Fury FC Heads To Atlanta With Ambitions To Claim Top Seed In The Championship

An incredible regular season draws to a close for Ottawa on Saturday afternoon quite fittingly against an Atlanta side that Fury FC defeated on July 22 at TD Place claiming first place in the Fall Season Standings – a position that was never relinquished by the second-year club.

The focus remains on first place, but this time in the Combined Standings, as Fury FC look to claim the top overall seed heading into The Championship – the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament.

“Atlanta will challenge us in a lot of ways. It’s a very difficult place to play and they have shown throughout the Fall Season what they are capable of,” head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “This is an important game that could seed us No. 1 or No. 2 in the Combined Season. We must be ready, focused, and determined if we want to finish No. 1.”

While Ottawa’s Fall Season Championship has earned it a date on November 8 at TD Place in The Championship Semifinals, a finish as the top seed would do two things – provide home-field advantage throughout the entire postseason; and see the club host the No. 4 seed (Tampa Bay or Fort Lauderdale) as opposed to the No. 3  Minnesota United.

What it boils down to is two points. Two points won by Ottawa (win) or lost by New York (loss or draw) and first place in the Combined Standings will belong to the Fall Season Champions. New York hosts the Tampa Bay Rowdies,who need a win to claim the fourth and final postseason position, on Saturday night. An Ottawa draw could also get the job done, but would need the side would need to own the goal difference tiebreaker over the Cosmos (which Ottawa currently holds)

The Silverbacks have put together an impressive season, especially their Fall campaign that had them in the postseason hunt until their recent struggles, which has seen them go winless in their last five and not score in three straight. Gary Smith and company turned the Silverbacks around after a last-place finish in the Spring Season so expect plenty of pride for the Silverbacks in the regular-season finale.  

Goalkeeper Marcel DeBellis had a smile plastered on his face all week at training as Romuald Peiser’s understudy is set to make his much anticipated debut. The start will end Peiser’s run of 44-consecutive starts where he has established a record of 19W-14D-11L with 17 shutouts conceding only 42 goals. Falvey and Richter will keep their iron-man streaks going – both have played every minute of every match this season.

Fury FC has made good on their goal of making TD Place a fortress in 2015, but even more impressive is what they have done on the road. In the midst of an NASL-record 11-match road unbeaten streak, Fury FC has proven focused, effective, and efficient away from home where they have outscored the opposition, 20-6, during this streak.

With just a single loss in their last 24-matches (14W-9D-1L), Ottawa will look to put their second 12-match unbeaten streak together with a result in Atlanta on Saturday.

Captain Richie Ryan continues his return from injury and is expected to be ready for The Championship Semifinal. Ottawa will also be without midfielder Mauro Eustaquio, who serves a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation (5).