Home NASL & USL FC Edmonton FCE’s Parker breaks arm in loss to Carolina

FCE’s Parker breaks arm in loss to Carolina

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FC Edmonton’s 1-0 loss to the Carolina RailHawks was made all the more painful due to a serious injury suffered by keeper Lance Parker.

Parker was carried off a stretcher, right arm immobilized, to a waiting ambulance on the sidelines after colliding with Carolina striker Etienne Barbara and falling awkwardly to the hard Foote Field artificial surface.

Early word from the club is that Parker has a compound fracture of his right arm.

“It was a little gruesome,” said FC Edmonton defender Paul Hamilton. “It’s tough to see a teammate go down like that.”

Parker, who was named Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season when he backstopped FCE to a win in Atlanta and a draw in Tampa, had drawn back in because Rein Baart was serving his second red-card suspension of the season.

No. 3 keeper Jaswinder Gill was nursing a bad back and wasn’t available, so Justin Ammar, signed to an amateur contract before the game, was pressed into service.

FC Edmonton plays Puerto Rico Wednesday and Baart will be available to start, but it’s unclear who will back up.

Dan Antoniuk tries to barge past the Carolina back line. PHOTO: JOHN TURNER
Dan Antoniuk tries to barge past the Carolina back line. PHOTO: JOHN TURNER

The home side was able to do something no other club in NASL was able to do this season; hold Etienne Barbara off the scoresheet. Barbara, who had either a goal or assist in every game this season for the league-leading RailHawks, didn’t get onto the scoresheet.

“I think we played really well,” said Hamilton, “We took away their strengths.”

FC Edmonton coach Harry Sinkgraven made some major alterations to his starting XI, as the club moved to a shape closer to a 4-5-1 rather than a 4-3-3, something it has found necessary on the tiny-but-quick Foote Field surface. Alex Surprenant reclaimed his starting role at left back; John Jonke moved into the centre of the backline, as Dutch veteran Paul Matthijs’ various aches and pains didn’t allow him to go. Paul Craig was replaced in the centre of the attack by veteran Dan Antoniuk.

Craig later came on as a sub.

Kyle Yamada couldn’t go because of an ankle injury suffered two games ago, so Shawn Chin continued on the left side of the attack.

And Parker got the start in goal thanks to the red card Rein Baart received in Saturday’s loss in Montreal.

Carolina created some chances in the first half; the best coming when former Real Salt Lake striker Pablo Campos headed an open header wide of goal.

FC Edmonton’s Kyle Porter carved out an excellent chance, coming in off the right wing and using the defender as a screen, but Carolina keeper Brad Knighton did well to get his hands to the ball even though he saw it late.

But Carolina kept coming at FCE (5-4-1) in the second half — as the home team looked to soak up the pressure and try to hit back at league leaders on the counter.

FC Edmonton forward Shawn Chin tries to beat Carolina defender Cory Elenio. PHOTO: JOHN TURNER.
FC Edmonton forward Shawn Chin tries to beat Carolina defender Cory Elenio. PHOTO: JOHN TURNER.

Yet, the hard work was undone by the hard home turf. Barbara and Jonke were occupying each other as the ball bounced by them. The ball spun away from FCE’s Chris Kooy and Alex Surprenant, allowing Carolina’s Matt Watson to run on to it and finish on the volley.

Barbara later had the ball in the back of the net. But, he was dismayed when, after the referee and linesmen conferred, the goal was waved off. A whistle had gone before Barbara scored, but the linesman’s flag stayed down. A fan had blown the whistle, and was later warned by the referee to not do that again. To add to the confusion, the referee restarted play with a drop ball — suggesting no foul or infringement on the play — rather than giving FCE a free kick.

Or allowing the goal.

The confusion looked to take Carolina out of their rhythm, as the pressure subsided as the second half wound down.

FCE had one good chance after the injury, which added seven minutes of time to the second half. Michael Cox fought through a foul and ran towards goal, only to have the ref decide not to play the advantage even though he had a clear sight of Knighton.

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5 Comments

  1. Flips

    June 14, 2011 at 12:43 am

    The classic example was when Oppong (I think it was) was run over from behind in the midfield by a NC player and the ref played the advantage for NC… reffing was brutal. Though if a fan blew the whistle (it sounded to me, being there, that it came from the ref), if I was Barbara I would have been PO’d too.

  2. Garth

    June 11, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    The complaining by Barbara was awful.

    • MB

      June 12, 2011 at 1:21 am

      I think all the notoriety has gone to his head. He intimidated the ref at every turn as did the whole NC team. Unfortunately the championship will probably go through NC. This team can play good hard football but likes to intimidate. FCE should be congratulated on remaining composed. If the ref had controlled the NC antics it could have been a classic match.

      • Garth

        June 12, 2011 at 3:22 am

        Absolutely

  3. MB

    June 11, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    You alluded to the ref’s play. Too many times this season FCE has had to battle against a poor centre ref. It has affected the outcome in games and the league needs to do a much better job having the right officials.

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