Home NASL & USL FC Edmonton Eddies go off for six goals against the RailHawks

Eddies go off for six goals against the RailHawks

14
0
833

FC Edmonton scored five times in its first eight NASL games of the season.

The Eddies scored six on Sunday. Daryl Fordyce scored 34 seconds into the match, the fastest goal from the start of a game so far this NASL season, and the Eddies were on their way to a 6-1 hiding of the Carolina RailHawks.

What a way to win your first league home game of the season — in attempt No. 4, the final match of the NASL spring season. Minnesota won the spring season title on Saturday night.

Fordyce had a hat trick; while Tomi Ameobi and Lance Laing each scored. At the death of the match, after a bizarre handball in the box, teenager Sadi Jalali got his first ever professional goal from the penalty spot.

“It’s been a disappointing season so far,” said Fordyce. “We know we’re a good team, and we showed it today.”

“The results have been unfair to us so far,” said Laing. “Everyone who has come out to watch us train, to see how hard we work, they know that we should be better in this league.”

“It wasn’t about getting out frustration, it was about everything clicking,” said right back Edson Edward, who set up Fordyce’s half-volleyed hat-trick goal with a nice cross. “You could see that everyone was confident on the ball. We all just wanted to play, we weren’t thinking defence-first. We just wanted to play soccer.”

Tomi Ameobi (18) watches as the ball he got his head to goes past the outstretched arms of Carolina keeper Akira Fitzgerald. PHOTO: FC EDMONTON/TONY LEWIS
Tomi Ameobi (18) watches as the ball he got his head to goes past the outstretched arms of Carolina keeper Akira Fitzgerald. PHOTO: FC EDMONTON/TONY LEWIS

Coach Colin Miller made one major change to the lineup, moving Lance Laing from left back to a left-wing position. He slid Kareem Moses into the left back slot, with Mallan Roberts able to return to the centre back position after serving a two-game suspension.

The decision to move Laing off paid off immediately. Just after the kickoff, Laing went on an unopposed 45-yard run up the wing, then made a perfect cross to Fordyce, who made a run up the middle of the penalty area that no on the RailHawks picked up. At the 34-second mark, it was 1-0 to the Eddies.

“We fell asleep,” RailHawks coach Colin Clarke said at halftime. “We can’t give up goals like that on the road.”

It was 2-0 inside the 13-minute mark, as Ameobi headed home a Neil Hlavaty free kick.

Laing then made it a three-goal lead. After a free kick, he stepped inside RailHawks midfielder Nazmi Albadawi. As Albadawi held his head in his hands — in embarrassment for allowing Laing to skip by — the Eddies left winger smashed a shot inside the post.

“I did see him,” Laing smiled. “I just turned in. And I have a hard shot, you guys know that, and that’s what happened.”

Just before halftime, Albadawi gave the ball away to Ameobi; it was then played up to Fordycde, whose shot deflected off RailHawk Austen King and looped into the net.

At halftime, it was 4-0.

The Eddies could have made it 5-0 early. After a Carolina corner kick was foiled, Laing went on an unopposed 65-yard run up the left side, then crossed for Ameobi, who had got in behind the Carolina defenders. Goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald made a tremendous save, coming off the line.

Carolina did get a goal back in the 73rd minute, as Connor Tobin, the right back, tried to make up for being consistently schooled by Laing. He tapped in a cross from former Toronto FC draft pick Mike Grella.

But, a minute after scoring, Carolina allowed FCE’s fifth goal. Edward was out wide and crossed in for Fordyce, who hammered a half volley across the keeper and into the corner of the goal.

“I wasn’t surprised that we had so much room to cross,” said Edward. “I know from coming here as an opposition player that coming to Edmonton and playing on Sunday afternoons isn’t easy. You don’t want to be here.”

(Interestingly, FCE’s first three NASL home games, all losses, were played on Saturday evenings.)

And, right before the game ended, King, alone in the penalty area, stuck out his arm to handle a ball that offered zero danger. The bizarre handball allowed Jalali to score for the first time in his FCE career, as he rolled home the penalty.

With the Laing experiment coming off so well, will that mean more of him on the wing, and less at fullback. He said that after the game, he talked with Miller and said “I’m not going back to fullback.” Of course, he said it with a big smile on his face.

“Personally, I’m pretty attack-minded. Playing fullback is a bit too defensive for me. Now, I get the chance to go forward.”

Only one negative to report for the Eddies: Teenager Hanson Boakai was dropped from the team as he was late showing up to the stadium, on a game day. He got to the field less than an hour before game time.

CANADIAN SOCCER. CANADIAN STORIES. READ PLASTIC PITCH TODAY.
(Also available for Android devices at Google Play)

Load More Related Articles
Load More By Steven Sandor
Load More In FC Edmonton

14 Comments

  1. Soccerfan

    June 10, 2014 at 7:04 pm

    FCE supporter and Another FCE supporter, I can assure you that I am neither an ex player or ref. As well, I am not some anonymous name that likes to stir up the pot. If you would like to sit down together and explain to me how since 2012, FC Edmonton has been a credible team, I am willing to listen. Because all I see is mediocrity and failure. Perhaps you are accustomed to being average when it comes to your professional and personal life but I refuse to accept that as a way of life. I was sitting proudly in 2011 in the stands when the team began its first season and since 2011, all I have seen is a revolving door of players and coaches?

    Do I have issue with Colin? Yes, look at his performance since day one. We are constantly at the bottom of the standings. My guess is that you work for the organization and will stick up for Colin no matter what.

    In any type of work environment that requires results, you can’t keep passing the blame to refs or your email not working, it is your fault and solely your fault. Get the job done!!!!

    If you are happy with one win that produced six goals, good for you. I wish you all the best and when this team eventually folds because of its culture of failure, you can recall that bright day back in June 2014 when your life was picture perfect because your idol, Colin Miller secured one measly win. I wish that I could strive for a life of mediocrity.

    • FCE Supporter

      June 10, 2014 at 7:34 pm

      It is not a case of being happy with one win, or saying that the one win has solved all of the problems, but it did provide our team with a victory, so yes, I will take something from that. Instead of the glass half empty, I and I can only assume all of the supporters that continue to show for games, will take the glass half full route and hope that what we saw on Sunday was a sign that better days are ahead.
      It is amazing that you couldn’t find one thing positive about their performance on Sunday, not one thing. As for being a staff member, you are wrong there, but I am close to several of the staff and players and will continue to support this team.

      As for the mediocrity comment, you sit here and spout off about the same thing with every single comment you make, nothing changes, nothing insightful, just the same rants. If mediocrity means that I don’t take time out of my day to continuously push some personal agenda against Colin and the this team in general, then living a happy life of mediocrity doesn’t seem so bad.

      • Steven Sandor

        June 10, 2014 at 7:40 pm

        I’ve let this debate go on for a bit… but let’s keep it clean, folks. Let’s not be taking too many shots at each other in the comments section.

  2. left back

    June 10, 2014 at 4:32 pm

    I have been very critical of FCE over the last few months but was glad to see a positive result go their way. Finally… L Laing gets some decent delivery into the box and we get goals from it… they looked sharp around the pitch and won all the 50 50 balls…. ball movement was good and they were in full command of the game….

    as well as FCE played… Carolina were really poor… both tactically and physically… they never adapted to being over run in wide positions and Edmonton were able to get balls into the box all game long… they simply just didn’t show up.

    The win might have saved CM’s job. I hope now they can go on and do well in the second half of the season… hopefully the new turf will be a bit more playable and the team can start playing a better brand of football… much needed boost of confidence as well… too bad there is a break in the schedule now…

    I will stay tuned for the Fall season….

  3. FCE Supporter

    June 10, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    This last post from Soccerfan really just proves that you actually don’t really support FC Edmonton, you just like to hate on them. Are you an ex-player that Colin has cut, maybe a ref that Colin has called out for being crap, or just some kid that likes to stir up nonsense from the safety of an anonymous name and a computer screen in your bedroom?
    The team had an amazing 6-1 win over the fourth place team and they never stopped attacking (which is what you alway claim they never do). Why can’t you let the real fans enjoy this last game and hope for a better second half! It must make you so angry that they won! You are seriously a broken record, there is never anything original in your comments, just the same comments about Colin and the refs. Do us all a favour and cheer for someone else!

    • Another FCE Supporter

      June 10, 2014 at 3:48 pm

      Thank you FCE Supporter for that response. Soccerfan is a broken record. He needs to wake up because we are so tired of hearing him complain about Colin/FC Edmonton. From whining about cutting Edmonton based/Canadian players like Hamilton,Rago,Saiko etc last year (how are those players doing this year btw) to Colin this and Colin that this year….blah blah blah. He rails how Colin is always blaming the refs etc but then when they win 6-1 he can’t say anything positive. Not one thing. It must have just infuriated him when FCE won. Seeing as this club (in your opinion) is horrible and going nowhere why do you keep commenting? Why waste your time? You might as well just cut and paste your responses to save you the time and us. If you don’t have any constructive to say move on ’cause we’re moving forward and wanting to support our local team.

  4. Soccerfan

    June 9, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    Cwell, are you serious? You think they are a better team than their record suggests. You could make that case for the Edmonton Oilers after two wins in a row. However, they still are at the bottom like FC Edmonton. FC Edmonton is terrible, that is why they are at the bottom. Colin has not been unlucky he is a terrible coach with a terrible game plan. And I am so tired of hearing about the refs. It is funny how he never blames the refs after a loss? You need to wake up. The club is horrible and going nowhere.

  5. Mike

    June 9, 2014 at 5:33 pm

    Should be an interesting fall session. Guess the RailHawks could’ve used Paul Hamilton. How come the game was on the telly Steve? No more delays?

    • Steven Sandor

      June 9, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      Easy answer, Mike. Our first three games were on Saturday evenings, and Citytv has a Sunday afternoon slot for the Eddies’ games. So, the first three home games were on tape delay but, when the team plays Sundays, it matches the scheduled time slot and the broadcast goes live.

      Basically, Sunday afternoons are WAY BETTER for the TV schedule.

  6. Jordan

    June 9, 2014 at 7:09 am

    Steven is Hanson Boakai gone from the team all together? Or just not in the line up for the game because he was late.

    • Steven Sandor

      June 9, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      Sorry for the misunderstanding. Dropped from the game-day lineup. No, he hasn’t been cut.

  7. GM

    June 9, 2014 at 5:07 am

    Dropped from The team? Do you mean suspended for this game? To be evaluated for the future? Or dropped for good? Never come back?

  8. Flips

    June 9, 2014 at 12:43 am

    Hopefully just from the game-day 18… though sometimes, with Miller, you never know. 🙂

  9. cwell

    June 8, 2014 at 11:48 pm

    Good for the Eddies! I, too, know they are a better team than their record suggests, based on what I’ve seen in two games in Ottawa and, on TV, their second VC game in Montreal. Good for Colin Miller, as well. He’s been unlucky.

Check Also

Field of dreams? As CanPL owners meet in Edmonton, commissioner turns eyes towards baseball stadium

As the Canadian Premier League’s Board of Governors meeting in downtown Edmonton wrapped u…