Photo by Matt May/Tampa Bay Rowdies
By AARON CRANFORD
While NASL’s top teams remained unbeaten in the 2015 Spring Season, the bottom-dwellers also remained winless.
The New York Cosmos, Atlanta Silverbacks and Indy Eleven all stayed undefeated on the year, but each only managed to end Week Four with a single point, keeping all NASL parties in the race for the spring crown.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies also continued their impressive start to the season, winning their second match of the year in a 3-2 goal fest at the friendly confines of Al Lang Stadium.
Meanwhile, one of the most exciting Week Four matchups offered fans a jaw-dropping 60-yard finish and Minnesota United’s first two goals of the year in a 2-2 result against the San Antonio Scorpions.
Here is a closer look at the SBI NASL Power Rankings following Week Four:
SBI NASL Power Rankings (Week Four)
1. (1) NEW YORK COSMOS (2-0-2)
LAST WEEK: Drew, 0-0, against Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday
THIS WEEK: vs. Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday
OUTLOOK: The Cosmos forwards and midfielders received most of the plaudits at the beginning of the season, but goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer and the back four deserve a ton of credit for the team’s great start. New York has only allowed one goal in four games, and shutting down Shaka Bangura on Saturday sees them keep the top spot.
2. (3) TAMPA BAY ROWDIES (2-1-1)
LAST WEEK: Won, 3-2, vs. Jacksonville Armada FC on Saturday
THIS WEEK: At Carolina RailHawks on Saturday
OUTLOOK: After starting the year with solid performances against the defending champion San Antonio Scorpions and Minnesota United FC, the Rowdies were made humble against the Cosmos last week. That result may have just been a blip in the radar, as the Rowdies edged out Jacksonville Armada FC, 3-2, at home, with impressive play from Maicon Santos, who scored a brace.
3. (4) ATLANTA SILVERBACKS (1-0-3)
LAST WEEK: Tied New York Cosmos, 0-0, last Saturday
THIS WEEK: At Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday
OUTLOOK: Week Four’s most intriguing affair saw the unbeaten Silverbacks host the unbeaten New York Cosmos, and both sides maintained their undefeated Spring Season with a 0-0 draw. The Silverbacks have yet to find a win at home, but one point against the league-leader is better than none.
4. (2) INDY ELEVEN (1-0-3)
LAST WEEK: Drew, 1-1, against Carolina RailHawks on Saturday
THIS WEEK: BYE
OUTLOOK: Like the Silverbacks, Indy Eleven have yet to win at home, but the second-year side has yet to lose in the 2015 Spring Season, a massive turnaround from last year’s results. However, while Don Smart looked lively for Indy, the team was unable to score a goal of their own, relying on a deflected own goal to see them through until the end. It didn’t, and here they are.
5. (6) FORT LAUDERDALE STRIKERS (2-1-0)
LAST WEEK: Won, 2-1, to Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday.
THIS WEEK: vs. Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday.
OUTLOOK: The Strikers have been the most consistent attacking team to date, scoring two or more goals in the past three weeks, and while last week’s goals weren’t enough for a win or a draw, it was on Saturday against Ottawa Fury FC. If their well-oiled attacking machine keeps churning out goals at this pace, the Strikers will continue to move up the ladder.
6. (8) CAROLINA RAILHAWKS (1-1-2)
LAST WEEK: Tied, 1-1, to Indy Eleven on Saturday
THIS WEEK: vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday
OUTLOOK: The RailHawks’ unlikely goalscorer in last week’s 2-1 loss to the Silverbacks was the unlikely hero in Week Four, salvaging a point on the road against Indy Eleven after watching his side stay down a goal for a majority of the game due to an own goal by Blake Wagner’s own back line. The Cary side are in a comfortable position on the Spring Season table, and another important home match awaits them Saturday against the Rowdies.
7. (5) MINNESOTA UNITED (0-1-2)
LAST WEEK: Tied, 2-2, to San Antonio Scorpions on Saturday
THIS WEEK: At FC Edmonton on Sunday
OUTLOOK: The Loons offense looks to be clicking once again, with Miguel Ibarra, Pablo Campos and Christian Ramirez looking fruitful for the first time this Spring Season. However, three games into the 2015 season, and Minnesota United still does not have their first win.
8. (9) FC EDMONTON (1-1-1)
LAST WEEK: BYE
THIS WEEK: vs. Minnesota United FC on Sunday
OUTLOOK: The Eddies watched as the league’s top teams maintained their unbeaten runs and the bottom-dwellers missed out on their chance to earn their first win. FC Edmonton hosts one of those current bottom-dwellers, Minnesota United, on Sunday.
9. (11) SAN ANTONIO SCORPIONS (0-2-1)
LAST WEEK: Drew, 2-2, to Minnesota United on Saturday
THIS WEEK: At Jacksonville Armada FC on Saturday
OUTLOOK: The defending champions are still winless, but the Scorpions played an to an impressive 2-2 draw against Minnesota United, wherein Zourab Tsiskaridze hit an unbelievable 60-yard free kick. If the Scorpions want to make a run at the Spring Season crown, it has to start next week with a win, and they’ve added a huge boost up front with the addition of Nigerian international Bright Dike on loan from Toronto FC.
10. (7) OTTAWA FURY FC (1-2-1)
LAST WEEK: Lost, 2-1, to Fort Lauderdale Strikers last Saturday
THIS WEEK: At New York Cosmos on Saturday
OUTLOOK: Week Three’s SBI NASL Team of the Week were not so impressive this time around, giving up three goals to the traveling Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Paulo Junior and Tom Heinemann were combining well once again up front, but it’s hard to win in the NASL when you give up three goals at home.
11. (10) JACKSONVILLE ARMADA (1-2-0)
LAST WEEK: Lost, 3-2, to Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday
THIS WEEK: vs. San Antonio Scorpions
OUTLOOK: NASL’s newest club started the year off in the perfect manner, but it has since lost two games to in-state rivals — this time, they suffered a 3-2 defeat to the Rowdies. Armada FC drops to the bottom of the barrel in this week’s edition of the power rankings, but it could turn their fortune around because it won’t leave the Sunshine State just yet, as it hosts the winless Scorpions on Saturday.
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What do you think of this week’s power rankings? Do you think any team is ranked too high? Any too low?
Share your thoughts below.
The NASL, should be careful to expand just for expansion sake. I watch both, The NASL and MLS, and as far from MLS having most SSS, the quality of play on the field is not that much different. I would love NASL to grow gradually to 16 -20 and thats it. otherwise i think the quality of play would suffer.
Well nasl HAS to expand to the west coast to keep their status with USSF. In the end it’ll be tough for nasl to find investors and will likely be forced to grow slowly. But perhaps with scorpions, eleven and armada’s success investors will be easier to come by
the NASL is supposedly expanding to Hartford soon, and should focus on promoting the NPSL teams in Detroit, Cleveland and San Diego, as well as Hamilton and Calgary in Canada, if they can find investors…
The Hartford rumor is now going on it’s 3rd (maybe 4th) annual tour. Nothing is happening there.
Anyone rooting for NASL to survive and thrive like I am, needs to start hoping this doesn’t just become a Cosmos only show. Maybe it is too late?
If they start going wire to wire, it will get ugly quickly. The league’s teams only have 4-6k fans each to lose. How quickly can it go? In 1983, Vancouver was averaging 29k fans, in 1984, 13k then the league was done.
I’m going to assume you don’t live in an area with an NASL team. I’ve been a FTL Strikers season ticket holder for a few years and I can tell you that NASL followers are not focused on the Cosmos. A few years ago they were a big deal but not anymore.
Everyone is focused on their own team and having the best team they can at the games. It’s up to each team to create an experience for their own fans. Despite the new Strikers owners losing almost all of their starters and most of their team overall, as well as the confidence of many fans, they invested substantially in the team and attendance is up.
The NASL appears to be stable overall, while an individual team may not be, and I thnk it will be here to stay barring any unexpected reorganization.
As an indy fan I can say “who are these cosmos you talkin bout” 😉
I can assure you the home opener against the cosmos that the Mike was sold out with fans expecting the cosmos to lose. Shame we drew but still a result