FC EDMONTON SALVAGES A POINT WITH LATE GOAL AGAINST FORGE
Easton Ongaro rescued the game and perhaps the season for FC Edmonton on Saturday.
Ongaro scored the late equalizer in a 1-1 tie against Forge FC of Hamilton three minutes after the visitors took the lead in a wet and sloppy contest at Clarke Field.
The goal was Ongaro’s first as a professional and earned FC Edmonton a point in the Canadian Premier League Fall Competition standings.
“This one hurts a bit because we’re chasing them in the standings and want to catch up and we felt we’ve given away two points by drawing that game,” FC Edmonton head coach Jeff Paulus said. “But I’m absolutely delighted with the character of this team; to give up that goal the way we gave up that goal, it’s a poor one to concede, but the fight back in these lads here, for me, was something else.”
FC Edmonton went into the game five points back of firstplace Forge FC in the standings and was looking to cut the deficit to two with a victory.
The kickoff was slightly delayed due to lightning in the area and the game was played through a steady downpour and strong winds, especially in the first half.
FC Edmonton had the better chances in the first half and should have taken the lead when striker Oumar Diouck was sent in alone on a pass from captain Tomi Ameobi. But instead of trying to chip the ball over Forge’s goalkeeper Quillan Roberts, Diouck tried to dribble around him and the ball rolled harmlessly out of play as the two collided.
Later in the half, centre-back Didic Amer was able to get his head on a corner kick, but was unable it bounce it past Roberts.
“I appreciate the work all these players put in and they all put in a good performance (Saturday),” Paulus said. “But at the end of the day, when you get inside the 18(yard box), you have to put it on goal. We’ve had a couple of great looks, but we put it over the net, we’ve drilled balls into defenders when we had a lot more room to shoot at, not just at the defender.
“This is the difference with us being right up there with Cavalry FC at the moment in this fall season and being a team that is challenging for first and second place as opposed to us having to fight to get up there in these last 14 games and try to claw back against Forge.”
With a strong wind at its back in the second half, FC Edmonton continued to dictate play, but again was unable to convert quality opportunities.
Diouck had the ball fall to him at the top of the box, but took an extra touch before shooting and had it blocked by a defender. Later in the half, Ajay Khabra was set up in front and skied his shot over the net.
The missed opportunities came back to cost FC Edmonton. Forge FC took the lead, capitalizing on a miscommunication between Edmonton goalkeeper Connor James and Didic. The two both went up to play a ball that hung up in the wind at the edge of the penalty area and collided with one another. Midfielder Kyle Bekker went on to score on the ensuing scramble, giving Forge the lead in the 86th minute.
The goal looked like it would decide the contest before Ongaro scored in the 89th minute.
“When you score in the 86th minute, a lot of times you think you have gotten the three points (for a win),” Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis said. “This wasn’t our best game, it wasn’t indicative of the way we play and the way we want to play going forward. We almost did steal three points, so it’s disappointing that we did give up that goal late. But coming here, considering the overall picture, maybe the tie was the best result when you look at both teams and what was done on the field.”
Ongaro, 21, a local player and former member of the University of Alberta Golden Bears, was brought on as a substitute with 20 minutes left in the contest. He was able to get to the end of a cross into the box by Didic and head the ball into the net past Roberts for the tying goal.
“The ball came back to Amir and I saw him look up and prepare to whip the ball in,” Ongaro said. “I just knew I had to be in the right place and he got the ball there and it ended up in the back of the net. It’s great to get that first goal. I felt it coming and hopefully there are more to come.”