The Silverbacks picked up a crucial win, while the Armada FC and the Scorpions settled for a draw
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers won for a third straight game and did so with a goalscoring frenzy in Week 9 of Fall Season action in the NASL.
Stefano Pinho netted a hat trick, moving to the top of the NASL scoring chart, as the Strikers posted seven goals in a 7-1 victory over Indy Eleven. Marlon Freitas and PC also added two goals apiece in the win.
The Atlanta Silverbacks jumped up to second place in the Fall Season Standings after picking up a 1-0 win over FC Edmonton. Junior Burgos tallied from a free kick for the lone goal of the match.
In Ottawa, the Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up a dramatic equalizer through Darwin Espinal to draw Fury FC, 2-2. The Rowdies overturned a two-goal deficit, and the draw snapped a three-game losing skid for Tampa Bay in the same week Stuart Campbell was named head coach.
Jacksonville Armada FC hosted the San Antonio Scorpions, after visiting the Lone Star State a weekend ago, and played to a 0-0 draw this time around. San Antonio won the previous Fall Season encounter, 1-0. After the match’s start was delayed over an hour, neither side could find a winner in a back-and-forth affair.
On Sunday, the New York Cosmos will square off with the Carolina RailHawks to round out the action in Week 9. The top team in the Combined Standings defeated Carolina, 3-1, last weekend. The RailHawks, however, should be well-rested for this contest after coming off a bye, while the Cosmos will play their third game in nine days.
Ottawa Fury FC 2, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
Fury FC (6W-3D-1L, 21 points) played to draw in a midweek match with the New York Cosmos and had to settle for a point once again. Paulo Junior opened the scoring in 18th minute, and Oliver doubled the home side’s advantage in the 31st minute. The Rowdies (2-2-6, 8), however, wouldn’t quit. Tamika Mkandawire pulled a goal back just two minutes later. After putting pressure on Ottawa throughout the second half, Tampa Bay found a dramatic equalizer. Second-half substitute Darwin Espinal nodded home in the 87thminute to snap a three-game losing skid for Tampa Bay. Ottawa has taken at least a point in 14 of its last 15 games.
Atlanta Silverbacks 1, FC Edmonton 0
With both sides entering the match with 15 points, it was a key clash for the sides if they are to make a push towards The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament. In a tight match, the Silverbacks (5-3-3, 18 points) were able to snag all three points late. Junior Burgos added his third goal of the season in the 81st minute with a low, curling free kick that Eddies (4-3-4, 15 points) goalkeeper Matt VanOekel was unable to keep out. The Silverbacks jumped up to second in the Fall Season Standings, while Edmonton has now dropped two matches in a row.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 7, Indy Eleven 1
The Strikers (4-4-2, 16 points) couldn’t stop scoring against Indy. Stefano Pinho found the back of the net in the second minute of the match with an acrobatic finish, and a mere five minutes later, PC converted a penalty to double the advantage. Indy’s Dane Richards scored for a third straight game in the 16th, but it would be all Strikers from then on. Marlon Freitas would restore the two-goal lead in the 20th minute with a curling effort from distance.
After Marco Franco picked up a red card to reduce Indy (2-3-5, 9 points) to ten men in the 50th minute, the floodgates would open. Freitas added his second goal with another strike from distance, and Pinho would add his second 10 minutes later. In the 81st minute, Pinho netted a third goal to complete his hat trick with his 12th goal of the year, as he now leads the NASL Golden Ball chase. PC would add his second goal of the match four minutes later.
The Strikers jumped up to fourth in the Combined Standings, which would have Fort Lauderdale in The Championship should they finish the season in the same spot or higher in the standings. The Strikers are now unbeaten in their last four, while Indy’s two-game unbeaten run came to an end.
Jacksonville Armada FC 0, San Antonio Scorpions 0
The start of the match between Jacksonville (3-1-5, 10 points) and San Antonio had to wait more than an hour, but both sides came out looking for all three points. Omar Cummings, who entered the night’s action as the leading scorer, tried to round Armada FC goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, but the ‘keeper did well to poke it away, and Lucas Scaglia made a block to keep out the follow-up effort in the 30th minute. Each team would trade chances throughout the rest of the match, but neither could find a breakthrough and had to settle for a share of the points.
Stefano Pinho netted a hat trick, moving to the top of the NASL scoring chart, as the Strikers posted seven goals in a 7-1 victory over Indy Eleven. Marlon Freitas and PC also added two goals apiece in the win.
The Atlanta Silverbacks jumped up to second place in the Fall Season Standings after picking up a 1-0 win over FC Edmonton. Junior Burgos tallied from a free kick for the lone goal of the match.
In Ottawa, the Tampa Bay Rowdies picked up a dramatic equalizer through Darwin Espinal to draw Fury FC, 2-2. The Rowdies overturned a two-goal deficit, and the draw snapped a three-game losing skid for Tampa Bay in the same week Stuart Campbell was named head coach.
Jacksonville Armada FC hosted the San Antonio Scorpions, after visiting the Lone Star State a weekend ago, and played to a 0-0 draw this time around. San Antonio won the previous Fall Season encounter, 1-0. After the match’s start was delayed over an hour, neither side could find a winner in a back-and-forth affair.
On Sunday, the New York Cosmos will square off with the Carolina RailHawks to round out the action in Week 9. The top team in the Combined Standings defeated Carolina, 3-1, last weekend. The RailHawks, however, should be well-rested for this contest after coming off a bye, while the Cosmos will play their third game in nine days.
Ottawa Fury FC 2, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
Fury FC (6W-3D-1L, 21 points) played to draw in a midweek match with the New York Cosmos and had to settle for a point once again. Paulo Junior opened the scoring in 18th minute, and Oliver doubled the home side’s advantage in the 31st minute. The Rowdies (2-2-6, 8), however, wouldn’t quit. Tamika Mkandawire pulled a goal back just two minutes later. After putting pressure on Ottawa throughout the second half, Tampa Bay found a dramatic equalizer. Second-half substitute Darwin Espinal nodded home in the 87thminute to snap a three-game losing skid for Tampa Bay. Ottawa has taken at least a point in 14 of its last 15 games.
Atlanta Silverbacks 1, FC Edmonton 0
With both sides entering the match with 15 points, it was a key clash for the sides if they are to make a push towards The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament. In a tight match, the Silverbacks (5-3-3, 18 points) were able to snag all three points late. Junior Burgos added his third goal of the season in the 81st minute with a low, curling free kick that Eddies (4-3-4, 15 points) goalkeeper Matt VanOekel was unable to keep out. The Silverbacks jumped up to second in the Fall Season Standings, while Edmonton has now dropped two matches in a row.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 7, Indy Eleven 1
The Strikers (4-4-2, 16 points) couldn’t stop scoring against Indy. Stefano Pinho found the back of the net in the second minute of the match with an acrobatic finish, and a mere five minutes later, PC converted a penalty to double the advantage. Indy’s Dane Richards scored for a third straight game in the 16th, but it would be all Strikers from then on. Marlon Freitas would restore the two-goal lead in the 20th minute with a curling effort from distance.
After Marco Franco picked up a red card to reduce Indy (2-3-5, 9 points) to ten men in the 50th minute, the floodgates would open. Freitas added his second goal with another strike from distance, and Pinho would add his second 10 minutes later. In the 81st minute, Pinho netted a third goal to complete his hat trick with his 12th goal of the year, as he now leads the NASL Golden Ball chase. PC would add his second goal of the match four minutes later.
The Strikers jumped up to fourth in the Combined Standings, which would have Fort Lauderdale in The Championship should they finish the season in the same spot or higher in the standings. The Strikers are now unbeaten in their last four, while Indy’s two-game unbeaten run came to an end.
Jacksonville Armada FC 0, San Antonio Scorpions 0
The start of the match between Jacksonville (3-1-5, 10 points) and San Antonio had to wait more than an hour, but both sides came out looking for all three points. Omar Cummings, who entered the night’s action as the leading scorer, tried to round Armada FC goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, but the ‘keeper did well to poke it away, and Lucas Scaglia made a block to keep out the follow-up effort in the 30th minute. Each team would trade chances throughout the rest of the match, but neither could find a breakthrough and had to settle for a share of the points.
STANDINGS
| P | Team | Pld | Pts |
| 1 | Ottawa Fury FC | 10 | 21 |
| 2 | Atlanta Silverbacks | 11 | 18 |
| 3 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | New York Cosmos | 9 | 16 |
| 5 | Minnesota United FC | 9 | 15 |
| 6 | FC Edmonton | 11 | 15 |
| 7 | Jacksonville Armada FC | 10 | 11 |
| 8 | San Antonio Scorpions | 9 | 9 |
| 9 | Indy Eleven | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Carolina RailHawks | 9 | 8 |
| 11 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 10 | 8 |
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