Fury FC Drops a Close Game to Reigning Champions Louisville City FC
April 20, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release
OTTAWA - With two wins under their belt in its last three games, including one on the road, Ottawa Fury FC was set to bring home more points as it travelled to Slugger Field to face back-to-back USL Cup champions Louisville City FC on Saturday night. The stormy skies and sloppy surface slowed down the Canadian visitors, who ultimately couldn't find their footings in time and conceded a close 0-1 loss.
Both sides went at each other in an entertaining but scoreless first half. LouCity got on the board first in the 60th minute thanks to a right footed shot in the centre of the box by Lucky Mkosana that Ottawa's goalkeeper Callum Irving, who had been spectacular until then, could do nothing against. Fury FC was its menacing self again later in the second half but ran out of time.
STORYLINES
Ottawa's goalkeeper Callum Irving offered a mighty performance, allowing only one goal out of the 19 shots he faced.
After a slow start, Fury FC's offence found its second gear, attempting five shots from inside the box in the second period.
Ottawa's scoring chances came from unexpected sources, with the best ones coming from right-back Carl Haworth and midfielder Wal Fall. Forward Mour Samb also hit the post in one of his three shots on target.
Signed just this Thursday, Protais Mutambala got his first appearance in Fury FC uniform on Saturday as he came on in the 80th minute as a substitute.
POST-GAME COMMENTS
Head Coach Nikola Popovic
"It was a story of two different halves. In the first half, we were struggling to adapt to the field. We had very difficult conditions, the field was very wet, it was raining and the size and the turf... so it took us some time to adapt to it. Then in the second half, we created a lot of chances and we were able to create shots from good positions. I think the result today is a little unfair, the scoreboard doesn't show all that happened. I think a draw would have been a more representative result."
"I really believe so. There is no reason not to do it, we tried, but the field was very very wet and it is a short field. They were more used to it than us and I think this explains our difficulty to adapt to the surface and play our style."
MATCH REPORT
Starting XI
Ottawa Fury FC (4-3-3): Irving; Obasi, Barnathan, Meilleur-Giguère, Haworth ©; Gagnon-Laparé, Ward, Fall (90' Daniels); Oliveira (80' Mutambala), Samb, François
Louisville City FC (4-4-2): Lundt; Francis, Craig, Totsch, Peay; McCabe, Rasmussen (90+3' McMahon), Williams, Jimenez; Mbacke Thiam (90' Souahy), Mkosana
Scoring Summary
60' - LOU Mkosana (McCabe)
Caution Summary
- none -
Attendance
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