Note – Each home game will feature three posts- one unbiased recount of the match, one set of interviews and reaction for the Fury, and one set of interviews and reaction for the visiting team. In this case, the opposition match profile will be Minnesota United. The team-specific posts will also feature tactical breakdowns.
The 12th Man was alive and strong as the Fury dropped their inaugural home opener 2-1.
History was made on a chilly April day in the nation’s capital, as Ottawa Fury FC kicked off their home schedule in front of an announced 3447 fans with a narrow 2-1 defeat against NASL title contenders Minnesota United.
The Loons started out the match controlling the midfield, and offensive sparkplug Miguel Ibarra was released on a breakaway in the 8th minute, however the linesman’s flag was raised and the play was called back.
Fury FC enjoyed their first real foray into the offensive third in the 14th minute, when Brazilian compatriots Oliver and Maykon linked up on the left flank, eventually being rewarded with a corner after some sharp passing and great touches.
There was a serious moment for Minnesota United when holding midfielder Juliano Vicentini went down with an apparent ankle injury. Vicentini was forced off in the 19th minute, replaced by Greg Jordan, and was arguably their best player in the first twenty minutes of the match.
Minnesota United captain Aaron Pitchkolan picked up the match’s first booking in the 21st, when he nicked Oliver with his studs up on a tough tackle.
Fury FC’s admittedly shaky defensive set pieces were called into action in the 24th minute, when a Minnesota free kick sailed past all of the host’s defenders only to be smashed wide into the side netting by Minnesota’s Brazilian centre back Tiago Calvano.
The match turned quite stale for a ten minute period, but then the Loons struck. Miguel Ibarra tore through the heart of the Fury defence to latch onto an excellent through ball from Christian Ramirez before finessing a shot into the bottom-right corner of the net, giving the visitors the lead on 36 minutes.
After a nice midfield build-up in the 44th minute, Fury FC left back Maykon skied a cross into the afternoon sky and well out of bounds, letting a golden opportunity go to waste.
In additional time in the first half, a Fury FC corner floated safely into the arms of Minnesota ‘keeper Matt VanOekel, and the referee David Barrie signaled the end of the first half immediately after, with the Loons leading by one.
Minnesota began the second half on the attack, with an almost-immediate corner resulting in a Miguel Ibarra volley that missed the Fury net high.
Then, on seemingly a broken play in the 49th minute, Fury midfielder Tony Donatelli retrieved the ball near the edge of the Minnesota 18-yard box and crossed to striker Vini Dantas. Dantas deflected the short cross past VanOekel and into the Minnesota net, bringing the crowd of 3000+ to their feet. A goal he won’t ever forget, and certainly neither will the record books, Dantas with the club’s first ever goal.
Minnesota seemed to have broken through in the 62nd minute, when Christian Ramirez found himself all alone just inside the Fury’s 18-yard box, however he decided to slot a pass through to the back post for Jamie Watson, who couldn’t latch onto it, letting the chance go to waste.
A scary moment of controversy struck in the 72nd, when Fury FC centre back Omar Jarun was essentially kicked in the head by Minnesota’s Cristiano Dias. Jarun was more than a little shaken up on the play, and was substituted immediately for Andres Fresenga. Dias only received a card of the yellow variety, much to the chagrin of the Fury faithful.
After eighty minutes of hard work, Vini Dantas was lifted from the match in favor of Carl Haworth, who took over the reins up front for Fury FC.
Haworth proceeded to get involved immediately, finding his 86th minute effort blocked by a super-human effort from Greg Jordan.
His 89th minute header went inches over the Minnesota crossbar, and he was very dynamic and noticeable in his 10+ minutes on the pitch.
After an eternity of extra time, the Loons stumbled their way into a free kick at the edge of the Fury 18-yard box. The ball was swung in, and for the second time in as many games, Fury FC conceded a game-winning goal off of a set piece. Minnesota captain Aaron Pitchkolan got the final touch on a bouncing ball in the area, and it snaked its way through three Fury defenders before crossing the goal line, giving the Loons the full three points.
All in all, a very exciting afternoon at Keith Harris Stadium.
However, injury concerns are large at the moment for the Fury, with the likes of Nicki Paterson, Tom Heinemann, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and now Omar Jarun all out of the lineup. With four games in the next thirteen days, the depth of this expansion squad will be pushed to the max.
As for Minnesota, they will continue to be without their leading forward Pablo Campos, who has been ruled out for the duration of the spring season due to a knee injury. The loss of Juliano Vicentini could prove to be costly for them, as Vicentini is an excellent ball distributor and contributes in all three phases of play.
Remember to check back for in-depth reviews of the game for both the Fury and the visiting Loons.
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