Ottawa went through its worst loss in its short competitive history on Saturday, losing 3-0 away at Carolina. The score-line reflected Carolina’s domination, particularly in the 1st half, and Ottawa could have no complaints about the margin of the loss.



Ottawa had been looking to bounce back from their 0-1 home loss to New York last weekend, while Carolina came in on a 4-game losing streak, dating back to before the mid-season break. While Carolina’s home ground has been a fortress for them for the past two years, the surprising loss to Indy at home last weekend, as well as Carolina’s recent form, gave hope to the Ottawa faithful. In the end, Carolina ensured revenge for the 4-0 spring season rout they suffered from Ottawa, with a dictating performance of their own. There were some bright spots to take from the individual performances of players such as Carl Haworth and Maykon, but the defensive fragilities of the Fury FC were exposed in their experimental diamond midfield formation, while the offensive drought continued in Carolina.



The Opening 45



Ottawa lined up with a 4-1-2-1-2, or the diamond midfield formation, while Carolina came out in their standard 4-2-3-1 formation. Ottawa looked to compensate for the loss of LW Oliver to injury by starting both of their two strikers, Tom Heinemann and Vini Dantas, and removing both of the winger positions in their usual 4-3-3 by asking Maykon to play at LCM and Sinisa Ubiparipovic to play in the number 10 role at CAM. Carolina started all 4 of their established attackers, with Zach Shilawski leading the line, supported by Cesar Elizondo, Enzo Martinez, and Ty Shipalane attacking from midfield.



Carolina quickly asserted its dominance over the Fury for long periods, while giving away very few chances. Maykon played some great long balls and showed great attacking initiative from his LCM position, but his defensive positioning was often found wanting, with a lack of support for either DM Richie Ryan or LB Ramon Soria. The essential midfield creativity from the duo of Ubiparipovic and Tony Donatelli was also absent, with Ubiparipovic crowded out often in his advanced position. Carolina opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a goal by Schilawski after a Fury turnover in midfield exposed too many defenders up the field, allowing a cross from Carolina’s right flank to be converted with little pressure from the Fury defenders.



The RailHawks continued to threaten throughout the 1st half, and a significant number of through balls found its way through the back four, with CB Mason Trafford the only player consistently making his interceptions and tackles, while keeper Devala Gorrick made some crucial brave stops, rushing off his line when needed. Carolina nearly doubled its lead in the 36th minute as Elizondo stayed on his feet while being pulled at in the box, only put it off the post on an empty net. The play continued, and Schilawski added a second just a minute later, with a gorgeous lob off of a sublime through ball over Gorrick, who was this time caught well off his line. While Dantas had a fierce long-range shot destined for the corner parried away by the Carolina keeper, this was the poorest 45 minutes from the Fury so far this season, as they generated little chances and were lucky to go into halftime down by only two goals.



The Second Half



Carolina killed off the game as soon as the 2nd half started, with the goal coming off a cross from Carolina’s right flank, which had been sublime all game with the combination play of Shipalane and RB Jordan Graye, with Fury keeper Gorrick unable to hold on to the cross, and the spill being tapped in. Fury made changes throughout the second half, with Haworth taking Maykon’s LCM/LM spot, and Nicki Paterson coming in to take Ubiparipovic’s CAM position, and making his competitive return from injury. Winger P.R. Mayard came in for Donatelli, and switched flanks with Haworth.



Haworth and Paterson both injected some energy into Ottawa’s play, with Haworth in particular buzzing at every opportunity he could get, and making some very intelligent through balls. However, the front two of Heinemann and Dantas, while creating opportunities, did not always look to be on the same page, and squandered a few good opportunities to get on the scoresheet. In the end, the Fury were lucky to not concede a fourth goal, with Gorrick rushing off his line to clear another opportunity conceded from a defense which had lost its confidence by then. Ottawa will have much to think about during training this week in preparation for its next match away at Minnesota, the NASL Spring Season champions.



Starting XI’s



Carolina RailHawks (4-2-3-1): Goodwin; Low, Tobin, Scott, Graye; Davidson, Albadawi; Elizondo, Enzo, Shipalane; Schilawski



Ottawa Fury FC (4-1-2-1-2): Gorrick; Soria, Trafford, Richter, Davies; Ryan (C); Maykon (Haworth 57’), Donatelli (Mayard 67’); Ubiparipovic (Paterson 57’); Dantas, Heinemann