Miami Looks To Clinch No. 1 Seed As Others Fight For Spots In Postseason
Photo credit: Miami FC
The race to the postseason in the NASL is heating up with the final month of Fall Season action in full swing. Two contests took place on Wednesday night as Indy Eleven claimed a 2-1 win over Puerto Rico FC and the top two teams in the Combined Standings – Miami FC and San Francisco Deltas – played to a 1-1 draw.
Clubs will continue to jockey for positions in the race to The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament, starting with a Friday night kickoff between FC Edmonton and Jacksonville Armada FC at Clarke Stadium. Jacksonville currently sits two points adrift of the final postseason berth.
On Saturday night, three other matchups will get underway. Puerto Rico FC faces off with North Carolina FC, which is looking to solidify its favorable place in the Combined Standings. Indy and the New York Cosmos will both look to gather momentum after earning respective victories against Puerto Rico recently, while Miami and San Francisco will battle once more in Florida. Miami can clinch the top seed in the postseason with a win or draw.
A preview of each Week 11 matchup can be found below:
FC Edmonton vs. Jacksonville Armada FC
9 p.m. ET | Friday, October 6
Clarke Stadium | Edmonton, Alberta
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), NASL.com (National – Canada), Facebook Live (National – Canada), CW (Local – Jacksonville), Great38 (Local – Tampa Bay)
FC Edmonton enters Friday night’s clash hoping to end a two-game losing streak overall and a three-game skid against Jacksonville Armada FC – all three previous matchups finished with 1-0 scorelines. The Eddies dropped the past two games to the San Francisco Deltas, most recently a 1-0 loss at home. The club will be without Dustin Corea, who scored the club’s last two goals, as the Salvadoran international will be with the national team in a friendly against Canada.
Jacksonville is hovering near a postseason berth, but the club needs to get back on the scoresheet if it is going to qualify for The Championship. The club has been shut out in the past three games (1D-2L). Jacksonville is unbeaten in all three meetings with Edmonton, scoring two of its three goals against the Eddies this season after the 75th minute.
Puerto Rico FC vs. North Carolina FC
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, October 7
Sahlen’s Stadium | Cary, N.C.
Watch | ESPN3 (National – U.S.), NASL.com (National – Canada)
Puerto Rico FC has played twice since returning to the field after Hurricane Maria, and while both games were close – 1-0 loss to the New York Cosmos and 2-1 loss to Indy Eleven – the club is still seeking its first points since its return to action. Puerto Rico has earned draws in its last two games against North Carolina FC and both came at Sahlen’s Stadium, where the clubs will play on Saturday night.
North Carolina heads into the contest with plenty of confidence. The club has won its last two games, earning a 2-0 road win against the Cosmos and then following it up with a 5-0 win against Indy. Renan Gorne, on loan from Botafogo, has been in stellar form. The Brazilian has racked up three goals and an assist in those two victories.
Indy Eleven vs. New York Cosmos
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, October 7
Carroll Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind.
Watch | ESPN3* (National – U.S.), NASL.com (National – Canada), WISH-TV (Local – Indianapolis), MSG Networks (Regional – NY/NJ/CT/PA), MSG GO (Regional – NY/NJ/CT/PA)
Indy Eleven ended a three-game losing (and scoreless) streak with its 2-1 victory on Wednesday over Puerto Rico FC. Forward Eamon Zayed celebrated his birthday in style with a pair of goals to lift the Boys in Blue to victory. The victory kept Indy in the hunt for the postseason and a win against the New York Cosmos this weekend would be key. It would pull Indy within two points of the club currently sitting in the fourth and final postseason position.
The Cosmos ended a nine-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Puerto Rico on Saturday. Javi Márquez, who is tied for second on the team in goals with five, scored the lone goal in the contest. It was the club’s first victory since its Fall Season opener. Last weekend’s victory could just be what New York needs to get back on track in its pursuit for yet another NASL title.
Miami FC vs. San Francisco Deltas
7:30 p.m. ET | Saturday, October 7
Riccardo Silva Stadium | Miami, Fla.
Watch | beIN SPORTS En Español (National – U.S., Canada), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (National – U.S.), CW South Florida (Local – Miami)
Miami FC is on the cusp of clinching the No. 1 seed in The Championship, but was forced to wait a little longer after a 1-1 draw with the San Francisco Deltas on Wednesday. Vincenzo Rennella put his name on the scoresheet for the first time in the Fall Season as he returned to the starting lineup for the first time since July 29. Miami has another chance to clinch the top seed against the Deltas, who sit in second in the Combined Standings, this weekend.
San Francisco didn’t record a victory, but it certainly was a confidence-boosting draw. The club had lost its two previous contests with Miami by a combined score of 10-1. Pablo Dyego scored for the Deltas in the 1-1 draw, converting a penalty kick that he earned himself. San Francisco heads into the weekend unbeaten in its last five games.
*In the NY/NJ/CT/PA, the match can be seen on MSG GO, not ESPN3
