The future looks bright for FC Edmonton.

On Saturday, a pair of youth academy graduates combined to lift the club to a 1-1 tie, on the road, against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Sadi Jalali scored the tying goal in the 86th minute, with recently-promoted midfielder Bruno Zebie coming off the bench and creating the opportunity.

The goal cancelled out a converted penalty by Strikers midfielder Walter Ramirez in the 68th minute.

“I’m very, very pleased, we showed lots of character,” said FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller. “I don’t know if people realize, you look at the players that are missing from the group and you look at the players that have done so well for us (Saturday) and you think we’re not a bad organization, we’re doing some terrific things with these young players and everybody is standing up to be counted for at the moment.”

Playing with a depleted squad due to injuries and a pair of international call-ups, FC Edmonton went to Fort Lauderdale with a young team.

Jalali, 20, earned his second-consecutive start as the lone striker for FC Edmonton, having scored his first North American Soccer League goal the previous week in a 4-0 win over the San Antonio Scorpions in Fort McMurray.

Jalali helped the Eddies salvage a tie on Saturday with the late goal on a long-range shot that hit the goalpost, then bounced into the net off the back of Strikers goaltender Josh Ford.

The ball fell to Jalali at the top of the penalty area after Zebie, 19, was able to climb above a Strikers defender and head it down to his teammate.

Ford dove to try and stop the shot and had the ball bounce in off him while still on the ground.

“I said to Sadi that he has to continue to chase lost causes, he has to continue to have a gamble,” Miller said. “A striker is ultimately judged by how many goals you score and the kid has stepped up and scored a penalty last week, he’s hit a shot (Saturday) that he’s capable of hitting and it’s not a surprise that he hits the ball as well as he does, because he’s got terrific technique and he struck it very well.”

Jalali is filling in for injured strikers Daryl Fordyce and Tomi Ameobi. He’s also being asked to provide offence in the absence of the league’s leading scorer, Lance Laing, who is away at the Gold Cup tournament with Jamaica and Hanson Boakai, currently with the Canadian side at the Pan Am Games.

“It’s great because he’s getting valuable playing time here while the injured guys are out,” Miller said. “He’s making the most of this opportunity and I’m proud of him.”

FC Edmonton started well against Fort Lauderdale, creating the better opportunities in the first half.

Jalali had the best, forcing Ford to make a diving save off a bending shot headed towards the far corner.

Later in the half, FC Edmonton midfielder Michael Nonni, stepped into a shot with the outside of his foot that corkscrewed through the Strikers defence and forced another good save out of Ford.

At the other end, FC Edmonton goalkeeper Matt VanOekel had a quiet half, only forced to deal with a pair of crosses.

In the second half, Fort Lauderdale took the lead moments after having a goal waved off due to an offside.

Strikers substitute Shawn Chin, was judged to have been tripped by VanOekel chasing down a through ball in the box. Replays showed there was minimal contact with Chin as VanOekel dove to reach for the ball.

“Matt assures me that he did not touch the player,” Miller said. “The problem was that the big fellow went down to the ground and of course with somebody that size and temperament and a tendency to dive in the box, he conned the referee.”

Ramirez stepped up and converted the penalty to give Fort Lauderdale the lead.

man o’ the atch

Sadi Jalali

Was the lone threat up front for FC Edmonton and went on score the tying goal to earn the visitors a point.

FC grades

OVERALL: X

Offence: C

Defence: B

Goaltending: B

Toughness: B

Effort: B

THE WHY

They played a strong road game defensively with just one lapse that cost them a goal in the second half. The Eddies, however, were able to battle back and score an equalizing goal to earn a valuable point on the road.

PLAY O’ DA GAME

FC Edmonton substitute Bruno Zebie is able to head down a long ball at the top of the box to Sadi Jalali, who takes the long shot on goal. The ball bounces off the goalpost, then off the back of Strikers goaltender Josh Ford and into the net for the tying goal.

save o’ da game

Early in the second half, the ball falls to Strikers midfielder Marlon Freitas at the top of the FC Edmonton penalty area. Freitas hammers a shot that is stopped by goalkeeper Matt VanOekel, who was in perfect position.

up next

FC Edmonton at San Antonio Strikers, Wednesday 6:30 p.m., Toyota Field.

derek.vandiest@sunmedia.ca