Indy, Tampa Bay Win In Dramatic Fashion To Headline Wild Night Of Spring Season Action

Photo credit: Matt May/Tampa Bay Rowdies

The unbeaten Carolina RailHawks are perched atop the NASL Spring Season Standings after Saturday’s 1-0 win against Ottawa Fury FC.

Tiyi Shipalane’s swerving blast from 20 yards out gave Carolina its third straight victory and sole possession of first place after the New York Cosmos yielded two late goals to fall on the road to Indy Eleven.

Minnesota United FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies also claimed victories on Saturday night. In the lone Friday match, Tony Meola earned his first win as coach of Jacksonville Armada FC with a 2-1 defeat of expansion side Miami FC.

Carolina RailHawks 1, Ottawa Fury FC 0

After Ottawa (0-1-2, 1 point) goalkeeper Romuald Peiser denied Carolina (3-0-0, 9) with four difficult saves, the unbeaten RailHawks broke through in the 47th minute at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Nazmi Albadawi found Tiyi Shipalane at the top of the penalty area for a curling left-footed shot that beat Peiser to the top-left corner. The visiting Fury FC pushed hard for an equalizer, causing some nervy moments for the RailHawks near the end of the match, but in the end they couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Indy Eleven 2, New York Cosmos 1

After being six minutes away from their third straight win, New York couldn't finish the job on the road as Indy Eleven scored twice in stoppage time. Indy’s victory ended a string of six straight draws between the two sides.

After a scoreless first half, visiting New York (2W-0D-1L, 6 points) took the lead on a penalty kick by Niko Kranjčar past Indy Eleven (1-2-0, 5) goalkeeper Jon Busch in the 47th minute at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis. Indy tied the match late when Eamon Zayed converted a penalty kick past Kyle Zobeck, the Cosmos backup to Jimmy Maurer. Maurer missed the match after his wife gave birth to the couple’s third child. Indy completed its improbable comeback when Zayed slid a rebound into the back of the net deep into second-half stoppage time. 

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1, FC Edmonton 0

Tom Heinemann scored his first goal as a member of the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-2-0, 5 points) in the 74th minute, heading a pass from Eric Avila past Eddies (0-1-2, 1 point) goalkeeper Matt VanOekel. Avila used a nifty turn from a throw-in to set up the goal. Matt Pickens preserved the Tampa Bay victory in the game’s dying moments when he turned away a penalty kick by FC Edmonton’s Tomi Ameobi.

Minnesota United 3, Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0

Fort Lauderdale (0-1-1, 1 point) was reduced to 10 men when Geison Moura was shown a red card in the 22nd minute, and the Strikers paid the price before the halftime whistle. For Minnesota, the victory was its second straight after a loss at Carolina in Week 1.

The Loons (2-0-1, 6), playing their first game at home after opening the Spring Season with two on the road, received first-half goals from Damion Lowe (header from a Ben Speas corner in the 40th) and Christian Ramirez (his second of the year, in first-half injury time) at NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minn. An own goal by Fort Lauderdale made it 3-0 in the 69th minute.

Jacksonville Armada FC 2, Miami FC 1

U.S. men’s national team legend Tony Meola recorded his first win as a head coach on Friday night, leading Jacksonville Armada FC to a 2-1 triumph over fellow Florida side Miami FC (0-2-1, 2 points) at Community First Park in Jacksonville, Fla. Honduran midfielder Junior Sandoval and Haitian international Pascal Millien found the back of the net for the home side, providing enough offense to top Dario Cvitanich’s lone strike for the visitors.

Cvitanich appeared to open the scoring in the early going, but the Argentine striker was in an offside position while heading home from close range. Moments later, the Armada FC (1-0-1, 3) took the lead through Sandoval, who fired an impressive long-distance strike into the top corner. The home side then added to its lead in the 37th minute when Millien fired past a diving Mario Daniel Vega to make it 2-1.

The Armada FC wouldn't relinquish the lead in its home opener, despite a scare when Cvitanich had a second goal called back early in the second half.