Chance for revenge: FC Edmonton to open season against Fort Lauderdale

FC Edmonton will get its chance for revenge when the NASL season opens April 7. For the second year in a row, the Eddies will open the NASL season in Fort Lauderdale. NASL announced the dates and opponents for the home openers of all eight member teams on Monday. The Eddies came back to beat Fort Lauderdale 2-1 in the 2011 season opener, thanks to a highlight-reel rocket from Shaun Saiko and a winner from the now-departed Dan Antoniuk. But, unfortunately, more fans will remember the 5-0 shellacking the Strikers laid on the Eddies in the opening round of the playoffs. FC Edmonton picked the worst time to play its worst game of the season. The Eddies will open at home on April 22 against the league champion NSC Minnesota Stars. The Stars beat the Strikers in the the two-legged NASL finals, capping off one of the year’s finest Cinderella stories in soccer. Minnesota entered the playoffs as the bottom seed, then upset FC Tampa Bay, the regular-season champion Carolina RailHawks and then the Strikers on the way to the title. We know when the Eddies will open at home, but the question still remains as to where the game will be played. FCE has not committed to a second season on the bouncy turf at Foote Field, and discussions have been held between management and the City to find the team a new home as well as a long-term plan for a 10,000-15,000-seat soccer stadium. Clarke Stadium, which currently holds 1,200 and is located next door to Commonwealth Stadium, has been one of the venues discussed, but no formal announcement of a move has been made. If Clarke could be made available for 2012, it would need work done to get it up to NASL specs. FCE general manager Tom Leip has said earlier this year that the club is open to many possible venues for a permanent stadium. With the tournament that had been known as the Nutrilite Canadian Championship (new name expected for 2012) needing to be pushed back to accommodate a possible Toronto FC run into the CONCACAF Champions League, it’s a safe bet that, unlike last season, FCE’s NASL home opener will happen before its CC match. FC Edmonton will face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the opening round, and Edmonton’s home leg will take place at Commonwealth Stadium, because the turf there can be made free of the Canadian football lines. Tournament regulations don’t allow Canadian championship games to be played on fields that have clashing lines and markings with other sports. RELATED: FC Edmonton, City officials meet to discuss stadium (CLICK) FIFA head of women’s competition gives Edmonton stamp of approval for WWC (CLICK)