Late Equalizers Headline Exciting Night of Fall Season Openers
NASL Soccer action had fans on their feet cheering all across the country. NASL Highlight: Puerto Rico FC ties Spring Season Champion Indy Eleven in first game
Soccer News: Carmelo Anthony’s Puerto Rico FC was only minutes away from notching a victory in its inaugural game as the North American Soccer League (NASL) kicked off its 2016 Fall Season on Saturday night. But Spring Season Champion Indy Eleven snatched a late equalizer to earn a draw as professional soccer returned to the Caribbean island. Hector Ramos tallied the first goal in club history.
In Minnesota, Christian Ramirez led an attacking outburst with a hat trick as the Loons found the back of the net five times against the visiting Carolina RailHawks. The New York Cosmos also started the Fall Season with a win over Ottawa Fury FC.
The NASL’s new broadcast partnership with CBS Sports Network got underway with a thrilling finish as FC Edmonton equalized in stoppage time to draw with Rayo OKC. Jacksonville Armada FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies each scored in the first half to split the points in a 1-1 draw, while neither the Fort Lauderdale Strikers or Miami FC could find a winner in the second consecutive draw in the South Florida Derby.
Here is the recap off all six Fall Season openers:
Puerto Rico FC 1, Indy Eleven 1
Puerto Rico FC was stoppage time away from claiming a victory over Indy Eleven, but the home side would have to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw in its inaugural game.
With the club owner Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks star, in attendance, Puerto Rico FC (0W-1D-0L, 1 point) carried a one-goal lead into the game’s dying minutes before Indy Eleven equalized. Hector Ramos scored the first goal in the history of Puerto Rico FC, converting a cross from Kyle Culbertson in the game’s 74th minute at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Indy (0-1-0, 1), the Spring Season Champion, got even in second-half injury time when one of the club’s new signings, Souleymane Youla, headed in a free kick from Nemanja Vukovic to tie the game.
Minnesota United 5, Carolina RailHawks 1
Christian Ramirez tallied three goals as Minnesota scored a convincing victory over the Carolina RailHawks.
Ramirez scored unassisted from long range in the 20th minute to give Minnesota (1-0-0, 3) the lead at the NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minn. The Loons doubled the lead four minutes later when a misplay in the Carolina defense resulted in another tally for Ramirez. Stefano Pinho upped the lead just before the interval, scoring with his right foot.
Tiago Calvano made it four unanswered goals when he headed home a corner kick by Kevin Venegas two minutes into the second half. Ramirez added a tap in, his league-leading eighth goal, in the 76th minute to complete his hat trick.
Matt Watson scored a consolation goal for the RailHawks (0-0-1, 0) in second-half injury time.
New York Cosmos 2, Ottawa Fury FC 1
Exciting match starts off with a controversial call – New York bounced back from a midweek loss in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and defeated Ottawa Fury FC to open up the Fall Season.
Adam Moffat’s third goal of the year gave the Cosmos (1-0-0, 3) a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute after Ottawa (0-0-1, 0) goalkeeper Romuald Peiser was shown a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Lucky Mkosana in the penalty area. Marcel DeBellis replaced Peiser but could not stop Moffat’s spot kick. Mkosana doubled New York’s lead just before the interval off an assist from defender David Ochieng.
Fury FC cut the lead in half in second-half injury time when Paulo Junior pounced on an attempted clearance for the goal.
New York extended its home winning streak to 10 in league games. Goalkeeper Brian Holt, playing in place of Jimmy Maurer, earned the victory in only his second NASL start for the club.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1, Miami FC 1
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Miami FC experienced déjà vu on Saturday night as the clubs played to a draw in the Fall Season opener.
Fresh from its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory over MLS side Orlando City SC, Fort Lauderdale (0-1-0, 1) spotted Miami FC (0-1-0, 1) a goal, but eventually fought back to level the match.
Miami FC jumped in front at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when Dario Cvitanich buried a penalty kick in the 18th minute, his fourth goal of the season. After a long weather delay at halftime, Fort Lauderdale knotted the score as Gale Agbossoumonde rose to meet Gabriel’s corner kick and headed it into the upper corner in the 53rd minute.
Tampa Bay Rowdies 1, Jacksonville Armada FC 1
The Tampa Bay Rowdies and Jacksonville Armada started the Fall Season exactly how they finished the Spring: with a draw against each other.
The goals came quickly in the game’s first 15 minutes. First, Jacksonville’s (0-1-0, 1) on loan midfielder Zach Steinberger converted a pass from Mechack Jérôme in the 12th minute at a sold-out Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. Then, almost from the ensuing kickoff, Tampa Bay (0-1-0, 1) equalized one minute later when Georgi Hristov scored his fourth goal of the year from a pass by Darnell King.
Armada FC goalkeeper Sean Lewis, making his first start, made 10 saves to help Jacksonville earn a point on the road.
Rayo OKC 1, FC Edmonton 1
Gustavo’s stunning strike in stoppage time earned FC Edmonton a draw against Rayo OKC.
At Miller Stadium in Yukon, Okla., Rayo OKC (0-1-0, 1) took a 1-0 lead when Robbie Findley side-footed a cross from Jarad Van Schaik in the 33rd minute. With second-half injury time about to expire FC Edmonton (0-1-0, 1) tied the match on a blast from Gustavo that struck the crossbar and fell behind the goal line.
The Eddies and Rayo OKC were featured in the NASL’s debut on the CBS Sports Network, the league’s newest TV partner.
Source/Photo Credit: NASL
