1993 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season

Fort Lauderdale Strikers
1993 season
Owner	Joe Robbie ; Noel Lemon
Manager	Thomas Rongen
Stadium	Lockhart Stadium
APSL	Sixth place
APSL playoffs	did not qualify
Home colors	Away colors
	← 1992 Strikers 1994 Strikers; 1994 Kicks →

1993 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season

The 1993 Fort Lauderdale Strikers season was the club's 27th season in professional soccer and its fourth in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). The Strikers played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The team finished the season in sixth place out of seven teams in the APSL, failing to qualify for the playoffs.

Team Overview:

Manager: Thomas Rongen Rongen, a former Strikers player, managed the team through the season with a 37% success rate, earning 8 victories in 24 matches.
Assistant Manager: Emilio Romero Romero continued to serve as the team's assistant manager during this season.

Notable Players

Defenders:
- Denis Hamlett (Costa Rica) – A consistent presence in the backline, Hamlett played a key role in the defense.
- Ivan McKinley (South Africa) – A versatile defender, McKinley was part of the squad since 1991.
Midfielders:
- Stan Lembryk (USA) – Joined the Strikers in 1993, contributing to the midfield.
Forwards:
- Marcelo Carrera (Argentina) – Carrera joined the team mid-season and made an impact as a striker.
- Shawn Medved (USA) – A forward who joined in 1993, contributing to the team's attack.

Goalkeeper:
- Chris Antonopoulos (USA) – Joined the team for the 1993 season, providing stability in goal for the Strikers.

Season Results: The Strikers struggled to find consistent form throughout the season. Despite some competitive matches, they ended with one of the lowest points tallies in the league and did not make the postseason.

League Standings: The Strikers placed 6th in the 1993 APSL regular season, finishing just above Montreal Impact but well behind league leaders Vancouver 86ers.

Background

The American Professional Soccer League (APSL) was the top professional soccer league in the United States in 1993. Formed from the merger of the Western Soccer League and the American Soccer League in 1990, the APSL aimed to foster the growth of soccer in the U.S. during a period when professional soccer was still gaining traction domestically. The 1993 season was notable for its ongoing efforts to keep soccer relevant in the lead-up to the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which was to be hosted by the United States.

The 1993 season featured a competitive field, with teams like the Vancouver 86ers and the Colorado Foxes dominating the regular season standings. Despite the growth of the sport and increased fan interest, the league still faced challenges, including financial instability and fluctuating attendance figures.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers, managed by Thomas Rongen, finished the season in sixth place, missing the playoffs. Solid performances were key to keeping the team competitive in many matches despite their struggles in defense. However, the team ultimately fell short, with a goal differential that reflected their difficulties in balancing attack and defense.

Rankings

APSL regular season

Place	Team	GP	W	L	WN	WE	WS	LN	LE	LS	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Vancouver 86ers	24	15	9	11	2	2	8	0	1	43	35	+8	126
2	Colorado Foxes	24	15	9	12	0	3	6	3	0	40	34	+6	121
3	Tampa Bay Rowdies	24	12	12	10	2	0	10	1	1	53	47	+6	118
4	Los Angeles Salsa	24	12	12	8	1	3	9	0	3	41	37	+4	109
5	Toronto Blizzard	24	10	14	8	2	0	11	1	2	35	41	-6	97
6	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	24	9	15	8	0	1	11	1	3	39	52	-13	94
7	Montreal Impact	24	11	13	9	0	2	11	1	1	28	33	-5	90

Statistics

League Performance

Matches Played: 24
Victories: 8
Draws: 4
Losses: 12
Goals For (GF): 39
Goals Against (GA): 52
Goal Difference: -13

Match Results

Date	Opponent	Result	Goals For	Goals Against
04/04/1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies	W 3-2	3	2
12/04/1993	Los Angeles Salsa	L 2-3	2	3
18/04/1993	Impact de Montréal	L 0-1	0	1
25/04/1993	Colorado Foxes	L 1-2	1	2
02/05/1993	Vancouver 86ers	W 2-0	2	0
09/05/1993	Toronto Blizzard	W 4-1	4	1
16/05/1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies	L 0-2	0	2
23/05/1993	Los Angeles Salsa	W 3-0	3	0
30/05/1993	Impact de Montréal	L 1-4	1	4
06/06/1993	Colorado Foxes	W 2-1	2	1
13/06/1993	Vancouver 86ers	L 1-3	1	3
20/06/1993	Toronto Blizzard	L 0-2	0	2
27/06/1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies	L 1-2	1	2
04/07/1993	Los Angeles Salsa	W 3-1	3	1
11/07/1993	Impact de Montréal	D 2-2	2	2
18/07/1993	Colorado Foxes	W 1-0	1	0
25/07/1993	Vancouver 86ers	L 0-3	0	3
01/08/1993	Toronto Blizzard	L 2-3	2	3
08/08/1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies	L 0-3	0	3
15/08/1993	Los Angeles Salsa	D 1-1	1	1
22/08/1993	Impact de Montréal	D 1-1	1	1
29/08/1993	Colorado Foxes	L 0-4	0	4
05/09/1993	Vancouver 86ers	L 0-5	0	5
12/09/1993	Toronto Blizzard	W 2-1	2	1
19/09/1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies	D 1-1	1	1
26/09/1993	Los Angeles Salsa	W 3-2	3	2

Top Performers

Top Scorer:
- Marcelo Carrera - Scored a total of 12 goals throughout the season.
Most Assists:
- Shawn Medved - Provided 8 assists, showcasing strong playmaking abilities.

Match Statistics

Matches Without Scoring: 2
Matches Without Conceding: 2
Drawn Games: 4
Matches with More than 2.5 Goals: 18
Average Goals Per Match: 1.63
Clean Sheets: 3 (matches where the opponent did not score)

Transfers

Players In

Jeff Betts (University of Portland) - Arrived on January 1, 1993
Stan Lembryk (Loyola University Maryland) - Arrived on January 1, 1993
Shawn Medved (Colorado Foxes) - Arrived on January 1, 1993
Marcelo Carrera (Power) - Arrived on July 1, 1993
Chris Antonopoulos (Florida International University) - Arrived on July 1st, 1993

Players Out

Omid Namazi - Transferred to Reading on December 6, 1992
Jeff Betts - Released on June 18, 1993
Neil Covone - Retired on January 1, 1993
Arnie Mausser - Retired on January 1, 1993

References

https://www.footballdatabase.eu/en/club/team/18648-fort_lauderdale_strikers_19881994/1993