FURY FC’S FORTUNES HINGE ON GREATER CONSISTENCY
Team takes 0-2 record into away match against rebuilt Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Nikola Popovic knew what he was getting into with Ottawa Fury FC, but there must still be times when he sits back and thinks about his former job in Kansas City’s Swope Park.
A year ago, Popovic was flying high, his Swope Park Rangers had a 2-0 record, the start of a magical march to the 2017 United Soccer League Cup final. At no point during that season did the Rangers lose three consecutive matches.
It’s a much different feeling this time with Fury FC at 0-2, following losses of 4-1 and 5-0, as it prepares to face the vastly improved Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
The rebuilt Riverhounds finished 2017 three spots behind Fury FC, 13th on the Eastern Conference table, but have opened this season with a win and two draws and have yet to allow a goal.
“This is an important moment for us,” said Popovic, whose squad again battled the elements during training this week. “I think it’s a very important test for us to see how we react.
“Offensively, we were much better in Tampa Bay (last week) than we were in Charlotte (March 17), but ultimately, somebody has to put the ball in the net. Maybe the numbers from last week are a little exaggerated for what really happened, but what we need is consistency. We cannot alternate the very good and the not so good.
“If you black out for just a few seconds in this league, you will be punished.”
The Riverhounds played to draws in their first two games, then blasted Toronto FC II 4-0, with Neco Brett scoring three times.
Last season, the Riverhounds won 1-0 at TD Place stadium in Ottawa, while the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh seems to have turned a corner under new head coach Bob Lilley, who previously worked his defensive magic with the Hershey Wildcats, Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps, Detroit Ignition and Rochester Rhinos.
The Riverhounds are just one of two teams in the USL with a clean slate defensively, while Fury FC’s goal differential is an ugly, league-worst minus-8.
“We have watched Pittsburgh and they are very good defensively, one of the teams that will have better performances defensively throughout the season,” Popovic said. “It’s difficult to beat them defensively, but, if we can play a consistent game, we can come out with a good result.”
What might set Fury FC on its way is scoring the first goal. Through two games, it has yet to hold a lead, with its only goal coming in the 64th minute of the opener, when the Charlotte Independence were already ahead 2-0.
Fury FC averaged just 1.3 goals per game in 2017, when Paul Dalglish and Julian de Guzman split head-coaching duties, and the offence will have to get much better than that. The excuse of training in foul weather and starting with three road games only goes so far.
“(Last week) was a horrible result for us,” midfielder Cristian Portilla said.
“The most important thing for us right now is to score a goal. We are confident because we are a really good team. The last two games were horrible, but it’s only six points.
“Pittsburgh runs a lot. They fight. But there’s no excuses. It’s a game. It’s 11 versus 11.”
After the matchup with the Riverhounds, Fury FC will play its 2018 home opener next Saturday against lightly-regarded North Carolina FC. That will be the kickoff to a much-anticipated three-game homestand that likely can’t come soon enough.
Meanwhile, the away match against Toronto FC II that was postponed on March 31 has been rescheduled for Sept. 26 at Toronto’s Lamport Stadium, Fury FC announced Friday.