As FC Edmonton continue racing toward an NASL playoff spot, there’s another interesting race developing on the team.

Tomi Ameobi and Lance Laing each scored their team-leading seventh goals as the Eddies blanked the Carolina RailHawks 3-0 before a season-low 2,022 fans at Clarke Park Sunday afternoon.

Both players moved into a third-place tie in the NASL goal-scoring race as the team unleashed some firepower.

Dustin Corea, the newest Eddie who set up Ameobi’s goal, scored his first in the 36th minute.

Corea recently rejoined the team after scoring a goal for El Salvador in the Gold Cup.

“It was a good day, can’t complain,” said Corea. “Scored a goal, set one up and the team got a win. Hopefully, it’s the first of many and hopefully, I can set up more of my teammates. If I can slip you in, I’ll take that over taking a shot. Who doesn’t want to score? If it’s a pass to win the game, I’ll do that.

“I’m super happy to be here, coming to a new team. Since I got here, everybody’s given me the confidence. It’ll be a good season if we continue to play like we did today. I know we can give even more than we did today.”

Taking Corea’s through ball, Ameobi buried his shot on the inside right post in the 11th minute.

Ameobi has quickly climbed up the team’s scoring chart with his third goal in three games and fourth in the last five.

“I think it’s a team effort,” said Ameobi. “When we play better as a unit, it makes it easier for us attackers. The back four were excellent today and that gives us a platform going forward. When you have players like Dustin and Lance Laing, Daryl Fordyce and Ritchie Jones, it makes it easier for myself.

“I can’t really take any credit because it’s just the guys behind me being awesome.

“We know we’re going to get our chances and it’s a matter of keeping a cool head and making the most of those chances. We had three in the first half and could have had a couple more in the second, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

In the 27th minute, defender Kareem Moses launched a long through ball to Laing, who broke downfield on a two-on-one with Jones. Using Jones as a decoy, Laing left-footed a sharply-hit ball into the net.

It was the second clean sheet for goalie Matt VanOekel in the last three games and fourth of the fall season. VanOekel faced just a pair of Carolina shots on goal.

More importantly, the team has moved up in both the fall session and combined tables after taking seven of a possible nine points in their last three starts.

“I wasn’t pleased in the first half, even though we were up three-nil,” said Eddies head coach Colin Miller. “The second half was a much more professional performance. Even though we didn’t score, organization-wise we were much better.

“I said some bad words at half time and I meant it. We have to be ruthless. If we want to compete at the top level of the league, we have to be absolutely clinical in our defending and ruthless in our attacking. It’s a big ask.”

With a 4-3-2 record, the Eddies grabbed sole possession of second place in the fall season standings. In the combined table, Edmonton’s 6-6-7 record gives them sole possession of fourth, making up much ground after their 10th-place spring session showing.

“You have to win your home games,” said Miller whose team hosts Fort Lauderdale next Sunday. “If we get into this habit, we have as good a chance as anybody to make the playoffs.

“It would have been nice to have more spectators, but it is what it is. This is a good Carolina team that we beat quite handily.”

con.griwkowsky@sunmedia.ca

FC Edmonton 3, Carolina 0

GAME GRADES

Overall A

Offence A

Defence B

Midfield A

Goalkeeping A

Toughness A

Effort A

MAN O’ DA MATCH

Dustin Corea, Edm

The FC Edmonton midfielder’s ability to find the open man resulted in several good scoring chances. Even though his setup to Lance Laing was stopped, his through ball to Tomi Ameobi resulted in the team’s first goal. Corea then scored his team’s third goal in the 36th minute.

THE WHY

After watching what Carolina had in the early going, the Eddies took complete control of the midfield, dominating with three first-half goals.

BIG PLAY

With a Carolina defender bearing down on him, Eddies forward Daryl Fordyce flicked the ball to Dustin Corea, who blasted the ball into the far side of the net.

BIG SAVE

Diving and catching the ball with his right hand, Carolina goalie Akira Fitzgerald flicked away a redirection of a free kick by hard-luck Eddies midfielder Ritchie Jones in the 70th minute, managing to ave futher embarrassment for his team.

UP NEXT

Fort Lauderdale at FC Edmonton, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2 p.m. Clarke Stadium.