[photo by Rosa Cavalcanti]

• by Joe Curtis, writing from Miami, FL

The Florida Derby has returned, 26 years after the end of the original North American Soccer League. The teams have played before, in the ASL and USL (Strikers were Miami FC), but will meet for the first time in the new NASL. Both the Strikers and Rowdies are in the bottom half of the standings six games into the 2011 NASL season. Both clubs are 1-3-2, with the Strikers coming off a frustrating 4-2 loss at the hands of the Carolina Railhawks last Wednesday, and the Rowdies coming off a 1-1 tie with FC Edmonton.

In the old NASL the Tampa Bay Rowdies, led by Rodney Marsh, played in three Soccer Bowls (1975, 1978, 1979), and won one Championship in 1975 when they beat the Portland Timbers 2-0. Their run to the Championship in back-to-back years in 78' and 79' were stopped short by the New York Cosmos and Vancouver Whitecaps, respectively.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers, on the other hand, only reached one Soccer Bowl: the 1980 Soccer Bowl against the New York Cosmos, which they lost 3-0. Like the this year's Miami Heat team, the Strikers had their own "Big Three" in 1980: Gerd Müller, Teófilo Cubillas, and Ray Hudson. It is also worth mentioning that from 1978 to 1979 the Strikers also had the services of a member of the "United Trinity", George Best.

The Florida Derby has had its moments. A great example is when the Strikers defeated the Rowdies 3-2 in a North American Soccer League playoff match on August 20, 1978. The Rowdies would come back to win the second game of the series and the mini-game tiebreaker to earn a trip to Soccer Bowl '78 against the Cosmos. However, the 3-2 victory (see the video below) shows the passion of the players and supporters in the rivalry.


This saturday the rivalry re-emerges. The Strikers have started their "Defend The Fort" campaign in an attempt to get 10,000 fans to Lockhart in time for the 7:30 kickoff. It may be something that could be accompished. Just in case, the Strikers are also selling tickets to the August 3rd matchup between Spanish juggernaut Barcelona and Mexican club Chivas, who will play at Sun Life Stadium in Miami in the World Football Challenge. Fans who purchase tickets will also receive tickets to the Strikers next home game against a future MLS club, the Montreal Impact, on May 28th.

“We know it’s a big game for our fans but it’s an even bigger game for us on the field coming off a loss yesterday,” said Head Coach Daryl Shore. “We feel this is a game we have to win and we'll give every effort to take three points from this game.”

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