Fury FC’s first goal in 267 minutes won the game
FURY FC 1, PENN FC 0
To a man, with nothing seemingly going their way, the Ottawa Fury FC insisted over the past few days they might be about to turn a corner on a frustrating start to the 2018 United Soccer League season.
Well, if one goal can spark a change in direction, Colin Falvey may have single-handedly steered the team forward into at least a bend in the road.
The Irishman from Cork City magnificently converted a corner off his left foot in the 87th minute to snap a 267-minute goalless drought by the Fury and give a patient Nikola Popovic his first win as Fury FC head coach at FNB Field in Harrisburg, Pa., on Monday night.
The win is so important in so many ways, not the least of which that the Fury FC has finally left Toronto and LA Galaxy II in the dust as the only USL teams without a win.
Even more significant, it gives the Fury FC four of a possible six points in their last two games, after last week’s tie with the New York Red Bulls.
It also moves them up the table one spot and out of last place in the Eastern Conference, just a point back of an Atlanta United FC 2 squad that invades TD Place Saturday afternoon, a team that has just a single victory against three losses and three ties overall, those three defeats coming in consecutively in the last three weeks.
And a win over Atlanta would put the Fury back in the pack and within striking distance of the 8th and final playoff spot, which seemed to be a realistic goal from the day the Fury FC began training.
“First and foremost, I would like to dedicate this victory to (general manager) Julian de Guzman,” Popovic said. “He’s doing fantastic work rebuilding this team, this club, and he deserves full credit for what he’s doing.
“We’ve had a difficult start, but I think that when you’re trying to do something like he is trying to do, it’s always going to be difficult at the beginning, difficult to build that foundation at the start. But we’ve got our three points and that speaks to what he’s done.
“It was a very even game. I think we always created the best chances, to hit the goal, to be dangerous in front of the goal, and we had a lot of chances to put ourselves in front. Late, we got the chance we needed and got the three points, but I think that was a game we deserved to win.
“With time, we are going to have a better understanding of the players and they will understand better the model. We know some players will react differently, and that’s why we have to adapt. But this is normal in any model, everything is different, so I think we are making the right adaptations, but that’s why, when you are building a team, you need time. We needed to get to know our players so we could put them in a good position to win.”
Penn FC had been winless until last Friday when the side shocked the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-0 at home. Still, the former Harrisburg Islanders franchise has been very competitive with three draws and a win in their last five games prior to facing Ottawa. Taking the pitch, their goal-differential was a respectable minus-1 in comparison to Ottawa’s minus-12.
So the road win was just what Ottawa needed, as keeper Maxime Crepeau earned his second straight clean sheet.
The Fury FC had the only two shots on net in the opening 45 but the game appeared headed to a scoreless draw, especially after Ottawa’s Carl Haworth struck one of the post in the 50th minute.
It was left to Falvey to make the long bus ride well worth the trip.
“With time, we are going to have a better understanding of the players and they will understand better the model,” Popovic said. “We know some players will react differently, and that’s why we have to adapt. But this is normal in any model, everything is different, so I think we are making the right adaptations, but that’s why, when you are building a team, you need time. We needed to get to know our players so we could put them in a good position to win.”
His players had already predicted as much.
Heading to Harrisburg, Fury FC midfielder Kevin Oliveira said he felt the team may be on the verge of getting things right.
“It’s a pretty new team,” Oliveira said. “We knew from the start that it’s going to be hard to understand each other, but we are starting to get it together on the field. We are starting to play our game. Players are starting to know each other.
“We are practising and working hard. We are starting to believe in each other, that’s what we are doing on the field right now.”
Defender Doneil Henry said prior to the match that the Fury FC is on the right path.
“I think we understand the way forward,” Henry said. “We have to set demands and hold each other accountable, and keep this high level of performance.
“The goals will come. We are not really worried about that at the moment. As long as we continue to do the simple things and guys understand their roles within the team, I think we will definitely be fine.”
We’ve had a difficult start, but I think that when you’re trying to do something like he is trying to do, it’s always going to be difficult at the beginning …