PREVIEW | Scorpions vs. Fury FC

The NASL Spring Season draws to a close this Saturday and while Marc Dos Santos’ squad would like to be much higher in the standings, the club goes into it the first half finale with plenty of positives – their current four-game unbeaten streak being one of them.

After earning a 0-0 draw in the scorching Florida heat last Sunday in Jacksonville, Fury FC (2W-4D-3L, 10 points) will have another heated affair of a different variety against the San Antonio Scorpions. While the temperature is expected to be in the 70s, it is the on-field intensity between these two teams that should add to the entertainment with both eager to end the Spring Season on a winning note and a higher spot in the NASL standings.

“Last season, the games between Ottawa and San Antonio were always very competitive,” head coach Marc Dos Santos said ahead of Saturday’s Spring Season finale. “It’s a very difficult place to play and we know exactly what to expect from a game like this one. All of us want to end the Spring Season on a high note and we will need another focused and determined performance on the road to come away with three points.”

With an opportunity to finish the first half of the NASL season in the top five, Ottawa not only require a must-win mentality in San Antonio, but a must-score mentality – perhaps the more vital factor above all others. The Scorpions (3-2-4, 11) have the worst goal differential in the NASL (-4), but their defensive game has been much improved with just six goals given up in their last five matches, compared to the nine they surrendered in their opening four.

Fury FC’s defensive record has allowed the club to collect points in each of its last four matches (1-3-0), but have mustered just a single goal in that run. But, if scoring is an evident problem, the defense will provide an opportunity to win every night, having not conceded a goal in 436 minutes putting Romuald Peiser and his team in the NASL Modern Era record books for longest shutout streak since the league returned in 2011.

Another close and feisty affair is expected Saturday in the Lone Star State as the Scorpions have also had their struggles scoring with just two goals in their last three games (1-1-1), and just four goals in four home games this season. To the Scorpions credit, however, they have Omar Cummings in the lineup who leads the league in goals with five – the same number of goals Fury FC have scored in 2015 to date.

Tom Heinemann will return from injury as will Phil Davies, who has missed the entire Spring Season after suffering a severe arm break in preseason. Both Oliver and Richie Ryan remain sidelined by injury, but are expect to be ready for the Fall Season opener on July 5. Ottawa is also without Julian de Guzman, who was called in to the Canadian men’s national team for their World Cup qualifiers against Dominica (June 11 and 16).