By FRANCO PANIZO
FC Edmonton are back in the hunt for the playoffs.
The Eddies brought themselves within four points of sixth place in the NASL standings and the final playoff spot that comes with it by blanking the Puerto RIco Islanders, 1-0, at Clarke Stadium on Sunday. The winning goal of the game played in front of 1,229 fans came courtesy of Shaun Saiko, who now has five goals on the year.
For the Islanders, the upset defeat ended their two-game winning streak and dropped them into third place. It was also their third loss in their last five games.
Here is a look back at the rest of the Week 19 action in NASL:
SCORPIONS BOUNCE BACK WITH WIN OVER STRUGGLING STARS
Make it five consecutive games in which the Minnesota Stars FC have not tasted victory. The Stars continued to struggle on Saturday, falling, 1-0, to a San Antonio Scorpions side that rebounded from a loss last week. Hans Denissen netted the lone goal for the first-place Scorpions in the 70th minute, giving the 3,221 supporters in attendance at NSC Stadium another bad result to talk about. Minnesota is now in fifth place and 12 points off first.
STRIKERS GRAB NARROW WIN AGAINST RAILHAWKS
The Ft. Lauderdale Strikers got back in the win column, and as has been the case for much of the season, Mark Anderson was in the thick of things to help make that happen. Anderson assisted on the lone goal in the Strikers' 1-0 win over the Carolina RailHawks, hitting Andy Herron with a pass in the second half of the game played in front of a crowd of 3,549 at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday. The Strikers are now in fourth place in the league standings.
ROWDIES, SILVERBACKS PLAY TO SCORELESS DRAW
The Tampa Bay Rowdies may still be in second place in the NASL table, but they suffered a setback in their quest to finish first on Saturday. The Rowdies were held to a scoreless draw by the last-place Atlanta Silverbacks in a match at Al Lang Stadium that 3,027 fans attended, and that placed Tampa Bay four points behind league leaders, the San Antonio Scorpions.
NASL STANDINGS
1. San Antonio Scorpions (11-4-6, 39 points, +18 GD)
2. Tampa Bay Rowdies (10-6-5, 35 points, +5 GD)
3. Puerto Rico Islanders (10-7-4, 34 points, +6 GD)
4. Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (8-8-6, 30 points, -3 GD)
5. Minnesota Stars FC (7-8-6, 27 points,-1 GD)
6. Carolina RailHawks (6-7-7, 25 points, -6 GD)
7. FC Edmonton (5-10-6, 21 points, -4 GD)
8. Atlanta Silverbacks (4-11-6, 18 points, -15 GD)
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What do you think of this weekend's NASL action? Surprised the Islanders got shutout by the Eddies?
Share your thoughts below.
Indeed, just as 8 of 10 made the playoffs in MLS’s early days.
Looks like ATL not gonna make any last minute miraculous run to play offs. Maybe next year.
Rowdies match was a dour affair. Silverbacks mounted next to nothing in the attack. Rowdies miss a PK and several nice chances…but where otherwise pretty pedestrian.
Maybe it’s the dog-days setting int, but this match lacked passion.
so 6 of 8 make the playoffs in NASL?!?
The Islanders are missing some key players for national team call-up so I was not surprised at all. Fana has also been a non-factor is most matches as of late, and Saiko was put back in the starting XI for the Eddies. (Saiko’s goal was great! A must see!)