Clock winding down for Fury’s playoff hopes
They’ve haven’t won in six weeks and have just five regular season games left
For what seems like the 10th consecutive week, this is the week the Ottawa Fury FC must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Or is it the 11th week in a row they must win? Take your pick. Because, truth be told, they haven’t won in six weeks and the only certainty seems to be that the Fury FC are finally running out of weeks.
The local team is down to just five regular season games when they take the field at TD Place Sunday afternoon against the Louisville City FC, a team 23 points ahead of the Fury FC atop the United Soccer League’s Eastern Conference and one of 11 teams the Fury FC trail in the standings.
Louisville also just happens to be the conference’s best club offensively and defensively with by far the best goal-differential at plus-25, nine goals better than the second-best.
Realistically, with the Fury FC in 11th, their only shot at a playoff spot is catching the 8th-place Orlando City B, who are up by four points.
Trouble is, Ottawa must also pass by Bethlehem, Pittsburgh and St. Louis to even find 8th.
“Over the last few games we’ve seen a lot of moments that demonstrate that we’re a playoff team,” said interim head coach Julian de Guzman.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do it for 90 minutes.
“We just need to bring our performance up a notch and keep it for the full 90 and we’ll win our results.
“Wins at home are mandatory for the rest of the season. A win at home against Louisville will generate the type of momentum that we’ve been chasing in this last run of matches.”
The optics on the Fury FC are misleading.
Since de Guzman replaced the fired Paul Dalglish in mid-August, the club has certainly been more entertaining but all that entertainment has produced no wins, two losses and five draws, including four draws in a row.
Their 11 draws has them tied for second in the conference, just one behind the leaders, Orlando City B.
Their nine defeats are just one more than, again, Orlando City B.
The downside is, the Fury FC’s seven wins are better than only 14th-place Richmond and 15thplace Toronto FC II.
If they had just turned two of those draws into wins, the Fury FC may well be on their way to extending their season past the Oct. 14 season finale.
“This team continues to be confident and we know we’re capable of beating anyone,” said defender Eddie Edward. “Each and every day we work very hard and we continue to believe we can make the playoffs. We just need to focus it one game at a time and rise to the big occasion.
“I believe so much in this team. Regardless of what is at stake, the mindset is always to win every game. Now we just need to go out there and do it.”
Edward should have qualified it by saying they have to do it in a hurry.
After Sunday, the Fury FC travel to Harrisburg for a Wednesday night game, then right back to TD Place for another Sunday matinee with Charleston.
Harrisburg is the weakest of the opponents Ottawa has on its remaining schedule and Harrisburg still have playoff aspirations — being one point back of the Fury FC. Charleston, meanwhile, is a point out of second and would really like to nail that spot down for a favourable first-round playoff opponent.
We just need to bring our performance up a notch and keep it for the full 90 and we’ll win our results.