Watch | ONE World Sports (National – U.S.), KSAT MeTV 12.2 (Local – San Antonio)
The resurgent San Antonio Scorpions will head into Shuart Stadium with confidence after back-to-back wins. Alen Marcina’s side will also take confidence from the past success they have had in New York. San Antonio beat the Cosmos twice at Shuart last season, and the first time was the Cosmos’ first loss in their history at the stadium. The Cosmos will be seeking revenge after losing to the Scorpions in all four meetings last season, including in The Championship Semifinal.
Walter Restrepo, who forced the own goal that defeated the Cosmos, has swapped jerseys and has been in stellar form for the unbeaten side. For the visitors, Billy Forbes has shifted the Scorpions’ Spring Season campaign from one that was falling by the wayside to one that can finish with much promise. The Turks and Caicos international has tallied two goals and one assist in the last two Scorpions victories.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Carolina RailHawks
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, May 23
Lockhart Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), WRAL2 (Local – Cary/Raleigh)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Carolina RailHawks have both shown inconsistent form in the Spring Season, and sit on seven points apiece after seven weeks. The RailHawks - after winning 3-1 to start the season - have yet to claim another victory, going winless in their last six matches. Fort Lauderdale’s last win came when they beat Ottawa on April 25.
Fort Lauderdale should feel confident heading into the match, having never lost to the RailHawks in seven previous meetings at Lockhart Stadium (6W-1D-0L). The Strikers, who were without captain Léo Moura last week, will hope for a return to the lineup for the Brazilian midfielder to bolster their chances of continuing the streak. The RailHawks will hope for more strong play from Tiyi Shipalane, as the South African native scored and assisted in last week’s 2-2 draw with the Cosmos. Mark Anderson and Chris Nurse will also return to the place they called home last season, and they may come with a point to prove against their former club.
Minnesota United vs. Jacksonville Armada FC
8 p.m. ET | Saturday, May 23NSC Stadium | Blaine, Minn.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), KSTC45-TV (Local – Minneapolis/St.Paul) CW17 (Local – Jacksonville)
Jacksonville Armada FC is making its first trip outside of the Southeastern U.S., traveling to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to face Minnesota United. The Armada FC has yet to win on the road in three previous matches, but secured its first road point in club history in a 1-1 draw against the Atlanta Silverbacks last week. Alhassane Keita leads the expansion side with three goals so far.
It will be a stern test for Jacksonville, as they visit a Loons side that is rounding into form as winners of their past two matches. Miguel Ibarra has continued to shine on the flanks, while Kalif Alhassan has grown in confidence in his first NASL season. The result will have a big impact on the standings with both sides looking to leapfrog the Rowdies in the standings.
FC Edmonton vs. Atlanta Silverbacks
4 p.m. ET | Sunday, May 24
Clarke Field | Edmonton, Alberta
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), City TV (Local – Edmonton)
FC Edmonton may have weary legs, but the club will need to rebound after its Amway Canadian Championship Semifinal exit to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. After seeing their 11-match home unbeaten streak snapped last week against the Scorpions, the Eddies are now coming off of a two-match losing skid at Clarke Field. Edmonton continues to find goals, as Tomi Ameobi has scored in seven straight matches across all competitions and Lance Laing, Sainey Nyassi, and Daryl Fordyce all remaining goal-scoring threats. The Eddies will need to tighten up at the back, as they’ve conceded a league-leading 14 goals.
The Silverbacks are in the exact opposite position. The defense has been tough to break down, but the club hasn’t troubled teams often enough at the other end, which has resulted in a lot of draws. They picked up their fifth of the Spring Season in a 1-1 affair with Jacksonville. Hans Denissen scored his first NASL goal since September 22, 2013, and could become the catalyst for more inventive attacking play from the visitors.
