PREVIEW | Fury FC vs. Rowdies

Tampa Bay Rowdies head to Ottawa to face Fury FC on Saturday, May 9, at TD Place. The Rowdies will want to keep in striking distance of the New York Cosmos, who are currently in first place in the Spring Season standings, and get a result away from home. Fury FC is aiming to stop a two-match losing skid.

Series History

Though the Tampa Bay Rowdies are unbeaten all-time in Ottawa, the short series between the Rowdies and Ottawa Fury FC is split totally evenly with each team holding a 1-1-1 record against the other. The Rowdies drew 1-1 in Ottawa in the 2014 Spring Season and won 2-0 at TD Place in the Fall Season. Fury FC won 2-0 in St. Petersburg just two weeks later to even the series.

Rowdies Notes

The Rowdies (2W-2D-1L, 8 points) stuttered to a 1-1 draw in Carolina against the RailHawks last Saturday, but remained in second place in the NASL Spring Season standings. The Rowdies are now three points behind the New York Cosmos. Tampa Bay conceded a goal just six minutes into the match, but equalized through a Martin Núñez goal in the 19th minute.

The Rowdies seemed poised to score the game-winning goal in the second half until midfielder Georgi Hristov earned a straight red card for a foul on RailHawks midfielder Wells Thompson in the 76th minute. He is suspended for this match.

Núñez and Maicon Santos enter the match tied for the Rowdies’ scoring lead with two goals each. Nunez has scored in back-to-back weeks, while Santos scored both of his goals, April 25, against Jacksonville Armada FC.

Midfielder Richard Menjivar, acquired from the San Antonio Scorpions in a trade Wednesday, April 29, could make his Rowdies debut in this match. He was not part of the Rowdies’ squad last week against Carolina.

Scouting Ottawa

Ottawa (1-1-3, 4) is rounding into health at this point in the season, but the results haven’t been good enough to keep Fury FC away from the bottom of the NASL Spring Season standings. Ottawa’s one win this season came on home turf against Minnesota United on April 18 via a 68th minute goal scored by Tom Heinemann.

Since then, Ottawa has lost four consecutive matches, including two midweek losses to FC Edmonton that eliminated them from the Amway Canadian Championship. Last weekend, Ottawa traveled to Brooklyn to face the New York Cosmos but lost 1-0 due to a 14th minute goal scored by Lucky Mkosana.

Fury FC has scored four goals in five matches this season, all from different players. Heinemann, Nicki Paterson, Rafael Alves, and Brandon Poltronieri have all tallied a goal, but none have scored more than once.