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FC Edmonton Defender Abdoulaye Diakité Named NASL Player of the Week

 

NEW YORK (August 7, 2017) – Playing on the road against Indy Eleven, the hottest team in the North American Soccer League (NASL), FC Edmonton posted a statement win on Saturday, and it was the play of centre-back Abdoulaye Diakité that stood out in the Canadian side’s 3-1 win at Carroll Stadium.

Diakité has been named NASL Player of the Week for his performance, which saw him pile up 15 clearances and seven successful duels against an Indy side that had taken 16 points from its previous six games entering Saturday’s action.

The 6-foot-4 defender helped orchestrate a masterful defensive performance by the Eddies, who hadn’t won since July 7, despite some flashes of brilliance in recent weeks. The Eddies’ attack complemented their stellar play in the back, with Salvadoran international Dustin Corea leading the way with a pair of goals.

Diakité, who has appeared in 14 games so far this year, once again sits near the top in a number of defensive categories. He is second in the NASL in clearances with 86 and tied for fifth in interceptions with 33.

A native of Dakar, Senegal, Diakité burst onto the NASL scene last season after signing with the Eddies from Belgian side Royal Antwerp. He would go on to win the 2016 NASL Young Player of the Year Award, as well as earn a place in the NASL Best XI, after guiding Edmonton to its best finish in club history.

The 24-year-old center back appeared in 28 league games, including an appearance in The Championship Semifinals, in 2016. He anchored a back line that conceded just 22 goals in 33 league encounters and even chipped in three goals himself on the attacking end for the Eddies.

After playing for Senegalese side ASC HLM, Diakité made the move to Slovakian outfit AS Trenčín in 2011. Following a three-year stint in Belgium, beginning in 2013, the towering defender joined the Eddies ranks.

With three points in possession following the result in Indy, the Eddies now return home to Clarke Stadium to face the New York Cosmos on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time). The game can be seen live on ESPN3 (U.S.) and NASL.com (Canada).

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The North American Soccer League is a professional soccer league established in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For more information on the NASL, visit www.NASL.com. Follow the NASL on Twitter and Instagram at @NASLOfficial and Facebook at Facebook.com/NASLFanPage.