RECAP | Eddies 4, Silverbacks 2
FC Edmonton got back in the win column with a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks at Clarke Field.
The Eddies put on a show in the attacking third, with goals from Lance Laing, Daryl Fordyce, Ritchie Jones, and Kareem Moses. On the other side of the pitch, Atlanta received goals from Jaime Chavez and Christopher Christian.
At the other end, John Smits made a number of key saves in the win.
“Smits was terrific at times today,” Eddies head coach Colin Miller remarked after the match. “I’m pleased for him because he has worked hard. [Fordyce] has done well, and I’ve been praising him. Ritchie Jones scored another goal by getting into the box today, and I’m delighted for [Moses]. Psychologically when you look at the table we're in a better place. We play on Friday night so it's another very quick turnaround for the players.”
Smits opened the match with back-to-back saves before shutting down striker Matt Horth on a breakaway opportunity to keep the match scoreless.
The Eddies gained the advantage on the scoreboard late in the first half after Laing’s perfectly placed free kick from just outside the box sailed past the Silverbacks wall and into the corner of the goal for the 1-0 lead heading into the half.
The home sides doubled their lead in the 55th minute. Laing, Tomi Ameobi and Jones all combined to add to the second goal of the match with Laing swinging a ball towards Ameobi, who headed it to Jones for the tap-in header.
Edmonton made it 3-0 off the foot of Fordyce in the 66th minute. The Northern Ireland native finished off his second free-kick attempt of the match, with a curling shot over the Atlanta wall and just past Ceus for his third goal in two NASL matches.
Atlanta broke Smits’ clean sheet attempt on in the 76th minute, as defender Kyle Miller lobbed a ball inside the six-yard box over Smits. Chavez was there to head the ball in between two Edmonton defenders to pull a goal back for the visitors.
The Eddies increased their lead once again in the 85th minute from a header by first-half substitute Moses, who came on for an injured Eddie Edward, before Silverbacks defender Christian converted a cross past Smits late to make it 4-2. Two late touches by Smits preserved the two-goal margin for the Eddies, who collected their second victory of the NASL season.
