Fury Poor in Season-ending 1-0 Defeat

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The first half was arguably their worst of their inaugural NASL Spring Season, but Ottawa Fury FC came on strong towards the end of their date with the defending-champion New York Cosmos, squandering multiple late opportunities while sinking to a one-nil defeat.

The first forty-five were an admitted embarrassment for Marc Dos Santos’ side.  The Fury FC manager was quoted at describing the first half as a ‘show’ that his squad ‘watched…New York play in front of them.’  I couldn’t agree more- it was quite possible the worst half of technique from Ottawa’s expansion team thus far.  The team couldn’t string more than two passes together, and looked disorganized in the midfield.

A defensive breakdown allowed Alessandro Noselli (above) to slice through the heart of the Fury defence before depositing a great ball from Mads Stokkelien into the back of the net, and the hosts led after just six minutes.

Things didn’t improve much for Fury FC in the first half, as they managed just one shot off-target which didn’t trouble Cosmos ‘keeper Jimmy Maurer.  Dos Santos’ side were completely overrun by the likes of Noselli, Guenzatti, and Joseph Nané in the midfield, and were extremely lucky to trail by the single goal at half-time.

An initially bright start to the second half for Fury FC quickly fizzled, as a few semi-chances just after the fifty minute mark went unused before the Cosmos regained control of the midfield and created multiple chances.

Luckily for Ottawa, Gio Savarese’s side couldn’t take advantage of two quality chances in the second half which could’ve put the game to bed- Mads Stokkelien missed a wide-open net after skirting around charging Fury ‘keeper Devala Gorrick, while standout defender Jimmy Ockford couldn’t get a foot to a well-delivered free kick from Ayozé.

Fury FC would finally get their first true chance of the match in the 73rd minute, as Tom Heinemann‘s half-chance was headed well wide of the Cosmos net.

It took the Fury until the 88th minute to actually force Maurer into making a save- but boy did he have to be sharp when called upon.  A Maykon free kick sailed into the Cosmos’ penalty area, where Tony Donatelli headed cross-goal for Drew Beckie.  The Fury FC centreback was unable to beat Maurer from close range, and the Fury’s only true chance of the match was squandered.

Despite multiple corners/free kicks in injury time, Ottawa didn’t come close to scoring again, and deservingly fell one-nil to a distinctly average Cosmos team.  Carl Haworth and substitute P.R. Mayard both had excellent shooting opportunities late-on blocked because they took too long to shoot.

New York didn’t beat Fury FC on Sunday afternoon- Fury FC beat themselves.  The Cosmos did not play an especially good game, and the three points were there for the taking had Ottawa played even marginally better in the midfield.  Poor passing throughout, combined with an overall terrible first half, sunk the Fury on Sunday at Shuart Stadium.

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Match Ratings

(Average Rating = 6.0)

Gorrick, GK – 7.5 – Another quality performance from, in my opinion, the Spring Season MVP for Fury FC.  Made two or three quality stops, commanded the defenders well, and was the reason it wasn’t 2- or 3-0 New York by halftime.

Maykon, LB – 5.0 – Another mediocre/poor performance from one of the team’s ‘marquee’ signings, Maykon made some decent runs up the left flank, but to make a run you need pace- something he has sorely lacked this season (be it due to match fitness or injury).  Turned the ball over, by my count, eleven times on Sunday.  Eleven.

Trafford, CB – 5.5 – Noselli sprinted right past him on the NY goal, and he made multiple ‘gaping mouth’ defensive mistakes- two in his own penalty area!  One of many Fury players who just…wasn’t up to par on Sunday.

Beckie, CB – 6.0 – A poor game by Beckie compared to the rest of his body of work this season, the former Columbus Crew draft pick failed to bury Ottawa’s best chance of the match, and was partially to blame along with Trafford for NY’s goal.

Davies, RB – 6.5 – Davies performed admirably yet again at right back, coming up with two crucial tackles in the defensive third while joining the attack when appropriate.  Best Ottawa defender on the day, in my opinion.

Oliver, LM/LCM – 5.5 – After a promising start to his Spring Season, Oliver’s form dipped substantially towards the end of the season- culminating in today’s invisible performance.  The only times he was noticeable this afternoon were when he was stomping, elbowing, or chirping Cosmos players.

Ryan, CM – 6.0 – The captain, dependable as ever, did suffer a slight dip in form Sunday along with the rest of his team.  Some of his passes were uncharacteristically poor, and he lost out on multiple physical battles against the more physical Guenzatti.  Still one of the better Fury players outside of Gorrick.

Donatelli, RCM – 5.5 – The team’s surprise leading scorer did little against the Cosmos, only touching the ball ~10-12 times.  Did head Maykon’s free kick perfectly to Drew Beckie late in the game, but other than that- invisible.

Vini Dantas, LW – 5.5 – Playing in a different position with a different role, Dantas was fairly invisible.  Had a handful of decent touches on the ball, but didn’t have the pace to create chances off the wing.  Was substituted on 72 minutes, after picking up a yellow card for a pretty clumsy tackle.

Heinemann, ST – 6.0 – Heinemann is a striker.  To perform, strikers need service.  Heinemann had no service, therefore had no chances to affect his rating.  Actually did well on the only half-chance he received to get a head to an air ball.

Haworth, RW – 6.5 – Haworth was energetic, but lacked the opportunity to create because, well, the Fury saw none of the ball in the offensive third until ~85 minutes.  Took too long on an injury time opportunity, but other than that was at least noticeable- more than most of the squad can say.

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All things considered, it was a disappointing performance from Fury FC.  They had a chance to knock off the defending (and out of form) league champions, to put an exclamation mark on their first NASL Spring Season- but they didn’t.  They slumped to an uninspired one-nil defeat.

Some pundits, media members, and fans highlighted the absence of Sinisa Ubiparipovic as the reason for the midfield’s poor play.  The fact is, Ubiparipovic did very little in the team’s 1-0 win over FC Edmonton last week, and the midfield still performed well.

Tonight’s game highlighted the fact that this team does need to improve in certain areas, and Marc Dos Santos has promised they will (here).

Coming up later this week will be a full Spring Season recap, with overall ratings for every player who saw the pitch, as well as a separate post for my Fury Spring Season M.V.P designation.

As always, keep your eyes peeled on the Fury FC website for more of my W-League articles.

Have a great off-season!

Exclusive 1-on-1 with Marc Dos Santos

Goals Are Set to be Reached

Marc dos Santos has held plenty to smile about during his first campaign at the helm of Fury FC.

Entering play in their inaugural season, neither Ottawa Fury FC’s players nor supporters knew what to expect. An ever-evolving league, the NASL, a brand-new squad of players put together by manager Marc Dos Santos- it could have all gone very wrong, and nobody would have expected anything better from an expansion team.

However, fast-forward two months and it’s a very relaxed, focused Dos Santos which greets media at a mid-week press conference. His club has just announced a friendly against Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers on July 23rd, and he is clearly feeling confident about his side’s abilities after a very credible debut in the NASL’s 2014 Spring Season. “One of our main goals was to gain the respect of the league, and in league circles now everybody knows that when they play the Ottawa Fury, it’s going to be a tough game. They know they will have to suffer to beat us,” he explains.

As with any start-up company or expansion franchise, there have been growing pains for Fury FC. Dos Santos’ side has suffered two last-minute defeats at home, against teams in the thick of the NASL’s ‘Championship’ picture; Minnesota United and the San Antonio Scorpions. By the same token, there have been moments of ecstatic happiness for the club and its supporters, including a 4-nil master-class victory over the then-hot Carolina RailHawks on April 24th.

“For a club with two-and-a-half, three months of history, and only ten competitive games played, I think we can be proud of what we have done this spring,” beams Dos Santos, who has built an admirable expansion squad which features players from four different continents.

The Canado-Portuguese manager, who had success with the Montreal Impact during their time outside of the MLS, says the key to any expansion team is vision. “If you build an expansion team, you need to have a clear model of play in place. You need to know exactly the type of players you want to go after.”

The 37 year-old Dos Santos has played a relatively consistent 4-3-3 throughout Fury FC’s inaugural campaign, and has brought in suitable players for his formation- including NASL Team-of-the-Week member Tony Donatelli. “Tony won the league with me in Montreal (in 2009), playing. Not on the bench, people forget that. He won in 2008 with Vancouver, playing- not on the bench or in the stands. At the end of the day, he is one of those players that brings something to every team he plays on. He’s a more mature player now, more responsible, and great for our squad.”

When asked to name his personal MVP for the Spring Season, Dos Santos automatically responds, “The team.” There truly is a sense of togetherness in the Fury squad, which shows both on the pitch and off it. “The group, the character, the willingness to learn from mistakes. I’m very happy with the group as a whole, and we just have to continue to grow. These guys have a lot of ambition, and that’s important when you’re trying to build a winning team.”

The Fury FC manager, who treats his team as his second family, highlights the importance of squad identity- especially in a team’s first-ever season. “We don’t need to do a big squad rotation,” he says firmly, when asked about the inclination certain teams have to make massive roster changes between the NASL’s Spring and Fall campaigns, “I’m happy with the guys we have. There could be a move or two for the betterment of the team.”

On a more personal note, Dos Santos wants to ensure that Fury FC does not become, as he describes it, “A revolving door of players.” He wants Fury FC’s players to become recognizable in the community, and wants to instill a sense of continuity in his squad. “I want our supporters to associate with our players, not ask ‘Who is that guy,’ and ‘Where did so-and-so go’,” he explains towards the end of the presser.
In terms of setting goals, Dos Santos is looking both to the 2014 Fall Season and beyond. “It’s all about the long-term with me. Yes, we have some areas we need to get stronger in the now- we’ve just signed these guys named Tom and Nicki, they will help a lot,” he jokes, referring to recently-injured striker Tom Heinemann and still-injured midfielder Nicki Paterson. “We are going to get stronger where we need to get stronger, but a lot of that won’t come until 2015- this is a long-term vision here with Fury FC.

The main focus for Dos Santos and his coaching staff remains this season’s pursuit of a spot in the NASL’s ‘Championship’. “Right now we are four points out of fourth. To ultimately reach our goal, we will need to be at least fourth. You will not see me truly smile until that is done,” says a focused Dos Santos, turning on heel and heading off towards the training pitch to prepare his charges for their final match of the NASL Spring Season this weekend against the defending-champion New York Cosmos.

W-League Fallout- OFFC Women vs. KW United (May 31st)

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My match recap on ottawafuryfc.com

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It was a surprisingly close affair between the Fury Women and K-W United yesterday at Keith Harris Stadium, as Fury FC dominated the second half but took until the 85th minute to put K-dub away for good, when Lydia Hastings tapped home Kristy Moore’s rebound.

This will be a two-sided recap, one angle for the Fury Women and one for K-W United, because why not.

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The Fury Angle

• Second consecutive poor start for Dom Oliveri’s squad.
• Arin Gilliland was monstrous, especially in the second half.  Her 23rd minute goal was an incredible individual effort.
• Caught up-field a number of times by K-W, which resulted in surprising odd-man rushes for the visitors.
• Jill McVicker made a great, albeit meaningless, diving penalty stop late in injury time.
• Despite Gilliland’s goal, it was a very lacklustre first half for the Fury Women.

Coach’s Perspective (with Dom Oliveri)

“Dom, a 2-0 victory for your squad today but definitely a lot of things to work on..”

“Again, we didn’t start very well.  It was a poor first forty-five minutes, I felt we were chasing things we didn’t have to.  We were marginally better in the second half, but overall it wasn’t good enough for us, to be honest.  We apologize to the fans who paid good money to come and watch us play today- we weren’t nearly good enough, and we know we have to be better.”

“Arin Gilliland put in her second consecutive Player-of-the-Match performance- describe how key she was for your side today.”

“Arin was fantastic today, best performer by far.  One of the only players that turned up to play today, for us.  Definitely a handful, she could’ve had three or four on her own.  I don’t think we’d have three points without Gilli’s performance today.”

“You head down to face K-dub next weekend- what has to improve?”

“Well we just have to keep working.  As a staff, we have to keep preparing the players- but at the end of the day, not starting well is on the players.  That’s not on us as a staff.  We just have to figure it out as a group, together, because we’ve certainly had two good second halves.  We just can’t keep giving teams forty-five minute headstarts.”

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The K-W Angle

• Maxine Murchie was strong on the ball on the left flank, and had some good link-ups with Courtney Conrad up front.
• ‘Keeper Alison Gondosch had a second half for the ages, keeping the score respectable while turning aside ten Fury FC shots.
• Defense was essentially shredded by Ottawa, will have to find a way to shut them down if they want a result next weekend at home.

Coach’s Perspective (with Stuart Neely)

“A tough 2-nil defeat for your squad today, what let you down?”

“Well when you’re playing a side like Ottawa Fury, they’re a classy squad, they move the ball well, they’re well-coached- we knew we were always going to be up against it.  Today we needed a little more tactical awareness from ourselves, on the field, and giving that second effort on loose balls to close plays down.  I felt we might’ve been a bit unlucky to not get a break in the first half, but good teams find ways to win, and the Fury came on inspired in the second half.  We made three changes to play three at the back and push players forward, and when you do that you’re risking a counter-attack goal if you take that chance.  On the day, we were certainly beaten by a superior squad, that’s going to be in contention for the league title.”

“Maxine Murchie moved all over the pitch today- where do you like her best on the pitch?”

“She came to play today, floated in off the wings especially.  We do give her a bit of free reign to do that.  She did a job for us, but eventually she ran out of gas a bit.  We just didn’t link up with our forward players today very well, and we were just a bit too respectful of the Fury.  When you’re respectful of quality, the quality will tend to hurt you.”

“Any positives to take out of today’s match?”

“Absolutely!  I thought we kept at it, and we did create a number of opportunities in the second half to get back into the match and just couldn’t take them.  I liked the spirit of the team.  You always want to put your best foot forward for the ninety, but today we just didn’t at times.  We got a late opportunity from what I thought was honestly a dubious penalty, you know I thought the Fury defender made a great defensive tackle, but what can you do?  We had some positive opportunities to get on the scoreboard, and the work rate was good too.

“Final question, how key was your ‘keeper today?  Ten stops!”

“The second half was definitely something for Alison (Gondosch) to be proud of.  We never hang our hat on it, but we want those saves all the time, and the first goal we felt was an all-around weak goal defensively.  We spoke about the first goal at halftime, and we pointed the blame on the back four and the goalkeepers.  Top honours to Alison in the second half, she really came out to play today.”

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The two sides will do battle again next Saturday down south, as the Fury Women will look to improve to 3-0-0 in their young W-League season, whilst K-W United will look to pick up their second victory of the campaign.

The Story of Six Points: A Weekend in Fury-land

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Men’s Recap

Women’s Recap

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Men’s Thoughts

“People’s jobs are on the line.  If we keep losing, I could lose my job.” – Colin Miller, manager, FC Edmonton.

It was a hard-fought three points for Marc Dos Santos’ side in a game that was permeated by bizarre refereeing decisions all night long.  It was excellent to see Tommy Heinemann make his debut and make an immediate impact-

A pleasant surprise which has immediately set him apart from some of the club’s other ‘big’ signings.

The Fury outchanced the Eddies (by my count) 7-2 on the evening, and their continental style prevailed over the visitors’ English, direct style.

All things considered, three points were very deserved based on the run of play and use of possession.  That being said, these games have to be won- if OFFC want to be a playoff club, they have to beat out-of-form bottom-feeders like FC Edmonton.

Ratings

Gorrick, GK – 7.5 – Gorrick was good throughout the evening, superbly denying the Eddies’ Neil Hlavaty from long range in the first half.  Commanded well from the back, organized his defenders well as per usual.

Maykon, LB – 6.5 – Maykon was fairly steady on the left flank, had a few nice touches, made a few nice expeditions up his side, etc…but I still believe that there’s something wrong when one of your marquee signings has his flank being targeted by the opposition when they need a goal.

Trafford, CB – 7.0 – Trafford defended well, making a key block off of a corner that bounced around inside the Fury 18.  Was very solid against the likes of big Frank Jonke.

Beckie, CB – 7.0 – Beckie made a key block in front of his own net early in the second half, and worked well in tandem with Trafford.  Some great aerial defending at the death was key too.

Davies, RB – 6.5 – Dropping back in the absence of Andres Fresenga and Omar Jarun, Davies put in an admirable body of work- focusing on his defensive duties first.  His great football instincts shone through.

Ubiparipovic, CM – 6.0 – Seemed disappointed when MDS substituted him, but the fact is he hasn’t shown the same creative game he showcased early in the Spring Season.  Hate to speculate, but perhaps he’s carrying some kind of injury.

Ryan, CM – 6.5 – Another dependable performance in a distribution role from Ryan, who picked up a knock early on.  Covered well defensively the odd time that Beckie or Trafford tracked forward.

Donatelli, CM – 6.5 – The three-time NASL Team-of-the–week member was good, but did not stand out the same way he has in recent games.  Still showing very good instincts and a solid touch on the ball.

Oliver, LW – 6.0 – Another player who has cooled down somewhat, Oliver saw his goal (off of a corner kick) waved off.  Didn’t create a whole lot on the ball.

Dantas, ST – 6.5 – Another hard-working, gritty performance from Vini Dantas.  The striker worked hard, had a few nice touches, but never really became a scoring threat on Saturday evening.

Haworth, RW – 7.0 – Haworth was excellent, dashing all over the right flank and looking dangerous throughout the match.  Took the 39th minute shot which should have led to a Fury penalty, had it not been for a disgraceful referee non-call.

(The fan-boy in me wants to give substitute and gamewinning goalscorer Tom Heinemann a 10.0, but we’ll stick with a 9.0)

Heinemann, ST – 9.0 – A great individual performance from Heinemann after being out for a loooong time.  His flick-on goal was a thing of beauty and he looked hungry and determined throughout his substitute minutes.

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Women’s Thoughts

In all honesty, it was a poor performance from the Fury Women.  For a squad with as much talent and experience as they boast, K-W United should have been a pushover.

Stuart Neely’s side defended tooth and nail, and credit must be given for that.  Their keeper, Alison Gondosch, had the game of her life, making nine stops.

Regardless, manager Dom Oliveri was unimpressed.  When you outshoot a team 19-4, and 14-1 in the second half alone, you shouldn’t have to wait until the 85th minute to put the game to bed.

The offensive link-ups were promising, as was the awesome penalty stop in injury time by Jill McVicker.

Oliveri was very dejected in his post-game interview, and I completely understand why- the team they beat 2-nil was a team they could’ve and probably should’ve beaten by more.

Match Notes

McVicker, GK – Made two or three quality stops and robbed Cassie Wheldon on an injury time penalty shot. 

Hubka, RB – Was very strong on the ball, made one key tackle at the edge of the Ottawa 18 in the first half.

Steinlage, CB – The tall CB roamed forward quite a bit, but took care of her defensive responsibilities well.

Zadorsky, CB – Showed a veteran presence at the back, distributed well, nothing too flashy.

McCarthy, RB – Made two nice runs up the left flank, put relatively decent crosses into the box.

Hastings, CDM – A very defensively-responsible midfielder, Hastings roamed forward and could have had two or three goals.  Smashed home Moore’s rebound to put the game away late.

Rynier, CM – Was very tenacious in the midfield, but some of her passes were hit and miss.

Woods, CM – Not quite as impressive as the Quebec game, Woods was still a calming presence in the midfield.  Rushed up into a more attacking mid position quite a bit in the second half.

Moore, LW/ST – The wiley vet looked dangerous throughout the afternoon, but a few 50/50 offside calls limited her offensive chances.  Still got a few good shots away.

Oduro, ST/W – Another questionable performance from Oduro, who was substituted for the second straight match.  Assuming by her stature that speed is her biggest asset, it hasn’t really shown yet.

Gilliland, RW/ST – Gilliland was easily the best player on the pitch, making confident runs all over the park and taking a couple of great shots.  Understandably called to US U-23 camp.

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Final Thoughts

A very solid six points on the weekend for the club as a whole- the men took home three points they were nearly robbed off, whilst the women got the best of both worlds- three points and things to improve upon in training this week!

The #MostFurious tags for this weekend go to Tom Heinemann and Arin Gilliland, who were a cut above the rest this weekend at Keith Harris Stadium.  Both players physically took hold of their respective games and looked dangerous when on the ball.  They also coincidentally scored the game-winning goals in their respective games…hm…

Finally- a brief thanks to the Carleton University grounds crew for doing the best job they could for the Fury FC Spring Season.  From here on out, the men’s games will be at TD Place and the women’s games will be at the Algonquin Soccer Complex.  Cheers to those legends for making KH Stadium as accommodating as possible for fans, media, team employees, and of course, the players.

A great weekend for the Fury Family.

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Quotes of the Weekend

“People are playing for their jobs, that’s what people don’t understand.  And to have officiating put that in danger, it’s criminal.” – Colin Miller, manager, FC Edmonton.

“There are certain players that suffer when they are out- Tom (Heinemann) and Nicki (Paterson), for example, are like that.  I believe that god is fair, and it was fair that Tom scored that goal today, after all of the work he put in, during and after training.  I’m very happy for him.” – Marc Dos Santos, manager, Ottawa Fury FC.

“At the end of the day, it’s on the players to perform.  Not on the staff.  We prepare as best as we can, but another slow start is just inexcusable.” – Dom Oliveri, manager, Fury W-League team.

Weekend Recap: Not all Doom and Gloom in Fury-land

Kristy Moore (23) and Arin Gilliland celebrate Moore’s 66th minute game-winning marker for the women’s side yesterday afternoon. (c) Steve Kingsman.

 

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My recap of the men’s game on NASL.com

Women’s recap on ottawafuryfc.com

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Despite a heart-breaking loss at the death in the nightcap of yesterday’s Fury FC doubleheader, both the men’s and women’s sides had many positives to take from their respective matches.

The men’s team popped two goals past one of the NASL’s best defensive units, while the women’s team shredded the Quebec Dynamo in the second half of their match enroute to a 2-0 victory.

Both the men’s and women’s sides played attractive football at points, and both without a doubt merited points from their respective games- the women managed to take all three from Quebec, whilst the men were robbed of a point on the final play of the game against San Antonio.

I’ve already recapped both matches at length in the links above, so I’ll just get right into it with the men’s match ratings and recap, plus general thoughts from the women’s match.

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TacticsTalk – Dos Santos’ “New Look”

Fury FC boss Marc Dos Santos showcased an interesting 4-1-4-1, which featured a midfield that lined up higher up the pitch and Richie Ryan in an exclusive defensive mid role.  While it did allow for better exchanges in the midfield, it often left Vini Dantas alone up front as he waited for reinforcements to arrive.

‘New player’ obviously being Devala Gorrick in goal.

What I Liked

• Soria’s game on the left flank- smart and aggressive, but never overly committed up the pitch.  He fits perfectly into that wingback role, in that he can be the aggressor even into the attacking third, yet tracks back and has a defense-first mentality.
• Ryan truly lying back, almost playing as a glorified, ball-distributing centreback.  Fits his game very well, seeing as he did not have the pace to keep up with some of San Antonio’s quick little midfielders.
• Tony Donatelli’s creativity in the midfield- he jumped up into the attack when appropriate, but was intelligent enough to maintain his position and tracked back well defensively multiple times.

What I Didn’t Like

• Dantas was left alone, with a lack of true attacking wingers at his side, to confront the San Antonio back four.  There were numerous times when he would find himself running onto a through ball, only to look up and find himself in a 1-v-4 situation.  Needs support to be successful, because his pace isn’t quite there to beat NASL-level defenders.
• Haworth on the wing.  I know that’s where he fits best in the squad, but I still feel as though his pace and style of play are better-suited to a lone-striker role than that of a winger.  On the wing he has to muck and grind for a glimpse of the ball, whereas were he to be serviced inside the opposition 18, I feel like he could be very effective with his agility and sheer pace.

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Fury FC Match Ratings vs. San Antonio (05/24/14)

(Average match rating = 6.0)

Gorrick, GK – 6.5 – Not called into action very often outside of San Antonio’s three goals, Gorrick was not at fault for any of the Scorpions markers- no chance on the Janicki opening goal, the Hassli penalty, or the Zahorski deflection deep in injury time.

Soria, LB – 7.5 – Another superlative effort at left back by the Spaniard- he roamed up and down the left wing all evening, but always managed to track back and cover his defensive duties.  Also showcased some surprisingly-strong aerial play.

Trafford, CB – 7.0 – Trafford was quite good in the heart of MDS’s defence- nothing too flashy, just solid man marking and leadership at the back.

Beckie, CB – 6.5 – Beckie was again dependable at centreback in the absence of internationally-obligated Omar Jarun.  While he’s still naturally a right back, Beckie provided some decent tackling- including a vicious bodycheck in the 84th which resulted in him receiving a yellow card.

Fresenga, RB – 6.0 – While he does bring a high work rate to the Fury backline, Fresenga didn’t bring a new dimension to the Ottawa line-up by any means.  Really wasn’t very noticeable, and will be pushed out of the S-XI once Jarun returns.

Ryan, CDM – 6.5 – The captain was very good in his anchoring role, distributing well as per usual while never doing anything overly-flashy.

Oliver, LM – 6.0 – Perhaps I’m secretly expecting a performance like he put in against Carolina (2 goals, 1 assist to lead OFFC to their first-ever win back on Apr. 26th), but Oliver just wasn’t very dynamic.  Usually creative and exciting on the ball, his touches were lacking and the ball did not gravitate to his flank as it usually does.

Ubiparipovic, CM – 7.5 – ‘Ubi’ had one of his best performances of the Spring Season thus far, finishing beautifully on OFFC’s second goal while creating plenty in the midfield.  Need more performances like that from the former MLS man.

Donatelli, CM – 8.0 – Potentially a third Team-of-the-Week nomination in a row was earned by the Philadelphia native, as he calmly slotted home a penalty and set up Ubiparipovic’s goal.  His intelligence and awareness on the pitch is really beginning to show as the season continues.

Haworth, RM – 5.5 – Matched up against speedy Stephen De Roux of San Antonio, Haworth was effectively shut down on the evening, creating little space between him and his Jamaican marker.  Substituted.

Dantas, ST – 6.5 – You can’t fault the big Brazilian for not finding the scoresheet on Saturday night, as he had little to no support for the vast majority of his runs.  Still brought an impressive work rate, and showcased some nice touches at times.

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Women Blank Quebec Two-Nil

The women’s side took care of business against an inferior Quebec Dynamo side in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, thanks to standout performances from Kristy Moore, Arin Gilliland, and Shelina Zadorsky.  Moore’s 66th minute was a thing of beauty, as she brought down a great over-the-top ball from the midfield mid-stride before taking a shot which deflected off of a Quebec defender and past the Quebec ‘keeper Vandal to put OFFC-W up one-nil.  Substitute Lauren Hughes slotted home into a virtually-empty net late to seal the victory or the Fury women, who will be looking to reclaim the W-League’s Central Conference title after losing to Laval on penalties in the 2013 final.

McVicker, GK – Had a very solid game, making a key save early in the second half when she rushed out to deny Roy-Petitclerc on a break.  Should establish herself as the #1.

Hubka, D – Put some nice touches on the ball, roamed up the pitch a bit on the right flank.  All in all, a steady game for her.

Steinlage, D – Commanded well in the heart of Oliveri’s defense, and defends well aerially.

Zadorsky, D – Brings veteran leadership from last year, and worked well in tandem with Steinlage.  Likes to run with the ball more than your average CB.

McCarthy, D – Roamed up and down the left flank all afternoon, showing good pace while being strong on the ball.

Hastings, M – Great passer of the ball, did not stand out but didn’t commit any egregious errors either.

Rynier, M – Very strong in possession, Rynier was a physical presence in the midfield.

Woods, M – An excellent performance from Woods, who sprayed balls all over the pitch while setting up OFFC-W’s second goal.

Oduro, F – Wasn’t the greatest of debuts for Oduro, who failed to make an impact before being substituted at halftime.

Moore, F – It took Moore a little over a half to hit her stride, but once she did she began to dominate in the final third- she scored one beautiful goal on sixty-six minutes, and could’ve had two or three had it not been for the dreaded offside flag.

Gilliland, F – Gilliland was excellent before being substituted on seventy-six minutes, distributing very well while enjoying three or four quality chances of her own.  Sparked the offense early in the second half, and received our Player-of-the-Match award for pushing the tempo and creating plenty off the flank.

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All things considered, it wasn’t a disastrous weekend for the club- the women kicked off their campaign with an important three points, while the men played attractive football and left the 2400 in attendance brimming with commentary and enthusiasm for the game.  While it would’ve been nice to see more fans out for the women’s game, it’s understandable that the bleachers were relatively empty seeing as their W-League match coincided with the Champions League final!

As for the men’s game, well, that’s the exciting brand of footy/soccer the club needs to play if they want to get more supporters out.  Yes, they lost- and the loss hurt them massively in the NASL league table.  But the fact is, it was an excellent match, arguably the most entertaining all Spring Season.  Fans will return to watch another game after being treated to such an exciting, offensive, and heated spectacle.

In my personal opinion, this weekend should be seen as a positive one- the club gained supporters, and the women’s side came away with three points, simple as that.

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Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t award my #MostFurious award for the weekend.  Since both the men and women were in action yesterday, I’ll award two:

Tony Donatelli was the #MostFurious member of the men’s side yesterday, scoring a penalty and assisting on Sinisa Ubiparipovic’s go-ahead goal.  Should receive a third consecutive NASL Team-of-the-Week nomination after pulling into a tie for the NASL lead in goals.  His intelligence and awareness makes up for a potential lack of pace, and his touches have improved steadily since opening day.  Has really stepped up the past few weeks as he’s acclimated to being a full-time starter in the absence of Nicki Paterson.

While I did award Arin Gilliland with the Player-of-the-Match award in yesterday’s 2-0 win for the women’s side, captain Lisa-Marie Woods was excellent in the midfield and takes home the #MostFurious title for the women’s squad.  Woods distributed very well, and set up Lauren Hughes in the 87th to put the game to bed.  She exudes confidence and is very patient on the ball, playing a similar game to Richie Ryan of the men’s team.

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We’ll do it all again next weekend, as the women’s side host K-W United in W-League play at 3PM on Saturday before the men entertain new rivals FC Edmonton at 7PM.

As always, follow me on twitter @GripTheSeams96, the team @OttawaFuryFC, and the leagues @NASLOfficial and @USLWLeague.

Firing On All Cylinders – Fury Win Expansion Battle

Fury FC put in a top-drawer performance against their expansion brethren Indy Eleven on a beautiful May evening. (image via Peter WIlt)

It was a beautiful evening for the beautiful game in Indianapolis, and Fury FC played their most beautiful all-around match of their inaugural campaign in front of a sold-out Michael Carroll Stadium en route to a 4-2 victory over struggling expansion brothers Indy Eleven.

The hosts were without star Brazilian Kléberson, and the absence of his creativity in the midfield was very noticeable.  Fury FC buzzed around the pitch from the opening kick-off, as Marc Dos Santos’ men could sense the availability of three key points on the warm evening.

Before I proceed into my match report and tactical breakdown, I would like to award the #MostFurious award, this blog’s Man of the Match, to both Tony Donatelli and Omar Jarun.  Both played key roles at opposite ends of the pitch for Ottawa, and were key reasons why Fury FC came away with three points against bottom-table Indianapolis.

Two superb left-footed strikes from in-form midfielder Tony Donatelli highlighted the offensive effort for Fury FC, as Donatelli looks likely to receive a repeat nomination to the NASL’s Team-of-the-Week.  Omar Jarun was an absolute rock defensively, putting in a Pepe-esque performance defensively with multiple well-timed tackles and crucial clearances- even chipping in with a goal of his own!

Baby Steps – Fury FC Spring Season Halfway Grades

The first portion of Fury FC’s injury-filled inaugural season has been bumpy to say the least.

Ottawa Fury FC’s inaugural NASL spring season campaign has gone completely according to plan somewhat ‘off the reservation’ due to various factors- injuries to key players, an unforgiving schedule, and incredible travel distances to name a few.

Fury FC Settle for a Single Point v. Tampa

Check out my full match report for ottawafuryfc.com here.

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Tampa captain Frankie Sanfilippo felt the hand-ball penalty referee Justin Tasev called was unfair. OFFC’s Oliver was stopped superbly by Tampa ‘keeper Matt Pickens on the ensuing penalty.

It wasn’t necessarily a pretty match to watch, but both Fury FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies left Keith Harris Stadium with a point that both combatants could have easily lost.

The match got off to a slow start in the opening ten minutes, but the pace really picked up at the quarter-hour mark, when Bulgarian striker Georgi Hristov demonstrated why he led Tampa in scoring in 2013.  Hristov surged through the midfield before cutting around a Fury FC defender and unleashing a wicked shot that glanced off of the Ottawa crossbar and out of play.

The home crowd came to life in the 23rd minute, when Carl Haworth‘s cross found Tony Donatelli at the edge of the Tampa 18-yard box.  Donatelli fired a one-timer into the mid-section of Tampa captain Frankie Sanfilippo.  Referee Justin Tasev deemed that Sanfilippo handled the ball, and Fury FC leading scorer Oliver stepped up to take the consequent penalty.  While it was a well-struck penalty, Tampa ‘keeper Matt Pickens stretched superbly (see Steve Kingsman’s excellent photo) to deny him.  The stop was Pickens’ awe-inspiring third in as many penalties, as the former MLS goalkeeper continued his excellent penalty form.

Just three minutes later, the visitors had a penalty opportunity of their own, as Fury defender Omar Jarun yanked Tampa striker Lucky Mkosana to the ground inside Ottawa’s 18-yard box.  Referee Tasev did not hesitate to point to the penalty spot, and doled out two yellow cards on the play- one to Jarun for the original tackle, and one to Ottawa defender Drew Beckie for his boisterous complaints.  Georgi Hristov calmly slotted the ball down the middle to give the visitors a one-nil lead.

Fury FC began to really push forward in the final ten minutes of the half, and were rewarded on 37 minutes, when their third consecutive corner was floated by captain Richie Ryan into the Tampa box, where Tony Donatelli deflected it past a fallen Pickens and into the Rowdies net, leveling the match.  Pickens felt he was interfered with on the play, and after watching the replay myself I must admit that the incidental contact on the Tampa ‘keeper is usually called by referees. 

Regardless, the teams went into the break tied at one after an end-to-end.

The second half saw the match initially continue its frantic pace, but the teams seemed to tire as the match slowed into a midfield-based lull for the middle part of the half (55th-80th minute), with neither team creating much in the way of offense.

Both teams had one spectacular chance to take all three points in the final ten minutes; Tampa’s Georgi Hristov was denied at point-blank range by a key stop from Fury FC ‘keeper Devala Gorrick, while Fury FC left back Ramon Soria found himself in clear on the Tampa net after a nice give-and-go, only to be denied fantastically by Pickens.

The draw was a fair result on the day, but both managers felt they had chances to win.

“It’s very emotional.  We played a decent game, and we created enough chances.  In this league, every point is important and hard to get.  This league is very difficult to predict, because last week they won in San Antonio, and we lost to Atlanta.  Then we draw.” – Marc Dos Santos, manager, Fury FC

“The wind really played a factor out there tonight, but we weren’t good enough.  Our passing wasn’t very sharp and we didn’t create a whole lot.  Matt (Pickens) came up with another big stop for us tonight, his third in four games- that tells a story.  It was a tough game, fairly even, with some tough (refereeing) decisions.” – Ricky Hill, manager, Tampa Bay Rowdies

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Fury FC Match Ratings

(Average rating is 6.0)

Starting XI

Gorrick, GK – 7.0 – Ottawa’s starting ‘keeper was superb yet again.  Guessed wrong on the Hristov penalty, but was very confident in the air and made a key stop on Hristov in the 81st to preserve the point.

Soria, LB – 7.0 – Soria continues to impress in place of Maykon, roaming up the pitch when the situation calls for it, but never too far.  Beautiful give-and-go set him up in the 85th minute, but Pickens robbed him.

Trafford, CB – 6.5 – Trafford continues to bring a steady, stay-at-home kind of game.  No glaring errors, but nothing spectacular either.

Jarun, CB – 6.5 – While he did give up a penalty after bringing down Mkosana, Jarun was very solid at the back otherwise.  Made some crucial tackles, and as per usual was solid in the air.

Beckie, RB – 6.0 – Not quite as game-breaking as we saw earlier this season, Beckie wasn’t very noticeable.  Picked up a yellow card for chirping after the Jarun penalty was conceded.

Ubiparipovic, CM – 7.0 – Ubi was lifted from the match late with an apparent injury, but had a fairly good game.  Well-taken free kicks and as always quality ball distribution.

Ryan, CM (c) – 7.0 – Ryan was definitely in-form, acting as a calming presence in the midfield.  Great passing and a lack of hurry on the ball set the pace for Fury FC going forward.  Excellent corner which led to the Donatelli goal.

Donatelli, CM – 7.5 – By far his most involved performance this season, Donatelli was everywhere in the first half- nearly missing on an 11th minute sitter and a 20th minute free kick before finally scoring on a 37th minute corner.

Oliver, LW – 6.0 – Perhaps still feeling the effects of the injury which kept him from training most of the week, Oliver lacked his usual aggression and confidence when in possession.  Lifted from the match at the 68 minute mark.

Dantas, ST – 6.5 – While he yet again brought a high work-rate to his game, Dantas simply wasn’t able to reach a number of through balls and long passes.  That being said, he had some excellent touches in the second half.

Haworth, RW – 6.5 – A fairly pedestrian first half, Haworth seemed to wake up in the final ten minutes once moved to the lone striker position.  He was an absolute bull, knocking over Tampa players that were almost a foot taller than him.  That kind of aggression and persistence would have been a big boost earlier in the match.

Subs

Davies, W – 6.0 – Davies didn’t have a ton of touches in his twenty-two minutes on the pitch.  No egregious errors, no superlative play.

Elias, W – 6.0 – Only saw seven minutes on the pitch, but was energetic as per usual.  Didn’t see much of the ball.

Eustaquio, M – N/A – Came on in injury time, didn’t have enough time to make an impact.  Congratulations to him on his NASL debut.

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Saturday’s #MostFurious title goes to Tony Donatelli, who was very active in the first half and had his best performance of the season while picking up his first goal as a member of OFFC.

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A point is a point though Fury FC will know that, had Oliver converted his first half penalty, they would have taken three points off of Ricky Hill’s squad.  Then again, had Georgi Hristov converted either of his two excellent opportunities, they could have ended up with a big fat zero.

Fury FC are in action next Saturday, as they travel to Indianapolis to take on their expansion brethren, the Indy Eleven.

 

Fatigue Sets In, Atlanta Dominates Uninspired Fury FC

Deon McCaulay is among some elite company, and opened the scoring for the Silverbacks on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Good ol’ CONCACAF.

Playing their fifth match in just fourteen days, Marc Dos Santos and his expansion squad were simply pushed past their limits at Silverbacks Park on Saturday night, falling 2-1 due to an uninspiring second half.  Fatigue and injuries were clearly a factor as Fury FC simply sputtered and died as the second half got underway, conceding what would turn out to be the game-winning goal five minutes after the restart.  Eerily similar to their domestic cup defeat in Edmonton four days ago, isn’t it?

Scroll further down this post for tactical thoughts on what Atlanta did well, plus match ratings for both the Silverbacks and Fury.

Growing Pains in Cup Play

FC Edmonton manager Colin Miller has to be thrilled with how his direct approach panned out tonight- the Eddies are off to the 2nd Round of the Amway Canadian Championship after a 3-1 aggregate victory over Fury FC.

It was a contrast of two styles on the Clarke Stadium pitch in Edmonton on Wednesday night, as Fury FC traveled to Oil Country in search of passage to the second round of the Amway Canadian Championship.

Having drawn the first leg 0-0, both managers were quite positive about their chances of advancing heading into the second leg.

Colin Miller‘s Eddies squad was looking to bounce back after a difficult 1-0 loss in Minnesota, a match which they only lost via a penalty, while Marc Dos Santos‘ charges were looking to ride a wave of momentum created by their 4-0 rout over the Carolina RailHawks on the weekend.

Miller deployed his troops in a very British-style, very direct 4-4-2, which featured wingers Hanson Boakai (more on his performance later) and Horace James, both of whom terrorized Fury FC’s wingbacks throughout the evening.

Dos Santos set OFFC up in a 4-3-3 that was nearly identical to the one which defeated Carolina emphatically at home on Saturday.  The only change saw Ramon Soria pick up his first career NASL start at left back, as Maykon drew out of the Starting XI with a hamstring injury.

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Due to some technical difficulties (which I will not dole out blame for, as it’s not my position to do so), the first half of the match was not shown anywhere, and anyone outside of Clarke Stadium who wished to follow the match was forced to pick it up in the 18th minute on Ottawa’s TSN 1200.

By all accounts, Fury FC controlled the vast majority of play in the first half, but a defensive miscue in 30th minute allowed FC Edmonton sparkplug Hanson Boakai to jump all over a loose ball near the right corner flag.  Boakai crossed into the middle, and Daryl Fordyce finished calmly to give the hosts a somewhat surprising lead.  The play as a whole was a disaster defensively for Fury FC, and was a sign of things to come.

Despite no less than four corner kicks for Ottawa in the first half, their best chance came when Sinisa Ubiparipovic cranked a shot off of the Eddies’ crossbar, beating ‘keeper John Smits but failing to bulge the hosts’ twine.

Both sides went into halftime relatively pleased with how the match was progressing- Miller’s Edmonton side had the lead and were defending reasonably well, while Dos Santos was confident during a half-time interview that OFFC could rise to the occasion and advance in the home-and-away series.

The second half started disastrously for Ottawa, as some miscommunication at the back resulted in a complete mismatch for a loose ball- young, speedy Eddies winger Hanson Boakai versus the bigger, slower Omar Jarun.  Boakai naturally won the race to the loose ball, was initially denied by an excellent save from OFFC ‘keeper Devala Gorrick, but then located the rebound, corralled it, and dispatched it to give the hosts one foot in the second round.

OFFC continued to look disoriented in their defensive third, and conceded again in the 62nd minute.  Boakai centered the ball to the top of the box, where Daryl Fordyce put his laces through the ball and simply beat Gorrick with a superlative shot, all but booking FC Edmonton a date with the MLS’ Montreal Impact next week.

While Ottawa began to come on a little bit towards the end of the match, with Vini Dantas finishing a pretty passing play in the 90th minute to cut the lead to two, Fury FC were much too wasteful.  Carl Haworth missed a sitter from near the penalty spot in the 84th minute, and P.R. Mayard skied an opportunity into the Albertan night sky from close range.

As referee Drew Fischer blew the full-time whistle, over two thousand of the Eddies faithful rose to their feet, giving Miller’s side a deserving ovation.  Direct football defeated continental possession football in Edmonton on Wednesday…

Hanson Boakai was the best player on either club Wednesday night, and the 17 year-old is a player to look out for on the national scene, already having been capped at the Under-17 level.  “Hanson does this every game for us, he’s a dynamic player who’s been capped internationally.  He’s excellent,” commented Eddies manager Colin Miller.  Two assists and the game-winning goal speak for themselves…

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Post-Game Martin Nash Interview

I was able to reach the Fury FC assistant via telephone, here are his thoughts post-game:

Quick comment on tonight’s defensive breakdowns Martin?

Yeah, I’d like to take another look at their second goal.  Lots of things wrong there- bad pass, a slip by Omar, a missed tackle, and the kid (Boakai) made a good finish on the follow-up.  Other than that goal, the defense played quite well in my opinion.

Ramon Soria was quite good in his first NASL start- thoughts?

Ramon did very well tonight- moved the ball well into the middle of the park.  Him and Drew (Beckie) both played very well, running up the wings.

Many squandered opportunities offensively tonight.

Honestly I’d be more concerned if we didn’t create any offensive chances.  We could have had five or six tonight.  We just weren’t hitting the target, it was one of those nights.

Carl Haworth missed a crucial sitter- thoughts on his play?

In practice, and in the PDL in years past, Carl buried that chance everytime.  It was just one of those nights for us.

Playing your fourth game in ten days, do you think fatigue was a factor in the second half collapse?

I don’t think so.  Both teams are in the same situation, have played the same amount of games.  Really, (defensive) breakdowns on their counter attacks caused the last two goals.

Looking ahead to the match in Atlanta Saturday, what is the coaching staff taking out of this match?

Well we can take a lot of confidence out of this match- we created a lot of chances.  But, we have to be more solid defensively.

On a lighter note, Hamza Elias was electric in his debut tonight.  Might we see more of him?

Yeah, he brought energy.  He’s a dynamic, athletic midfielder.  Gets around the pitch well, good touches on the ball.  He’s young still, so we’re going to continue to break him in slowly.  Good start for him, for sure.

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Time for….

Fury Match Ratings

(6.0 is average rating)

Gorrick, GK – 8.0 – It’s rare for a ‘keeper to merit anything more than a 6.0 rating when they allow three goals, but Gorrick was very solid.  OFFC could have conceded 2-3 more goals had it not been for the veteran’s…well, veteran, performance.

Soria, LB – 7.0 – Soria was, as assistant Martin Nash mentioned, very steady on the left flank.  Distributed well, didn’t try to do too much.  IMO the best of OFFC’s back four Wednesday.

Trafford, CB – 6.0 – Trafford struggled at points marking Eddies strikers in the box, but wasn’t egregiously at fault on any of Edmonton’s goals.

Jarun, CB – 4.5 – Jarun’s strength and size are his biggest assets, but his size and lack of mobility are also his biggest downfalls.  Burned by Boakai on the second goal, and miscommunication with Beckie allowed Boakai to gain possession on first goal.

Beckie, RB – 6.5 – While not as noticeable as his last few appearances, Beckie was solid on the right flank, roaming quite a way’s up while never roaming too far.  Boakai did burn him a few times, but he’ll burn most defenders with his speed.

Ubiparipovic, LCM – 7.0 – Had the best chance of the first 89 minutes for Fury FC when he struck the crossbar in the first half.  Picked up what appeared to be an ankle injury late on.

Ryan, CM – 6.5 – Always solid, always staying within his game, the captain was good in an anchoring role.  He is such fun to watch, the way he distributes the ball.

Donatelli, RCM – 5.5 – While Donatelli continues to showcase a high work rate, he doesn’t have the same creative vision that Ryan and Ubiparipovic do, and it shows.  Defensively, Boakai sprinted right past him multiple times.

Oliver, LW – 6.0 – Showed flashes early, but began to look fatigued and was substituted in the 64th minute once the match was out of reach.

Davies, RW – 6.0 – Similar to Oliver, Davies showed flashes early but was invisible in the second half before being substituted on 53 minutes.

Haworth, ST – 5.5 – “Carlitos”‘ small, quick style of play was certainly effective against Carolina, however Edmonton’s big, strapping centrebacks shut him down effectively.  Missed an unforgivable opportunity late, firing wide from close to the penalty spot.

Subs

Dantas, ST – 7.0 – I must admit, Dantas’ game is growing on me.  He had a few beautiful touches in the thirty-eight minutes he played, and his finish on Ottawa’s only goal was well-placed.

Mayard, LW – 5.5 – While the ball seemed to find him, Mayard failed to do a whole lot with it.  Missed a couple decent opportunities inside the 18-yard box.

Elias, CM – 7.5 – Making his first true appearance of the season, Elias was electric.  His perseverance and dogged work rate in the midfield started the play which led to Fury FC’s only goal.  He was excellent.

#MostFurious goes to none other than Hamza Elias.  The Ghanaian midfielder was excellent in his fifteen minutes, energetic, creative, and hard-working.  Hope to see more of him.

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All things considered, the result was- well, disappointing.  It was the biggest game in Fury FC’s young history to date, and they just could not convert their opportunities.  It’s not that they were outplayed from the opening kick-off as the score would tend to indicate, but they weren’t as efficient with their scoring opportunities as their opponent.  Daryl Fordyce and Hanson Boakai were simply on another level finishing-wise tonight.

I sincerely believe Marc Dos Santos will rally the troops to finish the roadtrip strong in Atlanta on Saturday night.  The match will be live on TSN 1200 from Silverbacks Park.

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As for FC Edmonton, congratulations on advancing in the ACC.  A decent first leg away from home, coupled with an inspiring effort at home in front of over two thousand loyal Eddies fans, has led them to the promised land.  Though don’t tell Eddies boss Colin Miller that- he’s got a match against the MLS’ Montreal Impact to prepare for in seven days’ time!