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SIZING UP THE CANDIDATES | NASL Golden Glove

With the Fall Season entering its home stretch, here is a look at potential Golden Glove winners
Matthew Levine (@NASLInsider} | Sep 27, 2016

Photo credit: Indy Eleven/Trevor Ruszkowski

The NASL Golden Glove is awarded to the goalkeeper that has the best goals against average (GAA) at the end of the year and several candidates have emerged. The race to The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament, is heating up and so is the push to claim yearly awards. Here’s a look at some potential candidates to claim the Golden Glove at season’s end:

Matt VanOekel (FC Edmonton) – The Eddies shot-stopper has been on an incredible run and has only conceded 15 goals in 25 games, which is good for a GAA of 0.60 to date. VanOekel helped keep opponents scoreless for 535 minutes earlier in the year and has 13 clean sheets so far. If he continues to perform at a similar level, the Eddies will reach the postseason for the first time since 2011 and VanOekel will claim several NASL records, while on track to claim the Golden Glove award.  

Jimmy Maurer (New York Cosmos) – The Cosmos goalkeeper, since taking up the starting role in 2014, is always in the hunt for the Golden Glove. He has missed out the last two years by narrow margins and again is slightly behind. Maurer, the NASL leader in career clean sheets, has 11 in 2016 and has a GAA of 0.86 in 22 starts.

Jon Busch (Indy Eleven) – Goalkeepers often get better with age and Busch has been no exception in his first year with Indy. The 40-year-old ‘keeper has kept eight clean sheets and a GAA of 1.00, starting in 25 of the Eleven’s 26 games so far. Indy is currently hunting a split-season double after winning the Spring Season.

Sammy Ndjock (Minnesota United) – He is tied for third with most clean sheets during the year with nine, but the Loons’ back line has wobbled in recent weeks. Still, Ndjock has a GAA of 1.05 in 22 starts during the year.

Brian Sylvestre (Carolina RailHawks) – The young ‘keeper has split time with Akira Fitzgerald for the RailHawks, but of late Sylvestre has gotten a run of games. Carolina has only given up two goals in the last five games and Sylvestre now has four shutouts on the year to go along with his 1.08 GAA. While he still needs three more games to reach the threshold to qualify, he should reach the needed 16 games as the RailHawks remain in the hunt for The Championship.

Outside Chance: Daniel Vega (Miami FC) and Daniel Fernandes (Rayo OKC) – Both shot-stoppers are at or near the top of the saves list in 2016 and also have kept a slew of clean sheets – Vega has nine, while Fernandes has seven, While posting impressive marks, the ‘keepers are just a bit back currently with GAA. Fernandes’ stands at 1.15, while Vega has posted a 1.20 GAA throughout the year. Vega and Fernandes have both started and played every game for their clubs to date.  

 

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