A slow start was costly for Ottawa Fury FC in its United Soccer League season opener Saturday.

On the road to play Saint Louis FC, Fury FC fell behind 2-0, battled back to tie the game, but fell 3-2 on a goal by the home side in the 88th minute.



Eddie Edward and Onua Obasi scored for Ottawa.



“We didn’t start well enough,” said Fury FC coach Paul Dalglish. “We got caught a bit cold with their intensity at the start of the game, but full credit to our guys for finding a way get back in the game. We had a great performance in the second half, we were the dominant team and we had several good chances.



“It’s a long season and we have to learn from (Saturday’s) game. If we play for 90 minutes like we did in the second half, we will win many games this season.”



It was a wild start as the teams exchanged three goals inside the opening 11 minutes. Christian Volesky and Mats Bjurman gave Saint Louis the early lead in front of a sellout crowd at Toyota Stadium.



In the dying moments of the game, it looked like Fury FC could have had a penalty kick awarded to them when Steevan Dos Santos was brought down in the box, but instead the play went down the other end of the pitch and Saint Louis FC scored.



Fury FC will be back in Ottawa for a week of training before flying to Tampa Bay for their second game of the season against the Rowdies Saturday.



Ottawa’s home opener is scheduled for April 22 against Toronto FC II.