One soft goal, one very tough break
Onua Obasi called it a soft goal and no one could possible know that better than the Ottawa Fury FC defender.
After going 10 hours and 36 minutes without giving up a goal, the Fury ’s incredible run came to a gut-wrenching end in the 83rd minute on a strange, almost accidental, re-direct off Obasi that lifted the ball just over goalie Maxime Crepeau and under the crossbar.
The goal, officially credited to Yann Ekra, was also the only shot on target all night for the powerhouse Charlotte Independence as the visitors stole one from the Fury 1-0 Saturday night at TD Place before 5,693 spectators. As they say, that’s football. It just didn’t seem right that such a goal would end the Fury’s unbeaten streak at six games and the home winning streak at two after wins last Friday over Bethlehem and Wednesday over Toronto FC II.
The loss, the first since April 28, also cost the Fury a chance to move into the Top 6 in the United Soccer League’s Eastern Conference standings.
“It’s disappointing to give up that late goal ... to get caught with less than eight minutes to go in what I thought was a soft goal,” said Obasi, a Fury defensive standout. “And that’s exactly what it was ... a soft goal.
“Our back four (defensively) had played so good for a number of weeks.
“Physically and mentally, this was the game we were most prepared for. We got our wins in the ones we thought we would, then lost the one (game) we were really on to. We were very well prepared and I think we showed it. It’s just disappointing how it ended.”
Sadly, fans of the local 11 won’t get to see much of the Fury FC in coming weeks as they hit the road for games in North Carolina, Atlanta, New York, Cincinnati and Indianapolis — and even another road match as part of the first leg of the Canadian Championships series.
The only home tilt before Pittsburgh visits July 8 is the second leg of the Canadian Championship on June 27 against a still-tobe-determined opponent.
Once they get through the road trek, the longest homestand of the season kicks off with that Pittsburgh game on July 8 and continues with four more games at TD Place against Penn FC, Nashville, Louisville City and Tampa Bay.
The Fury played an almost perfect opening 45 minutes, outshooting the visitors 9-4 while producing the best two scoring chances, the first by Chris Mannella point-blank on Charlotte goalie Andrew Dykstra in the 19th minute.
And Fury captain Carl Haworth appeared to have his second goal of the season in the 35th minute only to have a Charlotte defender race back to kick the ball to safety.
The Fury could easily have taken a lead into the second 45 minutes on excellent chances by Steeven Dos Santos in the 65th minute and Jamar Dixon in the
71st minute.
Then came the fateful 83rd minute.
“I think it was a very even match,” said Fury FC head coach Nikola Popovic. “We had the best chances to score.
“A draw I would have accepted. Charlotte is a very good team ... one of the best in the USL.
“That the goal came on a deflection is very frustrating. We have to be very proud of the way we fought.
“The scoreboard says zero-one. But we had our chances. The second half of the first half things opened up and we really had good chances.”