The Fort Lauderdale Strikers (5W-5T-6L) scored three times, but it wasn’t enough for their first road win as the Carolina RailHawks (5W-6T-5L) scored in the dying moments of the match to finish 3-3 at WakeMed Soccer Park. Fort Lauderdale’s Walter Restrepo scored twice and forward Darnell King scored his first goal as a professional. The Strikers will look to carry their good offensive showing into their next game against the league-leading San Antonio Scorpions on Saturday, July 14, at Lockhart Stadium. The Strikers remain in sixth place in the NASL standings with 20 points on the season.
The RailHawks struck first in the game when a Carolina shot caromed off the post and right to a wide open Mike Palacio who tapped it in. It was the second goal on the season for the former Striker.
Fort Lauderdale would draw even in the 31st minute when Abe Thompson collected a forward pass and found a streaking Darnell King who wrong-footed Ray Burse for his first goal of the season. The goal was also the first as a professional for the Florida Atlantic University alum.
The Strikers would take the lead just two minutes later when Abe Thompson made a through ball pass to Walter Restrepo who beat Burse at the near post.
After halftime, the Strikers would continue their strong play and extended their lead to 3-1 when a counter-attacking Darnell King made a cross just out of reach of two Carolina defenders and in front of Walter Restrepo who scored his fifth of the season.
Carolina would get a goal back in the 87th minute when Palacio kept the ball inside the box and in the midst of several defenders found some space and beat Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser at the far post.
The match would make its way into stoppage time, and in the final moments of the added time, Palacio would send a cross all the way across the penalty area which bounced to an open Ty Shipilane. The RailHawks sub would beat Glaeser to tie the match and salvage a point for the home side.
Fort Lauderdale defender Toni Stahl will miss the next game after receiving a yellow card in the match. It was his fifth of the season, so he will have to serve a one-game suspension for accumulation.
The Strikers return home to Lockhart Stadium to face the league-leading San Antonio Scorpions on Saturday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. EDT.