Match Preview: Fury Take Aim at Top of NASL Standings against Fort Lauderdale
April 24, 2015 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Ottawa Fury FC News Release
BROADCAST INFO:
TV: Rogers TV Cable 22
LIVE STREAM: OttawaFuryFC.com/Watch-Live-Stream / ESPN3.com (Outside of Canada)
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OTTAWA, ON (April 24, 2015) - Despite a heartbreaking defeat midweek to FC Edmonton in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship preliminary round, Fury FC return to NASL action with the opportunity to climb to the top of the NASL standings. Thanks to last Saturday's 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC, Ottawa climbed the standings and sit just one victory back of first place New York, who they travel to face next weekend.
"We need to continue building on our last two League results," said Head Coach Marc Dos Santos. "This team is getting stronger and we need to keep answering in front of our fans. The Strikers are a very good side and we will need to stay faithful to our principles and finish our changes if we want to succeed."
Through each of their first three NASL games, Fury FC has managed to score in each one, as well as in Wednesday Amway Canadian Championship match, but it is the all-important second goal that has escaped their grasp, but not for lack of effort. Dos Santos stressed the importance of finishing their chances which was again a focus in training as Ottawa looks to claim their first-ever victory over Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
Last year's leading scorer, Oliver, scored his first goal of the season in Wednesday's Canadian Championship match against FC Edmonton. The goal, a sure confidence booster, was the second fastest goal in the tournament's history (65 seconds) - second only to Marcus Haber who scored inside the first minute for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Ottawa will again be without the services of Richie Ryan who, despite returning to the line-up on Saturday against Minnesota, sustained an injury in training at the beginning of the week and will be out for at least three weeks. Nicki Paterson continues to impress alongside Julian De Guzman in midfield while Sinisa Ubiparipovic looked sharp in his season debut on Wednesday night against Edmonton.
One absence that will be quite noticeable for the club comes on the sidelines as Head Coach Marc Dos Santos will be absent due to a passing in the family and will hand the reigns to assistants Martin Nash and Phillip Dos Santos.
While Fury FC will need their best performance of the season on Wednesday in Edmonton if they hope to earn that semi-final date with Vancouver, their focus is squarely on Saturday and achieving their other goal of the season - making the NASL post-season.
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Yusri Rudolph
Assistants: Jean-Francois Marchand & John Gray
Fourth Official: Pierre Luce Lauziere
North American Soccer League Stories from April 24, 2015
- Match Notes: San Antonio Scorpions at Minnesota United April 25, 2015 - San Antonio Scorpions
- Match Preview: Indy Eleven Host Carolina RailHawks - North Carolina FC
- Five Saturday Matchups Headlined by Battle of Undefeated Teams in Atlanta - NASL
- Match Preview: Fury Take Aim at Top of NASL Standings against Fort Lauderdale - Ottawa Fury FC
- United Looks to Get Back on Track in Home Opener - Minnesota United FC
- FC Edmonton Release Midfielder Hauksson - FC Edmonton
- RailHawks Sign Former FC Dallas Forward Bradlee Baladez - North Carolina FC
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