Players and coaches discussed the crucial clash at Carroll Stadium
CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: FC EDMONTON PREPARES FOR WINNER-TAKE-ALL SEMIFINAL AGAINST INDY ELEVEN
Win and you're in The Championship Final. Join Eddies' fans at Churchill Square for Winter City Footie Fest to watch the Semifinal
During the North American Soccer League's (NASL) regular season, you couldn't separate the two.
After finishing the season 1-1-1 against one another, FC Edmonton and the Indy Eleven will break the deadlock for the biggest prize in each of the club's history: a berth in the NASL Championship Final.
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, Michael A. Carroll Stadium
Kick-off time: 1:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM ET, 12:00 PM Pacific
How to Watch: NASL Live, Churchill Square @ Winter City Footie Fest
In the NASL Spring Season, the Eddies and Eleven were separated by one point at the top of the standings. 22 games later, only one point separated the two at the end of the Fall Season behind the New York Cosmos. Finishing second and third in the NASL Combined Standings, it's only fitting that the league's two most evenly-matched teams face one another for the chance of taking home the Soccer Bowl.
The home team came away with the victory in each team's win over one another, with the only draw coming back in a 1-1 contest on May 7 in Indianapolis. A visiting team taking away a point from The Mike was a rarity this season, with the Eleven finishing the season undefeated at home with a 13-3-0 record. The Eddies will have to do what no team has done this season and win on the road in Indianapolis in order to secure their spot in the NASL Championship Final.
"Records are made to be broken, and that will be our intention on Saturday," FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller stated. "There will be no surprises, and both teams know each other well at this point. There’s a lot of respect [for one another] from each side."
The Eddies have a record of their own with the NASL's best-ever defensive record of 21 goals in 32 matches. Goalkeeper Matt VanOekel's goals-against average of 0.55 and 16 clean sheets in 29 matches are also league records, with a stingy defensive line including Papé Diakité and captain Albert Watson working to shut opponents down. Both Watson and Diakité received nominations for the NASL's Young Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards, respectively.
Watson and teammate Daryl Fordyce will play in their first postseason with the Eddies since arriving from Northern Ireland in 2012. Fordyce led the Eddies on the attcak this season with seven goals, and was only second to VanOekel for total minutes played for the club this season.
"We’ve always been a tough team to beat," Fordyce said. "This year’s been the same, but we’ve managed to put a lot more points on the board. That’s been the difference. We’re going to go down there and do what we’ve been doing all season by putting in the hard work and grinding to the last minute.
"When we were 9-10 games unbeaten at home, we didn’t think we could be beat but we eventually were. They haven’t been beaten at home for a reason, and you have to respect that. We’re going to go down there and believe and play to the best of our ability.
Where the Eddies succeeded defensively, the Eleven answered with goals. Indy had the second-best regular season goal differential with +18 and goals scored with 51, only behind the Cosmos in both categories for the season. Striker Eamon Zayed led the team with 15 goals, and the team have a capable 'keeper of their own in veteran American shot-stopper Jon Busch.
"We’ve matched up well with the Eleven this year, but make no mistake it’s going to be difficult [this Saturday]," Watson said. "They have four or five players that are threats to score and we have to respect their abilities. You also have to have faith and confidence in yourself and your teammates."
The Mike will be rocking this weekend, with 12-15,000 fans expected in attendance. For each player and coach, how you react and prepare for the pressure and atmosphere of a big game varies from person to person.
"The crowd doesn’t come into the equation for me," Miller said. "We [said] before training started that it’s 11 players against 11 on the pitch with two goals and a football in the middle. It’s the best team on the day that will win."
For Canadian internationals Ben Fisk and Nik Ledgerwood, the pressure situation is something they are used to from playing with the national team. The chance for them to represent Canada domestically in the NASL as the only Canadian team left in the race adds extra weight to this weekend's semifinal.
"Representing the country internationally is huge, but this is just as big," Fisk said. "We’re the only Canadian team in the postseason. We definitely want to do well to represent the country, and hopefully we can show that on Saturday.
[We've] been there before playing in front of [big] crowds. They’re saying Indy is expecting to have a good crowd this weekend, so for me that’s exciting. It won’t be our fans there, but a big crowd brings a good atmosphere."
Fans can feel the atmosphere back here in Edmonton at Churchill Square on Saturday at Winter City Footie Fest! The Eddies will broadcast the match on North America’s largest mobile screen, with a flurry of activities to partake in before, during and after the match. The free-to-enter festival will include a Family Fun Zone, beer garden, live local music, food trucks galore, player appearances and more!
After finishing the season 1-1-1 against one another, FC Edmonton and the Indy Eleven will break the deadlock for the biggest prize in each of the club's history: a berth in the NASL Championship Final.
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana, Michael A. Carroll Stadium
Kick-off time: 1:00 PM MT, 3:00 PM ET, 12:00 PM Pacific
How to Watch: NASL Live, Churchill Square @ Winter City Footie Fest
In the NASL Spring Season, the Eddies and Eleven were separated by one point at the top of the standings. 22 games later, only one point separated the two at the end of the Fall Season behind the New York Cosmos. Finishing second and third in the NASL Combined Standings, it's only fitting that the league's two most evenly-matched teams face one another for the chance of taking home the Soccer Bowl.
The home team came away with the victory in each team's win over one another, with the only draw coming back in a 1-1 contest on May 7 in Indianapolis. A visiting team taking away a point from The Mike was a rarity this season, with the Eleven finishing the season undefeated at home with a 13-3-0 record. The Eddies will have to do what no team has done this season and win on the road in Indianapolis in order to secure their spot in the NASL Championship Final.
"Records are made to be broken, and that will be our intention on Saturday," FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller stated. "There will be no surprises, and both teams know each other well at this point. There’s a lot of respect [for one another] from each side."
The Eddies have a record of their own with the NASL's best-ever defensive record of 21 goals in 32 matches. Goalkeeper Matt VanOekel's goals-against average of 0.55 and 16 clean sheets in 29 matches are also league records, with a stingy defensive line including Papé Diakité and captain Albert Watson working to shut opponents down. Both Watson and Diakité received nominations for the NASL's Young Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards, respectively.
Watson and teammate Daryl Fordyce will play in their first postseason with the Eddies since arriving from Northern Ireland in 2012. Fordyce led the Eddies on the attcak this season with seven goals, and was only second to VanOekel for total minutes played for the club this season.
"We’ve always been a tough team to beat," Fordyce said. "This year’s been the same, but we’ve managed to put a lot more points on the board. That’s been the difference. We’re going to go down there and do what we’ve been doing all season by putting in the hard work and grinding to the last minute.
"When we were 9-10 games unbeaten at home, we didn’t think we could be beat but we eventually were. They haven’t been beaten at home for a reason, and you have to respect that. We’re going to go down there and believe and play to the best of our ability.
Where the Eddies succeeded defensively, the Eleven answered with goals. Indy had the second-best regular season goal differential with +18 and goals scored with 51, only behind the Cosmos in both categories for the season. Striker Eamon Zayed led the team with 15 goals, and the team have a capable 'keeper of their own in veteran American shot-stopper Jon Busch.
"We’ve matched up well with the Eleven this year, but make no mistake it’s going to be difficult [this Saturday]," Watson said. "They have four or five players that are threats to score and we have to respect their abilities. You also have to have faith and confidence in yourself and your teammates."
The Mike will be rocking this weekend, with 12-15,000 fans expected in attendance. For each player and coach, how you react and prepare for the pressure and atmosphere of a big game varies from person to person.
"The crowd doesn’t come into the equation for me," Miller said. "We [said] before training started that it’s 11 players against 11 on the pitch with two goals and a football in the middle. It’s the best team on the day that will win."
For Canadian internationals Ben Fisk and Nik Ledgerwood, the pressure situation is something they are used to from playing with the national team. The chance for them to represent Canada domestically in the NASL as the only Canadian team left in the race adds extra weight to this weekend's semifinal.
"Representing the country internationally is huge, but this is just as big," Fisk said. "We’re the only Canadian team in the postseason. We definitely want to do well to represent the country, and hopefully we can show that on Saturday.
[We've] been there before playing in front of [big] crowds. They’re saying Indy is expecting to have a good crowd this weekend, so for me that’s exciting. It won’t be our fans there, but a big crowd brings a good atmosphere."
Fans can feel the atmosphere back here in Edmonton at Churchill Square on Saturday at Winter City Footie Fest! The Eddies will broadcast the match on North America’s largest mobile screen, with a flurry of activities to partake in before, during and after the match. The free-to-enter festival will include a Family Fun Zone, beer garden, live local music, food trucks galore, player appearances and more!
STANDINGS
| P | Team | Pld | Pts |
| 1 | New York Cosmos | 22 | 47 |
| 2 | Indy Eleven | 22 | 37 |
| 3 | FC Edmonton | 22 | 36 |
| 4 | Rayo OKC | 22 | 35 |
| 5 | Miami FC | 22 | 33 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 22 | 26 |
| 7 | Carolina RailHawks | 22 | 26 |
| 8 | Minnesota United FC | 22 | 25 |
| 9 | Puerto Rico FC | 22 | 24 |
| 10 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 22 | 23 |
| 11 | Jacksonville Armada FC | 22 | 23 |
| 12 | Ottawa Fury FC | 22 | 22 |
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