Strikers fall to rival Rowdies at home

FORT LAUDERDALE — In a game which saw eight yellow cards, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies rivalry was in full effect in a chippy1-0loss for the home side at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday night.

The Strikers (0-2-2), with its fourth different starting lineup in as many games, controlled the firsthalf with 58.4 percent of ball possession, and 72.8 percent passing accuracy. The Strikers were unable to capitalize in the 45th minute when Tampa’s Eric Avila was called for a handball and forward Maicon Santos penalty kickwas wide right.

“We started the game well,” said Strikers coach Caio Zanardi after the match. “In the first half we had five chances to score, this was by far the best matchwe’ve played.”

With the loss, theStrikers continue to add to its longest drought in modern history in games without leading, with 360 minutes. Honduran national Ramon Nuñez was a surprising start for Zanardi. With a combined 83 minutes of playing time in his firsttwo matches as a Striker, Nuñez continues to ease into a starting role.

Nuñez and Zanardi acknowledge that it will still take a few more games to get the 30-year-old World Cup veteran to match fitness.

“In the 66th minute he asked to come out and I had to make the change,” said Zanardi.

In the 78th minute, the Rowdies broke the scoreless tie after Eric Avila crossed a ball into the box for Neill Collins, whose header was just over the hands of an outstretched Bruno.

With the loss, and Ottawa Fury’s 2-0 victory earlier Saturday, the Strikers find themselves in last place in the 2016 NASL spring standings.