FCE promotes Canadian midfielder Bruno Zebie on an emergency basis

Bruno Zebie

For the first time, FC Edmonton could have brothers on the field, playing the ball to each other, in an NASL game.

The team announced Friday, just hours before the players are to take the five-hour bus trip north to Fort McMurray, that it has promoted 19-year-old midfielder Bruno Zebie from the academy to the senior club.

Bruno is the younger brother of FCE fullback Allan Zebie.

Bruno has been inked on a week-to-week, emergency basis. On Wednesday, Coach Colin Miller called FCE’s current injury crisis the worst he’s seen in over 30 years of pro soccer. As of Wednesday, he had just 14 players who would be healthy enough to play — and that includes two goalkeepers.

“We’re delighted that Bruno has agreed to join our team on a week-to-week basis,” FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said in a release issued by the club. “Bruno has spent time playing with our Academy and trained last year with our first team. We are grateful that he is able to step in and help us in this injury crisis.”

On Sunday, the Eddies will face the San Antonio Scorpions in the heart of the oilsands, the first of two league games FCE will “host” in Fort McMurray this season.

It’s not the first time that brothers have appeared for FCE; both John and Frank Jonke have played for the Eddies. But the Jonkes were signed to FCE at different times and never played together. In the case of the Zebies, they could potentially be making passes to each other in a league game.

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