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USL Ottawa Fury FC

Fury FC Extend Unbeaten Run against Steel

May 25, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release


OTTAWA - Ottawa Fury FC earned their third win of the season and kept their shutout streak alive in an entertaining 1-0 win against Bethlehem Steel FC. Kevin Oliveira scored in Ottawa's first game of the season under the lights at TD Place, and goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and his defense extended their shutout streak to 463 minutes.

The match started incredibly well for Fury FC. Within the first 40 seconds, Kevin Oliveira broke down the wing and dribbled into the box. With a defender draped all over him, his toe-poked shot hit the far post and crept across the line. It served as Oliveira's first goal in Fury FC colours, and it was clear a weight had been lifted off the shoulders of the young Cape Verdean.

The wet pitch wreaked havoc on both defenses all evening, but the crowd of 2,781 remained lively. Shortly after Oliveira's goal, Ottawa couldn't clear a ball in their own box, but Nana Attakora made a crucial block on a point-blank opportunity for the visitors. Attakora was making his season debut and was one of seven Canadians in Ottawa's starting eleven.

The Ottawa backline looked a little different on Friday. With both Colin Falvey and Doneil Henry being left out of the team, Attakora and Thomas Meilleur-Gigu?-re took over in the two centre back spots.

Adonijah Reid was once again giving opposing defenders fits. The diminutive forward had numerous runs down the left-hand side, and the front three of Reid, Steevan Dos Santos and Carl Haworth are starting to develop good chemistry.

In the dying moments of the first-half, Attakora showed no signs of rust. Bethlehem's Aiden Apodaca evaded Maxime Crépeau and as he was about to tap the ball into the net, Attakora made a sliding block to save a sure goal. Crépeau was the first to thank the centre-back's heroic defending, which kept his shutout streak intact.

Fury FC nearly broke through again early in the second half. Haworth moved into the box and gave his defender the slip with a shoulder fake. The captain then ripped a shot right past goalkeeper Jake McGuire, but it hit off the angle and bounced out.

The backline made Crépeau's job easy on the evening, except for one shot from the top of the box by Jeremy Rafanello. The strike looked to be sailing over, but the goalkeeper was taking no chances and pushed it out for a corner.

Fifteen minutes from time, Christian Portilla had a long range shot that took a deflection, but McGuire was on his toes and punched it away. On the ensuing corner, Haworth's headed attempt from two yards out hit the post. Haworth was especially unlucky on the day, with both his shots off the woodwork bouncing in Steel FC's favor.

Instead of inviting pressure on themselves in the late moments of the match, Ottawa kept pressing Bethlehem. Oliveira had a well-placed shot saved by McGuire, who was solid on the night. The Fury FC back four held firm and repelled a late Steel FC attack to earn the three points.

Fury FC will look to keep their unbeaten run alive against Toronto FC II on Wednesday, May 30 (KO 7:00 p.m.). The all-Canadian matchup is always hotly contested, and Wednesday's match will be no different with both clubs in desperate need of points. Ottawa will then welcome the Charlotte Independence to TD Place on Saturday, June 2 (KO 7:00 p.m.) to wrap up their three-game homestand.

POST-GAME COMMENTS

Head Coach Nikola Popovic

"I think we always had the game under control. We hit the post three or four times. They are a very dangerous team with four players who have a lot of speed, so the idea was to keep them away from our goal and not allow them to break us. We wanted to manage the rhythm of the game and I think we accomplished this. I am very proud of our players."

On having seven Canadians in the starting lineup... "We are putting professional [Canadian] players in a professional league and we are winning. We should all embrace this."

Defender Nana Attakora

"In this league, no game is going to be easy. What you saw today is our preseason mentality - hard work, never giving up and continuing to push each other."

On his goal line clearance... "The situation started from our centre-backs not communicating. We let our team down and left Crépeau in no man's land. If they scored, that's on myself. So that's why I had to put the effort in."

MATCH REPORT

Full stats report on USL Match Centre or download the Opta Stats Report

Watch Game Highlights | Watch Post-Game Show & Reactions

Starting XI

Ottawa Fury FC (4-3-3): Crépeau; Obasi, Meilleur-Giguere, Attakora, Edward; Dixon (83' Manesio), Portilla (90+1' Luboyera), Oliveira; Reid (66' Taylor), Dos Santos, Haworth ©

Bethlehem Steel FC (4-2-3-1):

McGuire; Mbaizo, Mahoney, Aubrey, Real; Jones, Chambers © (63' Skundrich); Najem, Moar, Ngalina (63' Nanco); Apodaca (66' Rafanello)

Scoring Summary

1' - Oliveira*

Caution Summary

30' - Attakora

43' - Moar

Attendance

2,781

* Oliveira's goal at 44 seconds is the fastest goal in league play in Fury FC history, the second fastest in Fury FC overall history after Sito's goal in Canadian Championship in 2017 that clocked in at 39 seconds.

Next Match: Wednesday, May 30 v Toronto FC II - 7:00 p.m. - TD Place



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 25, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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