CSA president says Canadians should focus on qualifying for Copa America, not bellyaching over the process 1 May 2014 “I think that the days of excuses are over. For us, we have the ability to qualify for a spot, and we have to play for it."
Teenage fanclub: Boakai’s magical night propels FCE into Voyageurs Cup semifinal 1 May 2014 Hanson Boakai, who graduates from high school on Thursday, put in one of the most dominating individual performances in the history of the Voyageurs’ Cup. FC Edmonton eliminated the Ottawa Fury with a 3-1 win, and will face the Montreal Impact next Wednesday at Clarke Stadium in the first leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal.
Fury brims with confidence heading into crucial second leg 30 Apr 2014 “If you would have asked me before the first game what would have been the perfect result, I would have said 5-0,” said Fury coach Marc Dos Santos after the team’s Tuesday evening training session at Clarke Stadium. “But, if you are going to have a tie, a nil-nil score is the best score you can have. It leaves everything wide open for the second game, you’ve given yourself a chance.”
Voyageurs Cup: Eddies predict goals aplenty in the second leg against Ottawa 29 Apr 2014 Miller said that he felt the Eddies should have won the first leg going away. “In the game in Ottawa, we should have scored two or three. Ottawa created next to nothing, in all honesty.”
Historic hat trick earns Oliver the NASL Player of the Week nod 28 Apr 2014 In an announcement that surprises absolutely no one who follows the NASL on a regular basis, Ottawa Fury forward Oliver Minatel has been named the league’s player of the week.
FCE coach Miller: “I should have been arrested, I was that angry” after handball call 27 Apr 2014 “In my life, I’ve never said so many bad words in such a short period of time. I should have been arrested, I was that angry. I said it after the Ottawa game and I will say it again, the standard of the officiating has got to be better."
Miller: FCE “in the driver’s seat” after first-leg draw in Ottawa 24 Apr 2014 In a game that had very few decent chances, FCE had a wonderful chance to steal the game at the death. Striker Frank Jonke got the ball in the middle of the box after Horace James was able to slide and make a pass after recovering his own blocked shot. But Ottawa keeper Devala Gorrick was able to make a sliding stop.
Eddies shut out by Cosmos in front of record crowd at Clarke 20 Apr 2014 Despite the big crowd and an FC Edmonton attack that has been changed over from last season, there were some storylines that FCE supporters would find all too familiar. The Eddies, who boasted the worst offence and best defence in NASL last season, took until the 68th minute to actually place a shot on frame, an effort from striker Frank Jonke that was blocked by Cosmos keeper Jimmy Maurer.
As MLS announces expansion franchises, the temptation to add more playoff teams needs to be curbed 17 Apr 2014 As expansion ramps up, critics will claim MLS is watering itself down. But this next period of expansion offers a perfect time to answer those critics, to make the playoffs more exclusive. Even by knocking it back to eight teams, it would allow MLS to claim that, by 2017, you’d have just one-third of the clubs making the post-season. And you would have a situation like NASL, where games matter right off the bat.
Citytv and FC Edmonton announce broadcast deal: Geoblocking plans have been aborted 16 Apr 2014 To make it work, Citytv/Rogers will broadcast the games on Sunday afternoons through the season, but won’t be streaming the matches.