Orlando City B and the Ottawa Fury are separated by one point in the United Soccer League standings. A win could propel the winning side into a playoff spot.

(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

Aug. 15, 2017 at Sylvan Lake Park

Availability: HC Anthony Pulis, MF Pierre da Silva

HC Anthony Pulis

Ottawa Fury FC general manager and head coach Paul Dalglish stepped down from both positions Tuesday morning.

We were obviously there a few months back, and we kind of had a drink after the game, and all seemed well. They’re an interesting team. They’ve got quite a clear strategy that they want to get as many balls in the opposition’s box as possible. Very, very direct from goalkeeper’s kicks, long throws, from open play, corners. That’s the way that they try and play is to make you defend as much as possible. So, obviously with him leaving, if that’s happened, I don’t expect their style to change, to be honest with you. So, we know we’re gonna have to defend the box well. But, then, once we hopefully defend the box well, and we can win—not the first ball, but the second ball is gonna be the vital one. If we can pick up second balls, then we feel like there are areas that we can definitely exploit.

Pulis believes some players will see new a opportunity while others may be disappointed with the coaching change for Ottawa.

I think turnover like that, it’s not easy to deal with. Having said that, players are paid to play and be professional. It’s such a difficult one to kind of come from under when you just found out. What you imagine is there are gonna be maybe some who have obviously known him for a while and have got that kind of relationship with him that are probably gonna be disappointed. There may be other guys that maybe haven’t been getting a game under him that are probably pleased now because they may get an opportunity. So, it can kind of work both ways. To be honest, I’m just kind of trying to focus on us and what we do.

The Fury are coming off a 3-1 win against the Charlotte Independence, who are sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference table.

We’ve watched them, and we know what they’re gonna be about. It was an interesting game, the Charlotte game [against Ottawa Fury FC], because Charlotte had a lot of possession, and Ottawa scored with the ways that we kind of know they’re trying to do. Long throw-ins, free kicks, direct balls, and Charlotte couldn’t handle that well enough on the day. And, obviously, unfortunately for them, they lost the game. So, we know what we have to do if we’re gonna be successful tomorrow night.

After six straight draws, OCB finally got three points to break their winless streak.

Mood has been great all along. It was ironic because I don’t think we played that well over the weekend. And it’s funny. I said to the players yesterday that I’m a big believer that things even themselves out over the course of the season. And over the course of those six draws, we probably deserved to win at least three or four of those. And then on Saturday, arguably, we weren’t at our best, but we found a way to get three points, which is what we spoke about at halftime was defending resolutely and doing whatever it takes to win three points, and we managed to do that. Now the challenge is can we keep on, and can we get back-to-back wins, which we haven’t had this year.

With 10 games remaining, the approach to each game hasn’t changed for the United Soccer League Lions.

We take one game at a time. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s true. We kind of approach it the same way. We analyze the opposition; we look at what their strengths and weaknesses are, how we can exploit them, what we have to be aware of. What can we do to kind of stamp our authority on the game and allow us to put in a good performance, which will ultimately, hopefully, help us get a good result.

OCB squeaked into the playoffs last year by taking the final spot in the East. They lost in the first round to New York Red Bulls II.

I think we can definitely take confidence from the fact that we did it last year. We do have a different group of players this year, and I think the league is a lot stronger this year than what it was last year. I think you have to look at the table, and it’s really, really tight. Anybody can beat anybody. You put two or three wins together, and you shoot up the table. And on the flip side of that, you lose two or three games, and you drop because there’s not a lot between the teams at all. So, we know that every game from now until the end of the season is gonna be really important.

Pulis sees every game as equally important.

Every game is the most important game of the season.

OCB have recorded four clean sheets in their last six games. For Pulis, defending “starts at the front.”

Not just the back-line, the whole team. I think a lot of people get confused when you see shutouts, and it’s easy for people to then go and give pats on the back to the goalkeeper and the back four. Defending, for me, starts at the front. It starts with the forwards, then it goes to midfielders, and then it comes—then you work your way back through the team. Just the way that when we attack, we attack from the back, first and foremost. So, I think everybody on the team deserves credit for the way they’ve worked off the ball and out of possession. So that’s why we’ve had so many shutouts recently.

Pulis has been pleased with every OCB player who has made an appearance in this undefeated streak going back to June.

I don’t wanna single anyone out. I think they’ve all done well. I’m being serious. I think every single one of them has performed and done the jobs that we’ve asked of them in the last few weeks. And it’s difficult for me as a coach sometimes to have to leave players out because we have rotated the squad ‘cause we’ve had so many games. But everybody that’s come in has done what we’ve asked of them, and long may that continue for the next 10 games.

Right-back Rafael Ramos made his first appearance for OCB since reinjuring his hamstring against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on July 8.

He got the 45 minutes in, which was the plan, at Richmond. He got through the game fine with no problems. I think the plan is for him to obviously train with the [Major League Soccer] group this week and possibly be involved with us on Saturday at Charlotte.

MF Pierre da Silva

da Silva sees Ottawa as a team that uses their height and strength to win long balls

Usually they’re long balls. They score most of their goals off set pieces, and they have two big players up top, so they just play long balls all the time.

da Silva had not heard of the coaching change in Ottawa.

No, I didn’t really hear anything about that.

da Silva thinks the coaching change will have an impact Wednesday night.

I think so, they don’t have a coach now so…

da Silva, with seven assists, is confident when feeding the ball to forward Hadji Barry.

I always look for Hadji. For me, he’s one of the top forwards we have. He’s very quick, and he’s very good at finishing. So, his strength is always finishing, so I always look for him, and he always finishes everything I give him.

Gaining an early lead is the key to holding off the aerial assault that Ottawa is likely to utilize.

I think this game is very important for us. We have to manage the game right and get three points quick. We have to score real quick because they’re just gonna kick the ball up and just scrap the whole game. So, we just have to manage that and hopefully go home with three points.

With 10 games remaining, da Silva is confident in how his team will perform in the final stretch.

Yeah, of course. We’re gonna make the playoffs.

Losing in Ottawa in June doesn’t affect da Silva’s confidence for Wednesday’s game.

I mean, we lost to them this year back when the first time we played them, but I don’t think that’s a problem for us. We manage every style of play with every team. So hopefully we come out with three points.

For da Silva, sometimes the difference between a draw and a win is just luck.

I think it’s just luck.

With the season winding down, da Silva is approaching the rest of the season “game by game.”

You just have to take everything step by step, game by game. And, like I said, we’ll make the playoffs.

A streak of six draws did not discourage OCB.

It’s a tie; it’s not like a loss. So, we want the win, but we’re still in that spot to make the playoffs, so that’s good. It’s the spot where we want.

For more on OCB, as they make the push for the playoffs, follow Tommy Cardinal on Twitter at @NDR_TomCardinal.