Strikers Move Into Second Place in NASL Standings with 3-1 Win Versus Edmonton

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers left Canada with the full three points after defeating FC Edmonton 3-1 at Clarke Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta. With the win, the Strikers (3W-0T-1L) move up to take sole possession of second place in the NASL standings.

Goals from Martin Nuñez and Fafà Picault put the Strikers up 2-0 with a half-hour to play. Edmonton cut the deficit through Daryl Fordyce but a Mark Anderson penalty kick ensured the Strikers claimed victory.

As the match approached halftime it looked like the teams would go into the dressing rooms level. With just five minutes left in the first half, Nuñez got on the end of a low cross from Picault, turned his defender and fired the Strikers into the lead.

Edmonton made two substitutes at halftime, but it was the Strikers who came out in the second half looking like the stronger side. In the 63rd minute a long ball was headed down into the box by Darnell King into the path of Picault, who beat his defender and the goalkeeper to the ball to double the Strikers’ advantage.

The hosts cut the scoreline in half just ten minutes later. Substitute Daryl Fordyce got on the end of a pass from Tomi Ameobi and used the back of his heel to turn the ball past Oka Nikolov in the Strikers goal.

But an Edmonton comeback was not on the cards. Minutes after making the score 2-1, Albert Watson was called for a handball in the box. The FC Edmonton captain was shown a straight red card and ejected from the match.

Mark Anderson stepped up to take the ensuing penalty kick and made no mistake with his effort, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to restore the Strikers’ two-goal cushion, and sending the Strikers into second place.