By: Pedro Heizer
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers upset the league leading Carolina RailHawks on Saturday in a 2-1 thrilling victory in front of 3,109 fans at Lockhart Stadium.
The strikers came motivated to this game, they wanted to prove that they could beat the best team in the league and they accomplished just that with their 2-1 victory. “I think this game says we’re going to be a team to be reckoned with,” said Shore. “We had a two game homestand, and we had to have six points. It helps with our confidence to go out and get results on the road.”
The Strikers got on the board early in the 38th minute with a sensational goal by Walter Restrepo who scored from 30 yards in to the upper left corner of the net. This was Restrepo’s first goal of the season in only his second start of the season.
Fort Lauderdale held the best team in the league in check during the entire 1st half, in fact, the last time that the Carolina RailHawks trailed at the half was on April 9th.
The Strikers were not only playing against the RailHawks in this game, but also against the referees who kept his whistle quite when RailHawks players would foul but would blow them as soon as a Striker would do something to them.
The Strikers had a total of six yellow cards compared to the mere one Carolina received, “I think those were bad decisions by the guy in green. I think he [the referee] was inconsistent” said Coach Shore about the referee situation.
Forward Abe Thompson was shown the red card in the 66th minute for a foul that did not look like nothing but a routine push, “The RailHawks could foul us all they wanted and as soon as we touched them the ref would give us a yellow card” added Coach Shore
The RailHawks tied the game at one in the 72nd minute with a goal by John Krause on a rebound after a Matt Glaeser save.
Then, in stoppage time the smallest player on the field came up big yet again, Martin Nunez (5’6) scored the game-winning goal after coming in the game in the last 10 minutes. “Martin is frustrated because he’s not starting,” coach Shore said. “For him to come in the final 10 minutes and make a difference is huge.”
“I came with a lot of energy off the bench, had 10 minutes to play and made the most of my time and was blessed to be able to score the game winning goal” said Nunez of his goal.
With the win, the Strikers are now one point behind 5th place FC Edmonton and four points behind third place Minnesota.