RECAP | Fury FC 1, Scorpions 0

Ottawa Fury FC grew its first-place lead to five points Saturday night with a 1-0 victory over the San Antonio Scorpions thanks to Oliver's second goal of the season. The Scorpions were reduced to 10 men in the 38th minute after Zourab Tsiskaridze was shown red after receiving a second yellow. Ottawa's second half goal and Romuald Peiser's tenth shutout of the season was all the Fall Season-leading Fury FC needed to collect its first ever victory over San Antonio and extend its road unbeaten streak to six games (3W-3D-0L).

"It's a game that we controlled from start to finish and totally deserved the three points," Marc Dos Santos said following the match. "Our guys never got away from our game plan and even with the red card and playing against 10 players, we stayed calm and under control.

"This is a very important win in our run towards the postseason, and I am very proud of this group."

Milton Palacios produced the best chance of the first half, but misfired on his close-range shot. Ottawa held 64 percent of the possession in the opening five minutes, but were unable to penetrate beyond the Scorpions’ back line with opportunities on goal coming from distance. The home side lined-up in a 5-4-1 formation, which caused little room in front of the Scorpions’ goal to create opportunities.  

Zourab Tsiskaridze received a yellow card in the 22nd minute and sixteen minutes later was shown another yellow for a reckless challenge on Mauro Eustaquio that produced a red card and San Antonio played out the duration of the match with 10 men. The Scorpions also lost assist leader Billy Forbes to injury and, if that wasn't enough, the temperature was over 90 degrees at kickoff.

The first half was a heated opening 45 minutes in many ways, but it would end scoreless.

Playing a man-up, Fury FC dictated the pace of the second half and was rewarded with an early goal. After a goal-line clearance off an Ottawa corner, Paulo Junior sent the ball back into the box finding an unmarked Oliver, who headed his second goal in as many games past San Antonio ‘keeper Daniel Fernandes.

Ottawa continued to press as the club sent cross after cross into the box, but the Scorpions remained compact and aimed to hit on the counterattack. After subbing in striker Eric Hassli, the Scorpions threatened with a handful of dangerous opportunities, but Fury FC defended as a unit blocking several shots, and Peiser was always there to stop anything that made its way through.

Peiser’s tenth shutout of the season leads the NASL and helped Ottawa grow its lead to five points over second-place New York, who lost, 2-0, to the Tampa Bay Rowdies earlier in the evening.