'Nice!'
Now if only a win could attract ownership
By SCOTT ZERR -- Edmonton Sun
If there's any local interest left in buying Edmonton's professional men's soccer squad, they should step up sooner rather than later.
Last night, Edmonton FC - the remnants of the abandoned Aviators - put on a performance that should attract some attention in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory over the Toronto Lynx at Foote Field.
"Nice," smiled defender Ebo, pretty much exhausting his grasp of the English language.
It's not urgent that a local ownership group or individual makes itself known - there's still plenty of time before the sense of loss becomes dreadfully imminent - but anyone with a burning desire to keep the A-League club might as well get down to business.
"We've fielded one call already from a group that's interested. They're more along the lines of moving the team to another city," said Dave Askinas, chief operating officer of the United Soccer Leagues.
PASSING FANCY
Askinas wouldn't name the party but did confirm it was an American city with at least a passing fancy in acquiring the franchise rights. Potential homes exist in Phoenix, Denver, Sacramento and San Diego.
"Our first priority is to keep the team in Edmonton. After that we would look at other options,"said Askinas, who added that the USL hasn't put any sort of attendance target on Edmonton FC for its remaining games at Foote Field and Coronation Park.
"We just want to make sure we put on some good games and offer events that people want to attend. Sometimes when you're in a better atmosphere at a smaller place something good can grow out of that."
While the atmosphere was somewhat dampened last night by a crowd of less than 500 who braved the chilly wind, FC's showing certainly will create some buzz in the local soccer community.
Edmonton snared a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute when Sean Fraser took off on a run down the wing and then sent a perfect feed into the box that was knocked into the roof of the net by Sipho Sibiya for his first of the season. Fraser drew a red card on Toronto defender Andre Arango in the 65th minute, but the depleted Lynx knotted the score only three minutes later as the FC defence got caught standing still.
Charles Gbeke toe-poked a low shot that caught the inside of the post and trickled past Edmonton 'keeper Nic Stankov.
Both teams had tremendous chances in OT as Desmond Tachie was robbed by Lynx 'keeper Bryheem Hancock and just moments later John Nusum wasted a breakaway when he eluded Stankov but lofted a shot over a gaping goal.
With time elapsed in the second extra period, FC's Nik Vignjevic launched a corner kick that was punched away by Hancock but a dead-tired Devlin moved up from his defensive spot and hammered a drive into the back of the net for his first A-League tally.
"I was just in the right place at the right time - finally - and we got some luck and I just ripped it. It's a great feeling," said Devlin. "I got up as fast as I've ever got up in my life and just ran. The fans went nuts."
BEYOND THE TIME-FRAME
So too did the Toronto coaching staff, who chased the referee across the field, screaming their displeasure at the fact the match went beyond the 20-minute OT time-frame. Whether Edmonton FC gets the same kind of rowdy response from their fans next time out will be interesting since the Aug. 2 contest with Seattle has been moved to dilapitated Coronation Park.
"We'll play anywhere," said Sibiya. "The minute we look at it as a negative, you almost defeat yourself. We're professionals and we've got to treat it like that no matter what the situation is. It could be worse, honestly. We could not be playing."
