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Ottawa Fury will begin their Fall Season campaign this Sunday when they host Jacksonville Armada at Lansdowne. Ottawa will enter the game with an NASL record 526 minutes and counting without conceding a goal, and will likely continue to rely on their strong defense to hold back a Jacksonville side that has been known to score, but also struggled at the end of the Spring Season.
Fury sit just three points out of a playoff spot, meaning a win at home against Armada will be essential to Fury keeping up with the top of the table. It will be an important stretch early on in the Fall Season for Ottawa as they face four of their first five matches, and seven of their next ten all at home, so making the most of their home field advantage will be a must for the Canadian club.
Fury finished the Spring Season with a 1-4-0 record and 526 minutes without conceding a goal, but they did struggle offensively and will need a much improved attack for the Fall Season if they wish to turn the scoreless draws into clean sheet wins. Fury drew Armada 0-0 on June 7th , meaning this weekend’s match will likely be a very close match as both clubs look to change their fortunes for the Fall Season.
Keep Thinking
Ottawa have made several roster changes over the course of the mid-season break, including releasing Patryk Misik and Mike Randolph from their contracts, and the addition of Fort Lauderdale forward Aly Hassan. Nicki Paterson suffered an ACL injury last week in training and will miss the remainder of the 2015 campaign, meaning another signing could be on its way to Ottawa to replace the Scotsman.
Richie Ryan is expected to return to the Fury squad, although it remains to be seen if he will get a spot in the starting lineup after missing the majority of the Spring Season through injury. Brazilian winger Oliver and American centre forward Tom Heinemann both return to full health after suffering injuries during the Spring Season, while new signing Aly Hassan will not be available for Ottawa until their match against Minnesota.
The strong back four of Richter, Alves. Falvey and Trafford helped earn several clean sheets at the end of Spring Season will likely all get the start at home vs Armada. Colin Falvey just inked a contract extension that will see him remain in Ottawa through the 2016 season, while Mason Trafford is enjoying a new lease on life at left back. Most eyes will be on keeper Romuald Peiser who holds the NASL record of longest run without conceding a goal, and if he continues with the form Fury fans have come accustom to then there the record will continue to grow.
In The End
A strong start to the Fall Season will be essential for the club moving forward this fall, and all the pressure will be on the attacking three; including the starting centre forward, which will be either Heinemann or Wiedeman. Julian De Guzman will be absent from the Fury roster as he is training with the Canadian Men’s Team ahead of their Gold Cup matches, and along with Paterson’s injury and Richie Ryan’s questionable match fitness, the Fury midfield may be somewhat makeshift, with Beckie or Eustaquio fitting into the important holding midfield position.
If Fury are to win this match they will need to rely on the veteran experience of Ubiparipovic going forward through the midfield, and the continued strong defensive performances from the back four. A win for Ottawa will not only help keep them in the hunt for a playoff position, but it will also give the squad a lot of confidence heading into an important stretch of matches.
Prediction:
Ottawa Fury 2-1 Jacksonville Armada
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