PUERTO RICO FC AT FURY FC

Sunday, 2 p.m., at TD Place stadium. TV: Rogers 22. Radio: TSN1200 and 94.5 Unique FM SCOUTING REPORT

Ottawa: Defender Eddie Edward (thigh) was to be assessed for fitness and availability for duty, but otherwise head coach Paul Dalglish has a healthy squad available for the third-last home game of the 2016 NASL season. Midfielders Jamar Dixon of Ottawa and Maxim Tissot of Gatineau are expected to be in the lineup, but after they’ll be leaving for temporary assignment with the Canadian men’s team for Oct. 7 and 11 friendlies against Mauritania and host Morocco. Forward Giuseppe Gentile has a threegame goal-scoring streak.

Puerto Rico: The first-year squad that only joined NASL in July stands 11th in the fall-season standings at 3-8-6, but it’s currently on a two-game winning streak and undefeated in the past five overall. Tyler Rudy and Bljedi Bardic, who was making only his second appearance for the side, scored in Wednesday’s 2-1 decision against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Hector Ramos leads the attack with seven goals. Defence seems to be a problem, with 24 goals conceded ranking third-worst in the fall season ahead of only Carolina (28) and Jacksonville (24) coming into this weekend’s games.

STORYLINE

With eight games left on the schedule, Dalglish said Fury FC probably needed to win seven of them to have a genuine shot at qualifying for a combined standings playoff berth. His squad got the job done in the first two, but Wednesday’s 2-1 loss at Miami on a goal deep into extra time removed any margin for error. “We’ll probably need to win every game to even stand a chance,” said Dalglish, whose troops have remaining home contests against New York Cosmos and Fort Lauderdale Strikers sandwiched around road games against Rayo OKC and Tampa Bay Rowdies. All four stand above 10th-place Ottawa in the combined standings.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Dalglish was happy with virtually everything about Fury FC’s performance against host Miami FC on Wednesday, the notable exceptions being the lack of execution on offensive opportunities and the final result, with Vincenzo Rennella’s extra-time goal handing Ottawa a stinging 2-1 defeat.

Fury FC totalled 14 shots, with four of them on target, but only Giuseppe Gentile’s 44th-minute score to show for it.

HISTORY

Fury FC and Puerto Rico FC have met only once previously, resulting in a 0-0 draw at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium on Sept. 7. Both sides had three shots on target.