FURY HOPING TO GIVE TORONTO ALL IT CAN HANDLE
Reds are one of top teams in Major League Soccer and reigning Canadian champions
Ottawa Fury FC has played in some pretty significant games in its short history.
A nail-biting 3-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League final a couple of years back ranks right up there.
Make no mistake about it, though. Tuesday night’s Canadian Championship semifinal match against Major League Soccer side Toronto FC is huge. In the first leg of a two-game series, Fury FC hopes to give the fivetime Canadian champion and current holder of the Voyageurs Cup all it can handle.
A year ago, Fury FC stunned the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 at home in the first leg before more than 9,000 fans at TD Place before losing 3-0 in the return leg in B.C. a week later. Toronto FC then defeated the Whitecaps in the championship final on the away-goal rule.
“It’s going to be a great game and an opportunity to see how we match up against a top MLS team,” Fury FC midfielder Jamar Dixon said. “TFC is a good team, so we need to be ready to battle. They have a well-rounded team both offensively and defensively. Their record proves this.”
While sound defensive play put Fury FC ahead of FC Edmonton 1-0 in the first leg of the preliminary round, offence was what powered it to a 4-2 aggregate win over the Eddies. A three-goal outburst in the second leg started with Sito Seoane’s opener just 39 seconds into the match, making it the second-fastest goal in Canadian championship history.
Fury FC will start Tuesday’s match just 72 hours after a 4-3 road victory over the New York Red Bulls II in United Soccer League regular-season play.
Toronto, the hottest team in Major League Soccer, is led by international stars Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley, although Giovinco is sidelined by injury. Greg Vanney’s squad also boasts an array of talented Canadians that includes the likes of Tosaint Ricketts, Jonathan Osorio and Raheem Edwards.
The Toronto side is riding a seven-game unbeaten streak comprising six victories and one draw.
“We know what system Toronto will play, but have no idea who the 11 (starters) will be,” Fury FC coach Paul Dalglish said. “Regardless, we need to be aggressive. If they play a strong team and we sit back, we will allow good players time on the ball and allow them to hurt us. If we are aggressive and don’t allow them time on the ball, then we make them have to work hard to get anything out of the game. Regardless of who they start, they are going to know they are in a game.”
Tuesday’s match will be special for Fury FC assistant coach Julian de Guzman, who played for his hometown club between 2009 and 2012. During his three seasons with Toronto FC, de Guzman featured in 93 games and helped win three consecutive Canadian Championship titles.
The return leg of the OttawaToronto semifinal will be played May 31 at Toronto’s BMO Field.
WHO: Ottawa Fury FC (USL, 2-3-3, 9 GF 10 GA, advanced to Canadian Championship semifinals with 4-2 aggregate win over FC Edmonton) vs. Toronto FC (MLS, 7-5-1, 21 GF 12 GA, top seed in semifinals after finishing the 2016 season as the highestranked Canadian club).
WHEN: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: TD Place stadium.
TV: TSN. Radio: CFRA 580, 104,7 FM
STORYLINES: Ottawa won 4-3 against New York Red Bulls II on Saturday in the highest-scoring game in club history. Tucker Hume (his first professional goal), Sito Seoane, Michael Salazar and Ryan Williams scored for Fury FC. Ottawa fired 18 shots on goal against Red Bulls II, including 13 in the first half … In its past three matches, Fury FC has generated 50 shots and scored seven goals … Tuesday marks the second of five matches in 16 days for Fury FC … Toronto FC saw its six-game MLS winning streak come to an end Friday against the Red Bulls, but extended its unbeaten streak to seven with a 1-1 draw … After 13 games, TFC is first in the MLS Eastern Conference with a record of 7W-5D-1L, five points more than secondplace Chicago Fire … Toronto has the third-best offence in the MLS (tied with Chicago), with 21 goals scored, and has the best defence in the East, conceding only 12 goals … TFC is the reigning Canadian champion and holder of the Voyageurs Cup. HEAD TO HEAD: This will mark the first meeting between Fury FC and Toronto FC. FURY FC INJURIES/SUSPENSIONS: Carl Haworth (ankle, March 14, out until June); Gerardo Bruna (ankle, April 26, week-to-week); Kyle Venter (abductor, May 12, day-to-day); Steevan Dos Santos (ankle, May 10, game-time decision); Ramon Martin Del Campo (ankle, May 18, game-time decision).