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In a pivotal first place match-up against the New York Cosmos at TD Place Wednesday, the Ottawa Fury will face the Raul thing.

The Cosmos feature forward Raul Gonzalez Blanco – generally known simply as Raul or the Madrid Magician in the soccer world – the third highest scorer in Champions League history and one of the greatest players in Spanish history.

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Raul, 38, was named best striker in the world in 1999 and UEFA’s forward of the year in 2000, 2001 and 2002. He also represented Spain in three FIFA tournaments, serving as captain of the national team from 2002-06.

As impressive as Raul’s history is, however, the Fury players want to take another step toward making history of their own – a berth in the NASL playoffs.

The Fury leads the league’s fall standings with six wins, one draw and one loss – a 2-1 defeat to Minnesota which ended a 12-game undefeated streak, dating back to the spring season.

The Cosmos aren’t pushovers. They’re tied for second in the fall standings with four wins, three draws and a defeat. They also went undefeated in capturing the spring season title with five wins and five draws, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs.