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The Fort Lauderdale Strikers host the Atlanta Silverbacks on Friday, July 27 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Despite the teams’ vastly different fortunes last season that saw the Silverbacks miss the playoffs and the Strikers reach the Championship Series, there hasn’t been much separating the two sides when they meet; the series since 2011 is level at 1-4-1.

After a two-game road trip, the Strikers return to sunny South Florida to host the Silverbacks. The Strikers come into the match on a defeat, falling 1-0 to the league leaders in San Antonio. Fort Lauderdale will be without the services of Andy Herron for the match against Atlanta, the former Costa Rica international was sent off after 34 minutes in the match against the Scorpions.

The Silverbacks are also coming into the match on the back of a defeat. The side lost 2-1 at home to FC Edmonton at the weekend, midfielder Ciaran O’Brien scoring the Silverbacks lone goal from the penalty spot as the team fell short of a late comeback. The loss was the first in three matches for the Silverbacks and it meant the team fell back into 8^th place in the NASL standings.

The last meeting between these teams produced an uninspiring 1-1 draw at Lockhart Stadium. Fort Lauderdale took the lead through a Mark Anderson volley, but Silverbacks’ leading goalscorer Reinaldo Navia canceled out the opener with his sixth goal of the season.

With a victory in Fort Lauderdale the Silverbacks would move out of last place, at least until FC Edmonton’s match against Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday. The Strikers could also move as high a fourth place with a win, though the team will have played two games more than Minnesota Stars FC and three games more than the Carolina RailHawks.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Atlanta Silverbacks

Friday, July 27, 2012— 7:30 P.M. EDT

Lockhart Stadium

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Webcast: NASL on ustream

2012 Series:  Tied, 0-2-0, 2 points

2011 Series:  Tied, 1-2-1, 5 points

                                             Fort Lauderdale              Atlanta

Head Coach                       Daryl Shore                      Eric Wynalda

2012 Records                    5^th: 6-6-7, 24 points       8^th: 3-5-10, 14 points      

Last Five Games               L T T W L                           L L W W L

Goals Leader                     Mark Anderson (9)          Reinaldo Navia (6)

Assists Leader                 Walter Restrepo (6)        Ciaran O’Brien (4)

Fort Lauderdale

• 5-3-1 at home this season.
• Have scored the second highest number of goals this season (27), but have also conceded the second most (31).
• Will be without the suspended Andy Herron.

Atlanta

• 1-3-5 on the road this season.
• Have conceded more goals than any other side (35 in 18 games)
• Added eight players to the roster since Wynalda’s arrival.