Ding dong, the witch is dead. That’s how FC Edmonton’s players and supporters feel after they broke their jinx against the Montreal Impact, winning 1-0 at Foote Field Sunday on the strength of a Kyle Porter wonder goal.
FC Edmonton took advantage of a travel-weary Puerto Rico Islanders side, winning 3-0 Wednesday at Foote Field. FCE simply dominated, outnumbering Puerto Rico midfield and bossing possession. Puerto Rico, which played Sunday night and then had to make the 5,600-km trek from the Caribbean to Edmonton, didn’t look like it could keep up with Edmonton’s pace.
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.
News is made when something out of the ordinary happens. The classic case of man bites dog. So, the fact that Carolina RailHawks striker Etienne Barbara was named the NASL’s player of the month for May isn’t news — but it is interesting.
FC Edmonton coach Harry Sinkgraven will be missing a key part of his regular starting XI when his club heads to Montreal to face the Impact Saturday. Forward Kyle Yamada, who plays on the left side of the 4-3-3, hurt his ankle in the second half of Tuesday’s 4-0 win over FC Tampa Bay. Yamada had scored earlier in the game — and he unintentionally set up Kyle Porter’s opening goal, ringing the initial shot off the post, then seeing Porter tuck the rebound into an empty net.
A comprehensive 4-0 win at Foote Field over FC Tampa Bay put FCE in second place overall in the NASL standings, six points behind the surging Carolina RailHawks. FC Edmonton has lost just two of eight matches in its first NASL season.
But, with two games at Foote behind them, FC Edmonton's players are getting used to how fast the turf plays. They know that through balls keep running and running away from the strikers. They know that the ball bobbles when it hits the hard football, soccer and lacrosse lines on the field. And, as they get used to the nuances of the hard turf, they know it will be a huge home advantage.
For this week at least, FC Edmonton’s Kyle Porter looms larger than the most prolific scorer in North American pro soccer. Porter was named the NASL’s offensive player of the week on Tuesday. The Mississauga. Ont. native scored with his right foot in the first half and with his left in the second as FC Edmonton beat the NSC Minnesota Stars 2-1 to wrap up the Victoria Day long weekend.
FC Edmonton vaulted into second place in the NASL standings with a 2-1 Victoria Day win over NSC Minnesota Stars at Foote Field. Kyle Porter scored twice for FCE, after Minnesota had taken the lead through Simone Bracalello.
Atlanta was just what the doctor ordered. Paul Craig scored just seconds after FCE keeper Lance Parker made a couple of great saves, and Edmonton got back on the winning track with a 2-0 win in Georgia.
