PREVIEW | Silverbacks Visit Surging Fury FC

The Atlanta Silverbacks are leaving the comfortability of the Southeast and venturing north of the border to visit Ottawa Fury FC. Fury FC provides a tough test, as the team is riding an eight-game unbeaten streak.

After an exciting 2-2 draw with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Atlanta is finally moving on to non-Florida opponents. The Silverbacks are starting to hit their stride offensively in the Fall Season. New attacking options in Junior Burgos and the Mendes twins (Pedro and Paulo) have given confidence to the Silverbacks’ attack. Pedro Mendes has already contributed a goal, and Burgos has an assist.

Defensively, the Silverbacks are still getting used to playing three men in the back, but there are promising signs that the formation is going to work very well in the long run.

Ottawa is doing well itself. The team hasn’t been beaten since May 2 in a closely contested match with the New York Cosmos. One of Fury FC’s best players has been forward Tom Heinemann, who has gone from super sub to superstar for the Canadian team. Heinemann, with only five starts, leads the team in scoring with four goals. Three of those goals have come during the Fall Season.

Based on their beginning to the fall, Ottawa’s 4-3-3 is definitely working for them. Will it work against Atlanta, though? Two of the Silverbacks’ first three opponents, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Jacksonville Armada FC, both employed the formation. While Tampa Bay came out on top, Atlanta held them to minimal shots on target. Jacksonville was defeated to give Atlanta its first win at home in 2015.

Ottawa currently sits in fifth place in the Combined Standings, just outside of a postseason berth. Atlanta still sits at the bottom of the standings, but a win could be just the thing the Silverbacks need to kick start their engines. With the offense finally starting to fire on all cylinders, Atlanta could be the dark horse of the Fall Season.

The match kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and will be the Silverbacks’ first appearance on Wednesday Night Soccer on ONE World Sports. The nationally broadcast match will be available to viewers in the Metro Atlanta area without authorization.