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Ottawa Fury wrapped up their 2015 NASL Spring Season this month and the squad is now enjoying a small break before the Fall Season kicks off on July 5th. The Spring Season had some highs and lows for the club, and although they struggled to score over the course of their twelve matches (10 NASL, 2 Voyageurs Cup) they still sit in a position where they can challenge for an NASL playoff spot this fall.
A Look Back
Fury started the season on the road with a 3-1 loss to Carolina Railhawks, followed by a 1-1 draw with Atlanta Silverbacks. Both of these matches were filled with poor refereeing decisions that arguably cost Fury goals or allowed the opponent to score when perhaps they shouldn’t have, but it wasn’t a horrible start to the season. Ottawa played strong when they faced the 2014 Woosnam Cup winners Minnesota United in what was arguably their best 90 minutes ever, earning a strong 1-0 win thanks to a Tom Heinemann goal. Following the win against Minnesota there was no doubt that confidence was high at Lansdowne Park heading into Voyageurs Cup ties against FC Edmonton.
Fury played a strong match against their Canadian rivals FC Edmonton in their first leg of the Voyageurs Cup, however the wheels fell off in the final ten minutes and Ottawa saw a 1-0 lead turn into a 3-1 loss at home. Wedged between the two domestic cup ties was an NASL match against Fort Lauderdale Strikers where the club would once again struggle defensively and fall 3-1 at home. The trend of poor defending followed the club to Alberta for the second leg of the Voyageurs Cup where Fury would make it three 3-1 losses in a row, signifying a low point for the club; allowing 9 goals against in 3 matches over 8 days.
Ottawa didn’t have much time to recover from their brutal three game stretch before they headed to Brooklyn to face the New York Cosmos, and they were able to bounce back with a strong performance, despite falling 1-0. Fury may have lost the match in Brooklyn but it was certainly a turning point for the club as they seemed to play a decent match and kept the 2015 NASL Spring Season champions to just 1 goal in New York.
The goal scored by Mkosana against Ottawa in Brooklyn would be that last goal conceded by the Canadian club in the Spring Season as the defence of Richter, Alves, Falvey and Trafford, along with keeper Peiser, would stand strong in the final five matches. Fury would round off the Spring Season in a rather boring fashion, going 1-4-0 with four 0-0 draws vs Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Edmonton and San Antonio, and a vital 1-0 win over Indy Eleven. Despite scoring just one goal in five matches, Fury were still able to earn seven points to finish the NASL Spring Season
Analysis
It wasn’t a great Spring Season for Ottawa as they struggled to finish chances, despite finishing third in shots for with 72. However the defensive effort in the final half of the season helped keep Ottawa off the bottom of the table. Despite sitting in 9th on 11 points, just three points off the bottom, Fury are also just three points off fourth placed Minnesota United and are still well in the hunt for a playoff position.
With captain Richie Ryan missing the majority of the Spring Season through injury, it was De Guzman and Paterson who stepped up and provided experience through the midfield. Paterson, who missed a lot of the 2014 season through injury, proved his worth with two goals and an often commanding performance in the heart of the midfield.
Drew Beckie was given a new lease on life as he moved from centre back to defensive midfield and exhibited great character and composure in his new position. It took new signings Rafael Alves and Colin Falvey a few games to grow a strong partnership; however since the match in Brooklyn the two have played great together, with Alves earning two NASL Team of the Week spots and Falvey earning a Man of the Match honor. Romuald Peiser made several clinical saves during the course of the Spring Season and his fantastic performances, including 5 clean sheets, only 8 goals against and 526 minutes without conceding a goal, has earned him a spot in the North American Soccer League record books. He was also named North American Soccer League Player Of The Month for June following two clean sheets at the beginning of the month.
Canadian Content
The Canadian players in the Ottawa Fury squad were vital in helping Ottawa turn things around after three consecutive 3-1 loses, with Beckie and Trafford stepping into the squad, making the team noticeably stronger. The addition of De Guzman was also noticeable as the Canadian veteran brought a lot of experience to the Fury midfield in the absence of captain Richie Ryan. De Guzman recently played in the Dwayne De Rosario testimonial, honoring the retirement of the Canadian football legend, and has been named as part of the 23 man squad ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.
Carl Haworth is playing just his second season at a professional level, but the young Canadian was an automatic starter on the wing for most Fury matches and has stepped up his game from last season. Despite offensive struggles for Ottawa throughout the season, Haworth provided a lot of speed and skill down the wing, but like other forwards, he lacked the final touch to take advantage of the chances created.
Unfortunately for the young Canadians in the squad, such as Eustaquio and Misik, Ottawa never had any games where they were leading comfortably and could give the younger players minutes, however they did appear as late subs on several occasions. The club has recently announced departure of Misik before the beginning of the Fall Season, meaning the Canadian midfielder will be able to search for more playing time elsewhere. Marcel De Bellis wasn’t given a start in net for the Spring Season, however he does seem to be developing well under the guidance of goalkeeping legend Bruce Grobbelaar and played a few matches with the Ottawa Fury Academy in the PLSQ.
Looking Ahead
Ottawa have a lot of work to do in the Fall Season if they wish to make a serious push for a playoff position, however they will need to take a serious look at their attacking options and most likely bring in a top striker if they wish to change their fortunes. The defense has been outstanding recently and will certainly be the building blocks for the Fall Season, but one of the major game changers for Fury will be the possible return of captain Richie Ryan. The Irishman featured in just two matches this year, but both were matches that Ottawa won, and his presence on the pitch is undeniably positive.
Ottawa will face Jacksonville Armada in their first game of the Fall Season before heading to Minnesota a week later. Fury were able to earn four points off these two clubs in the Spring Season, and if they are able to earn similar results to begin the Fall Season it will certainly give the club a lot of confidence, something they seemed to have lacked as the Spring Season neared its end. Before the Fall Season begins Fury supporters can expect to see at least one or two new faces as gaffer Marc Dos Santos has shown a strong interest in bringing in more attacking options.
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