PREVIEW | Stefano Pinho Aims To Fire The Strikers To Third Successive Win

Following successive victories over the Tampa Bay Rowdies and FC Edmonton, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers will be looking to extend their winning streak to three matches when they return home to square off against Indy Eleven on Saturday night at Lockhart Stadium.

In Sunday’s win at Edmonton, Stefano Pinho scored his eight and ninth goals of the year en route to the NASL Player of the Week award. Jonathan Borrajo made his club debut as the starting right back, and goalkeeper Josh Ford earned his first shutout in Fort Lauderdale’s colors as the Strikers claimed a hard-fought 2-0 win.

The win was head coach Günter Kronsteiner’s third of the Fall Season. The club now occupies fifth place in the Combined Standings, just two points behind Tampa Bay in fourth, and two more than Saturday’s opponents Indy Eleven in ninth.

Indy Eleven played to a 1-1 draw in their last match, a road meeting with the Atlanta Silverbacks. Dane Richards, on loan from the New York Red Bulls, opened the scoring for the visitors before an own goal from Greg Janicki leveled the match. Indy will be without Erick Norales after the Honduran defender was issued a red card early in the second half.

The Eleven stole all three points with a last-gasp winner in the most recent meeting between the two sides in the Strikers’ final home match of the Spring Season. Since that match, the Red & Gold have gone unbeaten at Lockhart.