Almost 6,000 people showed up at Lockhart Stadium this Wednesday despite the rain and conflicting U2 concert. It's all because our most hated rival came to town. FC Tampa Bay (aka Rowdies) came into South Florida in search of points and unfortunately they took one point with them.
The Strikers dominated this game with an incredible 24 shots of which only 6 were on goal. It was a game where the result should have been an overwhelming win by at least 4 goals but it's apparent we just can't score. Tampa on the other hand had only 2 shots on goal converting one of them. One thing the Strikers have been able to do is come from behind and tie their last few games. But the fans want wins especially at home!
Worth mentioning are all the supporters that rocked the stadium all night. If you listen in on the video you can hear the Strikers supporter tell the few Rowdies fans present that they can't hear them as well as other Tampa hate chants. The twelfth man was definitely present! Check out the video if you haven't already.
The supporters also had a JVB1 sign in honor of Strikers goalkeeping legend Jan van Beveren who passed away this past Sunday in Houston Texas. They also had a Tifo sporting the words "Kings of Florida" just so that the Rowdies are aware that they are the Strikers peons!
“We were just missing the final pass on a couple of chances,” said head coach Daryl Shore. “We were the aggressor tonight and it’s frustrating. Soccer is funny because you can have a team on their heels and one chance and you go down 1 - 0.”
You can read more about the game HERE Here are a few more pictures from the Tailgate, the game and screen shots from the video.
Tampa Road Trip In case you didn't know, the Strikers are headed up North to St. Petersburg to play the Rowdies on Monday July 4th at 6 pm. If you want to be part of the caravan we will depart out of Lockhart Stadium at 10AM sharp on Monday.
SFU has set up a 15 person van and there are still a couple of seats so if you want to tag along it will be $40 on Monday morning which includes the game ticket. Derek Reese even supplied us with a picture indicating where the Strikers Likers will be seated. Check it out! Click to enlarge.
As you can see we'll be sitting behind home plate, close to the Mob's section. So come on people, lets invade Tampa! Get in your cars or hop on the bus with us to support our Strikers! If you want to join us contact us ASAP or see you Monday morning at Lockhart Stadium. Let's Go Strikers!
Mesa, who left behind his mother and 5-year-old daughter in Cuba, defected following Cuba's 5-0 loss to Mexico in a Gold Cup game in Charlotte, N.C. He walked out of his hotel without alerting any of the Cuban coaching staff, got into his uncle's car and drove to Miami where his uncle lives.
Yosniel is still waiting on his work permit. Rumors have surfaced that he will also have a tryout with the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer (MLS). Here is a video from the Sun Sentinel:
"Anytime you get a chance to have any type of player come in, you want to take a look at him and see how he does with your group," Strikers coach Daryl Shore said. "Obviously it's a little extra special when you have a Cuban player who is looking for a better chance and better life than what he had at home."
Read the full article HERE Picture by Robert Scorca Here is a video from Univision:
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were able to steal a point from Montreal this weekend and keeper Matt Glaeser gets another clean sheet.
"Today our guys earned a hard fought point in a tough environment," said head coach Daryl Shore. "We felt like it should have been 3 but overall we are satisfied with the result."
Read more about the game HERE Following are the game highlights:
MagicJack South Florida's womens soccer team was not so lucky as the Strikers in their visit to Philadelphia. They felt the loss of most of their starters currently warming up for Womens World Cup. Magic Jack fell to the Independence by 6-0.
The Philadelphia Independence (4-2-3; 15 pts) tied the league record for scoring output in a game, posting six goals and recording its third straight shut out in a 6-0 victory over magicJack (5-3-0; 14 pts) Saturday night at Widener University's Quick Stadium
Gold Cup Gold Cup continued this past weekend with the USA defeating Jamaica by 2-0. The Americans finally came out with a winning attitude versus the Jamaicans and will clash with Panama in a revenge match this coming Wednesday. If you want to meet up with the American Outlaws head out to Mickey Byrne's in Hollywood. More info HERE
Check out the game highlights:
Miami Ultras Alive Tonight's Miami Ultras Alive, hosted by Pieter Brown and Uncle Ed will have as a guest Reuters writer Simon Evans who will discuss Gold Cup, Strikers, NASL, WPS, MLS and much more. It's tonight at 10 PM. tell your friends and join us on the live chat or call in with your questions or comments. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/miamiultras/2011/06/21/miami-ultras-alive-11
The latest Miami Ultras Alive show hosted by Pieter Brown and sidekick Uncle Ed was honored to have Fort Lauderdale Strikers President Tim Robbie as a guest. Pieter and Ed started off talking about WPS side MagicJack and then went on to an interview with midfielder Brian Shriver who scored a brace and continued with a quick interview with Strikers coach Daryl Shore. Tim Robbie joined us shortly after at about the 18 min mark to discuss the issues that have developed with the FAA concerning the Stadium. He also let out some great information in reference to a new NASL team out of Ottawa, Canada that will join the league in 2013. (See it at 55 min) It proves that the NASL is here to stay and so are the Strikers that are thought of as the flag ship of the league. The podcast ends with talk about the Gold Cup games in Miami and how impressed I was with the ambiance and the stadium. It reinforces the fact that Miami-Dade is still a good area for soccer. Listen to the podcast:
Gold Cup in Miami was a success as over 18,000 people showed up to watch the beautiful game. FIU stadium was packed and the ambiance was spectacular. Every seat was a good one and it felt as if you could reach out and touch the players due to the proximity of the field to the stands. It's a great stadium to watch soccer and I dare say the only thing that I didn't like was that the ball made a few weird bounces due to the plastic turf. Hopefully, one day, they will put a proper pitch. The games started off with a vibrant Jamaica versus Guatemala. Which saw the Reggae Boys defeat the 'Chapines' by 2-0. Followed by Honduras against Grenada which saw the Grenadines start off with an early goal only to be destroyed by Honduras with a final score of 7-1. Read more HERE If South Florida fans wanted to send a message to Major League Soccer it was sent on Friday night and the message is: This area can and will support quality soccer. Let's hope the 'Don" gets the message and an investor steps up.
Strikers Win! The Fort Lauderdale Strikers continue to win in the NASL as they defeated the NSC Minnesota Stars by 3-0. The Strikers form has been impressive as of late and they had a stellar game by substitute Brian Shriver who had a brace.
“We were struggling in the first half defensively, and we weren't doing well with the chances we had. Once the first goal came, we knew the confidence would be there to add more,” said head coach Daryl Shore about the first half. “After they started throwing numbers forward, the defense buckled down and took pride in the shutout. I'm proud to see the effort they put forth to hold the score to where it was.”
Read more about the game HERE Be sure to check back for video highlights later today. The Strikers go on the road this coming Saturday June 18 as they face the Montreal Impact at Saputo stadium. Game time is set for 2:30 pm Watch it live on www.strikers.com
MagicJack wins WPS side MagicJack gets a road win this weekend as they visited the Atlanta Beat. MagicJack was short on many players due to the Women's World Cup set to start soon but the reserves proved to be enough to get the job done! MagicJack came in with an early goal by Ella Masar. Christen Press scored right before the half to give MagicJack a 2-1 lead and Johanna Rasmussen sealed the deal in the second half. Read more about the game HERE Be sure to follow MagicJack on Facebook
Miami Ultras Alive Be sure to check out the latest version of Miami Ultras Alive tonight Monday at 10 pm as El Presidente Pieter Brown and Uncle Ed cover everything and anything with regards to South Florida soccer. Topics that will be covered will be Gold Cup, Strikers, NASL, WPS, MagicJack, MLS and more. Call in (323) 927-1455 and join in on our live chat room as our special guest tonight will be Fort Lauderdale Strikers President Tim Robbie. Be sure to tune in and tell your friends! Go here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/miamiultras/2011/06/14/miami-ultras-alive-10
It all starts tonight with a double header at FIU Stadium (aka The Cage) in Miami tonight Friday June 10th. You can see Jamaica vs Guatemala starting at 7 pm and Honduras vs Grenada at 9 pm. Tickets are still available and you can buy them HERE or buy them at the FIU box office!
Fort Lauderdale Strikers The fun doesn't stop there. Loyal South Florida soccer fans will meet at Lockhart Stadium this Saturday at 7:30 pm when the Fort Lauderdale Strikers play the NSC Minnesota Stars as the Strikers looks to keep escalating in the NASL standings. For a full guide to game day visit www.strikers.com
More Gold Cup Gold Cup continues Saturday when Canada plays against Guadeloupe at 6 p.m in Tampa, Florida. Regrettably at almost the same time the Strikers game will be playing USA will face Panama, game set to start at 8 pm.
Lockhart Stadium For those worried about the developments referring to the possible closure of Lockhart and Fort Lauderdale stadiums. Our friends at Inside Minnesota Soccer have an interview with Strikers team President Tim Robbie who puts everything in a lighter note.
“It’s difficult to envision a scenario that would not allow us to complete our season here at Lockhart,” said Robbie. “The city of Fort Lauderdale and particularly Mayor Jack Seiler are working very diligently behind the scenes in order to assure there will be no interruption of the Strikers season. I think the chances of us having to move out this season are very, very remote.”
The Miami Ultras had an emergency meeting to discuss steps to take concerning the FAA's possible closure of the stadiums read about it at Miami Soccer Fan.
Tim Robbie is also set to join El Presidente Pieter Brown and Uncle Ed on Miami Ultras Alive #10 this coming Monday June 13 at 10 pm. This show will be live so join in the chat room or call in with your questions at (323)927-1455 The show will cover all the soccer events that take place this week with special attention to the Strikers. You can listen to the show live on Monday HERE
This past Saturday the Sun Sentinel reported in it's printed version that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was threatening to shut down Lockhart Stadium and the adjacent Fort Lauderdale Stadium if all stadium revenue generated by the school system (which plays High School Football games) and the Strikers don't go to the airport.
The FAA's position has stunned the city, the school system and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers soccer team. High school sports teams have played at 20,000-seat Lockhart Stadium for more than 50 years, and it is now home to Fort Lauderdale High and Stranahan High's football teams. "We will try to do everything possible to make sure these teams can stay," Mayor Jack Seiler said.
Read the online article that came out last night HERE
According to Saturday's article the lease expires June 30 which would mean that if this holds up the last game played at Lockhart Stadium would be the make up game on Wednesday, June 29th against the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies. The question remains: Where would the Strikers play? Perhaps the Cricket Stadium in Lauderhill (capacity 5,000) or maybe even FIU stadium in Miami (capacity 23,500). Outside options are Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah (capacity 5,221), Tropical Park in Miami (capacity 10,000) or FAU Stadium in Boca Raton which should be open this fall, however, there is a soccer field being used by the WPS side magicJack at that location which could also be adapted for the Strikers. A meeting was to take place yesterday between the FAA, BCAA and the Strikers, but no word on the developments, if any, have surfaced. As Strikers Fans we hope these issues get ironed out. If you want to follow more comments on this subject check out Bigsoccer. UPDATE: By Train-wreck Kaly We need to meet to draft a petition to save Lockhart. Our lease runs out on June 30th, ONE DAY AFTER THE TAMPA MAKE UP GAME! If we lose the lease, Our season MAY end up in Jeopardy. With the lease cominng to an end, There is a LOT at stake. The Strikers, Ft Lauderdale High, and Stranahan HS will be looking for a new field. We have less than a month to take action, so time is of the essence. I need any input to get this done and assembled in the shortest time we could have ever imagined. After the meeting and the petition is written, we can go next door to catch some Gold Cup action. BE THERE PEOPLE! Be sure to check out this event on Facebook
A busy soccer weekend just passed and it's leading into more football goodness all week with the start of the Gold Cup. But first off, some of the American Outlaws decided to meet up at Fox & Hound close to Lockhart Stadium stadium to watch the USA vs Spain game. this was a painful game to watch as the American's were schooled by a much better Spanish side. The 4-0 defeat to a second string Spain was a reality check but considering we were also without a full roster gives me a little hope for the Gold Cup. With a group including Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe, I'm confident we will advance. Gold Cup Talk about Gold Cup, get out there and support soccer in South Florida! This Friday is your chance to support soccer in our area as we will have a doubleheader between Jamaica and Guatemala at 7pm followed by Grenada versus Honduras at 9 pm at FIU Stadium in Miami. Tickets are still available by going HERE Strikers We had an exciting game at Lockhart Stadium this weekend as the Strikers battled the Carribean champions, The Puerto Rico Islanders. It was an exciting match up for sure!
“After going into halftime up a goal, we didn’t do the things we needed to do to keep the lead. However, we showed great composure coming from behind and winning the game. The crowd was outstanding and contributed to our comeback,” said Strikers Head Coach Daryl Shore.
Miami Ultras Alive Last night Pieter Brown and Uncle Ed had the 9th version of Miami Ultras Alive with special guest Fort Lauderdale Strikers forward Abe Thompson. It was great to see Abe back in form and scoring during the game this past weekend and even better hearing his views on the game and inside the locker room. If you missed the show listen in to the podcast and the myriad of subjects we cover from the WPS, MagicJack who lost versus the Boston Breakers to talk of MLS Expansion to Miami and my appearance on Radio Caracol 1260 AM last week. Listen to it:
Julio Caballero, VP of the Miami Ultras has formed a group called La Academia which is exclusively dedicated to bringing Major League Soccer back to South Florida. They also organize MLS watch party's and will soon lead a pilgrimage of South Florida soccer fans to invade an MLS game to support our bid for MLS in Miami. (Site and information will come out soon, so stay tuned!)
It seems MLS to Miami is only a matter of time. Julio was able to speak to South Florida's best hope for top flight first division soccer, Brightstar CEO and owner of Bolivia's most popular team, Bolivar, Mr. Marcelo Claure.
La Academia Q & A with Marcelo Claure We want to thank Marcelo Claure for taking time out of his busy schedule to respond to the questions posted by La Academia about a potential MLS franchise bid to bring a team to South Florida.
(MC) Before answering questions, I just wanted to say I really like the new name of the fan club – La Academia. My team in Bolivia, Bolivar, is also known as La Academia so the name had an immediate impact on me.
(LA) Success in MLS is now associated with a strong connection between fans and their team, if you were to bid for a franchise, how do you plan to foster that connection?
(MC) Julio and La Academia, as we continue working to bring MLS to South Florida, we will build connections with fans through Q&As like this, organized soccer viewing events, and many other grassroots efforts. We will absolutely want to work with La Academia on these efforts.
(LA) If you move forward with a bid, would you consider using the Miami Fusion FC name or would you prefer a team with a new identity?
(MC) Depending on what the ultimate ownership looks like, we would evaluate the Miami Fusion FC name as well as other options. We want a name that the local fans can completely embrace and own.
This past Saturday marked the return of MLS Futbolito to South Florida. This year the Miami Ultras signed up to play in the tournament for the first time. Uncle Ed, your humble bloggererer was signed on as the Coach. Here are my notes and comments of my debut as coach.
1.- The coach was the last to show up. Incredible, considering I live only a few minutes away from Kendall Soccer Park. I could tell the players were annoyed. From the first moment I realized we had no chemistry. This was going to be ugly!
The Players:
Kyle "Train wreck" Kaly Position: Goalkeeper, even though we were not supposed to have a goalkeeper. He cost us a penalty for crossing the line! Voted Ballsiest player on the team (Read on, you'll find out why). Pros: none Cons: Drinks, smokes, smoked more, burps... you get the picture.
The Reese's pieces bros: Derek "Peanut" Reese and Zach"Chocolate" Reese Position: Right or left wingers. Can't tell which is which, so I just say "Reese!" They both answer... I say "Take a wing". (They think I'm talking about chicken wings). Pros: Both fast as lightning Cons: Can't tell which is which. One is better than the other but I can't tell which one.
David "The Judge" Ito Position: Sweeper The "Judge" laid down the law, immediately establishing his dominance and authority over all. Pros: Tall... that's about it. If only he had his gavel (the little hammer judges use for you laymen folk). Cons: Can't score if his life depended on it!
Jorge "The 561" Marquez Position: Wide Receiver The "Cinco Seis Uno" looked as if he was on vacation out there, he made Palm Beach county proud. Pros: Played great for about 1 minute. A good sleeper. Cons: Played 1 minute and was tired.
Mr. Colombia Alan 'G' Position: Outfielder and Shortstop Highest scorer on the team, started off slow but soon picked up momentum. Pros: Did whatever he wanted. Cons: Did whatever he wanted.
Mr. Mitch "Ultra Cool" Rivera Position: Full back He was our benefactor, organizer and main Futbolito nut. Pros: A good leader. Cons: Can't play for crap!
Uncle Ed Position: Coach First time coach. Did what he could with a rag tag team of imbeciles! Pros: Had a great assistant Cons: Didn't know what the hell he was doing!
Burrito Position: Assistant coach Burrito didn't want to leave his dog house. Considered 10 am too early to get up. Was a no show and missed every game. Pros: A great Blogging Dog Cons: Likes to chew on things and hump them.
2.-No practice does not make perfect. We never got together for even a second of practice and it showed. I asked the players to do a couple of warm ups. They all ignored me. Alan "G" decided to run laps on his own and almost missed the kick off. Not good, not good.
3.- Game #1 Miami Ultras vs Soccer Locker I figured any team with the word Soccer in it is not good. Ultras Starting line up had "561" at Forward, The Reese's Pieces Chocolate and Peanut at Mid and Mr. Colombia at D. The logic behind the formation? None. I figured they were the youngest of the bunch or most in shape. Result: Disaster. 10-0 in favor of Soccer Locker. The enemy was clearly a well seasoned team. They triangulated us to death and made us look like fools. Even the ref was cracking jokes. We had maybe 3 shots all off target in game #1.
4.- The men gathered under Tent "Ultras" for a much needed rest. They hydrated, ate donuts (Sent to us by our fellow Ultra and connoisseur Justin "Jellyfish" Yarborough) and smoked cigarettes. To pass the time. Quality players these... True athletes!
5.- MLS player Omar Salgado of the Vancouver Whitecaps came by the tent "Ultras" to say hola. We took pictures with him and even offered him a donut, which he declined. We almost convinced him to play on the Ultras team for our next game but evil MLS people were around and said he couldn't. We tried to bribe them but they didn't want our money. Apparently it wasn't enough.
6.- Game #2 Miami Ultras vs The Has Beens When I heard the name I knew we had a chance! One of their players was in his 50's so things were looking good! This Time Uncle Ed had learned his mistake and shuffled the players around. At Forward it was "561" Mid had Mr. Colombia and Zach "Chocolate" Reese with "Judge" Ito providing rear coverage. The results were almost immediate. But sadly our troops faltered in the end once again falling, this time to the "Has beens" 7-5. A late heroic save by "Train wreck" will almost certainly mean he will never procreate as he blocked a sure goal with his manhood. Ballsiest play of the tournament! (Pun totally intended)
7.- The players retreated back under the tent for one last rest before the final game. The standings were even though and we had a remote chance of advancing if we could pull off a win. Our men were determined to make the playoffs, we would not be denied!
8.- Game #3 Miami Ultras vs ???? The coach took charge one last time. The team was ready and as we took the pitch I had no doubt we would come out victorious! And we did just that! We won the game 3-0! It was a convincing win. There was no doubt we had this one in the bag from the very first minute! Yes! We won! Due to default, since the other team didn't show... We were awarded the 3-0 win. 9.- We decided to play a scrimmage amongst ourselves. The coach came out of retirement and played to show off a few moves here and there. Later inquires on game results determined we almost made the final! The second place team had only won 1 game and beat us only by gol differential.
10.- Next year the Ultras will destroy the opposition. Uncle Ed will come out of retirement and Burrito will be the first canine coach of MLS Futbolito! Check out the video of the games. Shout out to Jane "Poopsykins" Shpiner who filmed it:
Be sure to listen to Miami Ultras Alive #7 for more information about MLS Futbolito, the Strikers, MagicJack and to listen to guests the Bourough Boys who discussed the Cosmos, MLS and the NASL.
UPDATE: Ultras Interview Omar Salgado of the Vancouver Whitecaps. He wants to come and play in Miami and also laughs at the Ultras performance in MLS Futbolito (Thanks to Alan for the clip).
Here is a video of Omar Salgado on Republica Deportiva (In Spanish) with Fernando Fiore.
MLS Futbolito is here in Miami and it starts this Sunday May 22. Come out and check out this great 4 vs 4 tournament! It's at Kendall Soccer Park located at 8011 SW 127th Ave Miami, FL 33183. This event will have many sponsor booths, activities and you will also be able to be part of Univision's Republica Deportiva TV show. Last year I was able to participate in the celebrity match representing the Miami Ultras. Check out the picture below.
If you didn't sign up for a team you can always come out and support the Miami Ultras soccer supporters group as we will have a team in the tournament. To honor our current NASL team The Fort Lauderdale Strikers we have decided to wear red and gold.
For those curious, the Ultras line up will have the following players: Kyle "Train wreck" Kaly prime candidate to get red carded. The Reece's pieces bros: Derek "Chocolate" Reese and Zach "Peanut" Reese Jorge "representing the 561" Marquez David "The Judge" Ito Mr. Colombia Alan 'G' and our benefactor organizer and main Futbolito nut Mr. Mitch "Ultra Cool" Rivera Coach will be yours trully Uncle Ed Assistant coach will be Burrito (If they allow pets)
Strikers vs Silverbacks Watch Party The Strikers will visit the Atlanta Silverhawks for the second time this season in hope of also getting their second victory against them. The united South Florida soccer supporters (South Florida United) are hosting a watch party at The Fox and Hound located at 4812 North Dixie Highway, Oakland Park, FL 33334-3929 (954) 491-8869 The game starts at 7:30 pm but fans will be there earlier. You can also see the game streaming live by going to www.strikers.com We hope to see everyone out there! Go Strikers!
MagicJack vs Western NY Flash In case you didn't know it the MagicJack website is up and running! Just in time for their WPS match versus the Flash which will be televised this Sunday at 7:30 PM live on Fox Soccer. The two best teams in the league will finally meet to see who will remain unbeaten! Follow the team on Facebook for the latest information and you can also check them ot on their YouTube page.
The rumored game between Barcelona and AC Milan was just that, a rumor. Instead Miami will host FC Barcelona vs Chivas of Guadalajara at Sun Life Stadium! A very exciting game for all of us in South Florida.
NEW YORK -- This summer’s lineup of heavy-hitting international matches just got a little heavier.
On Monday, Major League Soccer and CAA announced the addition of three global powerhouses—FC Barcelona, Club América, and CD Guadalajara—to the 2011 Herbalife World Football Challenge.
Also announced was Herbalife’s title sponsorship for the event, which kicks off with the New England Revolution vs. Manchester United on July 13 and also includes Real Madrid taking on the LA Galaxy, the MLS side which sports Herbalife on their jerseys. Herbalife is also a sponsor of Barcelona. Video:
The Blaugrana, favorites to win their third straight Spanish title and finalists in this year’s UEFA Champions League, will face Chivas at 8 pm ET on Wednesday, August 3, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
They will then travel to Dallas, where they will take on Club América at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, August 6. Kick off is at 4 pm ET.
These two games are the continuation of Barça’s US tour, which begins with the previously announced clash with Manchester United on July 30 at FedEx Field outside of Washington, DC. The meeting will be a rematch of the upcoming UEFA Champions League final, which takes place May 28 in London.
Further games for América and Chivas will be announced later, MLS and CAA said.
For the full schedule go HERE See seat arrangement below: To buy tickets and get more information go HERE *Keep in mind the price may change with service fees, etc. UPDATE: Password:WFC11
