First thoughts

Ottawa Fury FC welcomes the Fall Season’s table-topping San Antonio Scorpions FC on Sunday afternoon. This will conclude a week in which the Fury FC fans have been able to get an inside glimpse of the Fury FC’s front office and training headquarters, in the league’s social media initiative, called NASL Access.



Ottawa had a tough loss at home last week to Fort Lauderdale by a score of 1-2, and they do not expect any easier of a match against San Antonio, who has started off the Fall Season with a flourish.



Ottawa sits at the bottom of the Fall Season table, in 10th place with 1 point from 5 matches. San Antonio lies on the opposite end of the spectrum, in 1st place with 15 points from 6 matches, with their only blemish a recent 3-1 road loss at FC Edmonton. However, San Antonio bounced right back from losing their modern NASL-record road winning streak of 6 games with a professional 2-0 home win over Indy Eleven last week. LB Stephen DeRoux and RM Walter Restrepo were named to the most recent NASL team of the week for their efforts.



Ottawa has a record of 2-1-4 at home in all league play this season, while San Antonio is an astounding 6-0-1 away in NASL action, having won their first 6 road games in the season before their loss at Edmonton.



San Antonio visited Ottawa in the Spring Season, with the Scorpions snatching a 2-3 away victory at the death, with ST Tomasz Zahorski getting his head to a play from a corner kick to score in injury time, after the teams had exchanged leads throughout the game. While San Antonio came out with a 4-3-1-2 formation for that match, they have now shifted predominantly to a 4-2-3-1 formation.



Keep Thinking

For Ottawa, CB Omar Jarun is expected to sit out the next few matches, due to a calf injury. He is expected to be sidelined for another 2-3- weeks, as the Fury FC has undergone something of a defensive injury crisis this week. Another defender who has been sidelined is RB Andres Fresenga, who has been injured for about two weeks and remains out of contention. LB Maykon, who did start the Fort Lauderdale match, has also been unable to practice fully and is day-to-day, leaving 3 Fury FC defenders potentially out of contention. LB Ramon Soria, who picked up an injury in training last week and missed the club’s previous match, was not able to participate in full practice on Thursday, but was announced to be fit to start as of Friday, leaving a potential starting back 4 of Soria, Mason Trafford, Drew Beckie and Ryan Richter.



In the last match against Fort Lauderdale, the offense looked lively at times, and the team created more chances than in other games in the past few weeks, particularly down the left flank. However, there were too many shots fired wide of the posts, and the finishing will have to be more clinical and efficient, particularly against such a dangerous opponent. Winger Oliver picked up a knock in training this week, and his status is questionable, as of Friday, with Philippe Davies potentially returning to the starting lineup at RW.



The midfield, which carried the team to its outstanding victories in the Spring Season, has not played to its high standards in the Fall Season. It will be important for the two central midfielders, which are likely to be two of Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Tony Donatelli and Nicki Paterson, to dictate the play in the heart of the field, but also for one of them to push up and to create chances around the edge of the penalty area and to connect with the lone striker. The two goals that Fury FC scored against San Antonio in their previous encounter were the work of Ubiparipovic, particularly, hovering around the edge of the penalty area. However, the central midfielders will also have to be aware of their defensive responsibilities, as DM Richie Ryan is often left isolated in his coverage of the dangerous area in front of the back four.



San Antonio has had a fantastic start to the Fall Season, after coming in 3rd place in the Spring Season with 17 points, 3 places above Ottawa. They have had all the momentum in the Fall Season, impressing NASL observers with their professional play which is reflected in their record of 5 wins in 6 matches. San Antonio typically lines up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and has a number of dangerous wingers and attackers.



LM Billy Forbes, a Turks and Caicos international, has been a revelation in his first season in the NASL, leading the league with 6 assists to his name, while RM Walter Restrepo, who’s notable for the unique arrangement in his trade from Fort Lauderdale, was named to last week’s NASL team of the week. STs Tomasz Zahorski and Eric Hassli, formerly of TFC and Vancouver, battle it out for the lone striker position, with each contributing 4 goals or more.



CAM Cesar Elizondo, who came over recently in a trade with Carolina for CAM Danny Barrera, has fit right into the squad, while veteran CM Rafael Castillo, another recent pickup during the mid-season, has been a revelation for the Scorpions, leading the team’s surge during the Fall Season, and being named the NASL player of the month for July.



The team’s defense and coaching staff has numerous connections to Canadian clubs, including CBs Julius James, Greg Janicki and Adrian Cann, and impressive LB Stephen DeRoux. The club is managed by 35 year-old Alen Marcina, a former Canadian international striker who had a lengthy career in the USL First Division.



Final Thoughts

Ottawa will be desperate to get a positive result in this match, as it would be hugely morale-boosting for the players and the coaching staff. A win here could launch a turnaround for the team’s Fall Season fortunes, and possibly even make a surge for the playoff spots late-season, with the team only halfway through the season so far. Yet, while, as supporters, we will be supporting the Fury FC throughout the full 90 minutes, as a neutral observer, it is difficult to see Ottawa obtain a result against what is a formidable side on the road, with the dynamic wingers and fullbacks that San Antonio possesses.



Injuries and Suspensions

CB Omar Jarun (out), RB Andres Fresenga (doubtful), LB Maykon (day-to-day), winger Oliver (day-to-day)



TV (Ottawa)

Rogers TV Ottawa 22 and 369, NASLLive.com, Sunday 3:00pm EDT



Prediction

Ottawa Fury FC 1-2 San Antonio Scorpions FC