Fury Storm into Fort Lauderdale and Steal All Three Points from Strikers
September 19, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release
Sinisa Ubiparipovic of Ottawa Fury FC vs. the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
(Ottawa Fury FC, Credit: Fort Lauderdale Strikers Communications)
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (September 19, 2015) - After a cautious opening 45 minutes, Fury FC flipped the switch at halftime and stormed past the Fort Lauderdale Strikers Saturday night with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Aly Alberto Hassan and Sinisa Ubiparipovic. The win, coupled with the 0-0 draw between Minnesota and New York, moves Ottawa two-points clear of Minnesota in the Fall Season standings with a game in hand. The victory marked Ottawa fourth straight win away from home extending their road unbeaten streak to seven matches.
"We knew the importance this match had and we came out with the right mentality," said head coach Marc Dos Santos. "The team was patient and dealt with the different moments of the game very well."
"Our second half was excellent! The group worked extremely hard and deserved the full three points," Dos Santos added.
Fort Lauderdale earned the best chance of the opening half very early, but the goal-bound shot was cleared off the line. Both teams threatened on counter attack opportunities, but neither were able to produce a threatening chance from close range. The first half was filled with physical battles that would reach a boiling point later in the second half. The cautious and calculated first half ended scoreless, marking 135 straight minutes of scoreless soccer between these two clubs after the 0-0 draw last Saturday in Ottawa.
Fury FC appeared to flip a switch during halftime and looked a hungry side to start the second half. Ottawa attacked with speed and strength through the middle with Sinisa Ubiparipovic the catalyst to the surge in attack. In the 52nd minute Ubiparipovic stepped forward to keep the play alive collecting the lose ball and beat two players before slotting a pass into the box finding the streak Aly Alberto Hassan who fought off one defender and beat Strikers keeper Josh Ford at the near post to give Ottawa the 1-0 lead against his former club. It was a proud moment for the Florida native who scored his second goal of the season in front of friends and family in attendance at Lockhart Stadium.
While the goal gave Ottawa a lift in confidence, it didn't stop the Strikers determined effort on the counter attack, but the defensive pairing of Rafael Alves and Colin Falvey once against kept the NASL's leading scorer, Stefano Pinho, off the score sheet.
The Strikers would lose defender Jordan Graye to an injury and then in the 72nd minutes they would lose another defender as PC was ejected after picking up a second yellow and subsequent red card for an elbow to the head of Fury captain Richie Ryan.
Playing a man up, substitutes Tom Heinemann and Paulo Junior threatened the Strikers defence with several chances as the Strikers were caught short on numbers in defence. Ottawa would eventually add a second goal when Tom Heinemann drew two defenders wide and spotted a streaking Ubiparipovic sprinting down the middle. Ubiparipovic took two touches and rifled a low shot past a helpless Josh Ford giving Fury FC a much needed insurance marker.
Ubiparipovic earned 'Man of the Match Honours' for his goal and assist effort as the veteran midfielder played a pivotal role in scoring Ottawa massive three-points with the victory. Romuald Peiser picked up his league-leading 12th shutout of the season putting the French keeper one shutout shy of tying the NASL record for most shutouts in a season. The win also ended Fort Lauderdale's six-match unbeaten streak.
After defeating the San Antonio Scorpions two weekend ago for the first time in club history, Ottawa picked up their first-ever win over Fort Lauderdale tonight. The only other team in the NASL that Ottawa has yet to record a victory against is the New York Cosmos who Ottawa face Tuesday night on Long Island. Fury FC will close out their three-games in eight days road trip next Saturday in Carolina against the RailHawks.
Fury FC return home October 4th for the All-Canadian derby against FC Edmonton. Tickets to the October 4 match and the final regular season home match on October 18 against San Antonio are available at OttawaFuryFC.com.
Images from this story
 Sinisa Ubiparipovic of Ottawa Fury FC vs. the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (Fort Lauderdale Strikers Communications) |
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North American Soccer League Stories from September 19, 2015
- Fury Storm into Fort Lauderdale and Steal All Three Points from Strikers - Ottawa Fury FC
- Postseason Race Tightens After Exciting Night of Fall Season Action - NASL
- Strikers Unbeaten Streak Snapped in Defeat to Fall Leaders Fury FC - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Indy Eleven Falls to FC Edmonton 0-2 at Home - Indy Eleven
- Silverbacks Comeback to Clip RailHawks - Atlanta Silverbacks
- Eddies Steal Three Points from Eleven with Impressive 2-0 Victory - FC Edmonton
- RailHawks Lose Tight Battle in Atlanta - North Carolina FC
- Rowdies Overrun Scorpions 2-0 to Jump into Playoff Position - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Scorpions Beaten 2-0 by Tampa Bay Rowdies - San Antonio Scorpions
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