FC Edmonton needs three goals to overcome deficit

FC Edmonton knows it can play better football. After opening its inaugural season with some success, it has suffered back-to-back defeats in cup and league action in which it has finished with less than XI players on the pitch.



The team’s first chance to play better football will come this Wednesday 4 May when it faces Toronto FC in the second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship semi-final leg. Unfortunately, it could mark the end of FC Edmonton’s inaugural cup run if it does not catch Toronto FC’s three-goal lead.



In the opening leg on 27 April, FC Edmonton fell 0:3 to Toronto FC at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, AB. It was a rough introduction for FC Edmonton, as it was reduced to 10 players after Shaun Saiko was shown a red card. Toronto FC then scored three times with the man advantage.



Over the weekend, FC Edmonton lost again, this time in league action to Impact Montréal in the NASL. The Impact scored five goals while FC Edmonton was reduced to nine players after two ejections.



For FC Edmonton’s first-ever trip to BMO Field, the team will be without midfielder Saiko who must serve his one-match suspension in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Goalkeeper Rein Baart and midfielder Chris Lemire are both eligible because their expulsions came in league play instead of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Still, FC Edmonton has traveled without Baart, which means either Lance Parker or Jaswinder Gill will get the start.



Added to the FC Edmonton roster this week is defender Paul Matthijs, who missed the start of the season because of an injury. Whether Matthijs plays or not will be decided on Wednesday, but at least he has made the trip and will be in the locker room.



The Toronto FC v FC Edmonton match kicks off at 20.00 ET on Wednesday 4 May at BMO Field. The match will be broadcast live in high definition on four Rogers Sportsnet channels (Pacific, West, Ontario and East). The winner of the two-leg semi-final advances to the Nutrilite Canadian Championship final which will be played 18 and 25 May.