10 NASL Matches To Watch In 2016
The 2016 NASL season’s Opening Kick is a little more than two months away.
Some teams have already begun their preparations in preseason training camps (the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have even played in an international tournament, the Florida Cup), while others have announced travel plans (FC Edmonton will train and play games in Scotland).
Some of the regular-season games certain to draw interest are obvious. For example: The Championship Final rematch between the New York Cosmos and Ottawa Fury FC on opening weekend; and the debuts of the league’s three new teams, Miami FC and Rayo OKC in the Spring Season and Puerto Rico FC in the Fall Season. What follows is a list of 10 games, in no particular order, that are certain to be high on the curiosity meter as the league prepares for the sixth season of the NASL’s Modern Era:
New York Cosmos vs. Ottawa Fury FC (Sunday, April 3): Back in November, the Cosmos and Fury FC played a mesmerizing Championship Final as New York won, 3-2, to capture the club’s unprecedented seventh NASL title across the Golden and Modern Eras, and second title in three years. The teams will be back at Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, NY, for their season opener when the Cosmos will hoist their championship banner. Many of the faces on both teams will have changed – with the retirements of the Cosmos star Spanish twosome, Raúl and Marcos Senna, and Ottawa’s revamp under its new coach Paul Dalglish – but the rivalry is most definitely on.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Miami FC (Saturday, April 2): The first in what is expected to be a spirited and competitive South Florida Derby between one of the NASL’s newest teams and one of the league’s legacy franchises, this one at Lockhart Stadium. Miami FC, under the direction of co-owner Paolo Maldini and coach Alessandro Nesta, has hit the ground running – the club has unveiled striking uniforms (offering a choice of three jerseys) while also quickly constructing an impressive roster that includes familiar names like David Sierra, Dane Richards and Jonathan Borrajo, and a collection of quality internationals like Wilson Palacios, Matuzalém, and Dario Cvitanich. For their part, the Strikers have been remade by coach Caio Zanardi with the additions of players like Kléberson, Adrianinho, and Maicon Santos. It’s all about rivalries and this one is sure to be hot from the get-go.
Rayo OKC vs. FC Edmonton (Saturday, April 2): Rayo OKC, a joint venture of the Spanish La Liga club Rayo Vallecano de Madrid and the local Oklahoma City businessman Sean Jones, may have lagged behind Miami FC in cobbling together a roster. Nevertheless, the excitement about the club’s debut at Miller Stadium has been ramping up and is palpable, especially after the rapid fire announcements of Alen Marcina as the club’s first coach and the addition of Sebastian Velasquez, Pecka, and Rauwshan McKenzie. Oklahoma City is a new market for the NASL with oodles of potential.
Puerto Rico FC vs. Indy Eleven (Saturday, July 2): It will be the NBA offseason for Puerto Rico FC’s owner Carmelo Anthony, but the beginning of a new era for soccer and the NASL on the Caribbean island when the club hits the field at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium. Anthony, who has family ties to the island, promises an exciting team led by coach Adrian Whitbread and built by technical director Neil Sillett.
Jacksonville Armada FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (Saturday, June 11): This tilt will be the first meeting of the year between two revamped Florida squads. Jacksonville is now led by the former U.S. international goalkeeper Tony Meola, who has recast a roster with the additions of players like Richie Ryan, Tyler Ruthven, Pekka Lagerblom, and Bryan Burke. Across the peninsula, the Rowdies will be playing for coach Stuart Campbell, who will trot out Freddy Adu from the start of the season to form a potentially exciting link up with Tommy Heinemann, who emerged as a star last year with Ottawa Fury FC.
Miami FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (Saturday, April 9): Miami FC, the only professional soccer team within the Miami city limits, opens the home portion of its schedule at Ocean Bank Field against their rivals from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Less than a month later, Miami FC hosts the defending NASL Champion New York Cosmos on May 7.
FC Edmonton vs. Ottawa Fury FC (Sunday July 17); Ottawa Fury FC vs. FC Edmonton (Saturday, Sept. 3): The NASL’s two Canadian clubs, in addition to facing each other three times in the league’s regular season, will play each other in the Amway Canadian Championship. These two matches will also serve as a prelude to a series of World Cup qualifiers for Canada’s national team that is certain to include Eddies and Fury FC players. Edmonton’s potential national teamers include Mallan Roberts, Allan Zebie, Nik Ledgerwood, and Sadi Jalali. Ottawa boasts the national team captain Julian de Guzman, plus Mauro Eustaquio.
Miami FC vs. Rayo OKC (Saturday, April 23): The first meeting of the year between two of the league’s expansion teams will be an early measure of who has hit the ground running in 2016. But it’s a long season and snap judgments have a way of melting in the summer heat.
Minnesota United FC vs. New York Cosmos (Saturday, Oct. 29): The final weekend of the regular season could have a significant impact on the composition of The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament, if past history rings true in 2016.
Indy Eleven vs. Ottawa Fury FC (Saturday, April 9): Many new faces in new places, most prominent among them midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic and defender Colin Falvey, who helped Fury FC advance to The Championship Final last year and now play for the Boys in Blue.
