Forward David Santamaria scored late to give the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (6-10-5, 28 points) a hard fought draw on the road against FC Edmonton (7-5-9, 26 points) at Foote Field on Sunday, August 14. The Strikers move up to a tie for fourth place in the NASL with the NSC Minnesota Stars, three points behind FC Tampa Bay for third.
“We are happy with the point,” said head coach Daryl Shore. “We didn’t play our best soccer and the field was tough, that being said the guys battled for the result.”
FC Edmonton took the lead in the 29th minute when midfielder Chris Lemire took a corner kick and defender Paul Hamilton connected with a strong header directed past Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser. The teams traded opportunities, but the first half ended 1-0 in favor of FC Edmonton.
In the second half, the Strikers came out strong with several scoring chances, but Edmonton turned them away each time. The breakthrough came in the 79th minute when midfielder Mike Palacio put a free kick cross in toward goal, and Santamaria lifted his boot above his head and struck the ball with his back to the goal to score for Fort Lauderdale.
The goal is Santamaria’s second of the year, as is Palacio’s assist. The Strikers have scored at least one goal in their last 10 games. The Strikers defense has also been sharp during their unbeaten streak, as they have allowed two goals in the last four games.
The Strikers next travel to Carolina when they complete their road trip against the league-leading RailHawks on Saturday, August 20, at 7:00p.m.