Fury FC Aim To Reverse Fortunes Against Minnesota United In 2015
Three times Ottawa Fury FC played Minnesota United last season. Three times the matches were hard-fought, with plenty of goals. Three times Ottawa lost by a single goal, often in heart-breaking, late-game fashion.
Fury FC will now play their home opener in 2015 against the Loons, this Saturday, April 18, at 3:00 p.m. ET. And Ottawa will try to return the favor by finally getting the win they were so close to in 2014.
“I think we proved to a lot of people that we were capable of playing with the best teams last year,” Fury FC midfielder Richie Ryan told NASL.com. “That’s what we’re hoping for again, on Saturday, with the result being in the reverse.”
In the three previous meetings, Christian Ramirez and Miguel Ibarra have combined for six goals (Ramirez four, Ibarra two). Ramirez has three game-winners, two of which came in the 88th minute or later.
While the Loons have bolstered their attack around Ramirez and Ibarra, defender Drew Beckie believed there was another player that Fury FC will have to stop to have success.
“I think Aaron Pitchkolan is a big player for them,” he said. “Sitting right in front of their defense, he’s a great distributor of the ball. If we can limit him and his distribution to Ibarra, Ramirez, and Ibson – he’s a great player they’ve added too – I think we’ll do a good a job.”
Ottawa has more experience this season and should limit some of the mistakes that hampered them against Minnesota as well as throughout their first North American Soccer League (NASL) season.
“We need to get rid of the little mistakes that we had last year,” Ryan said. “We brought in a lot of experience all over the pitch. With all the new boys we’ve brought in and their experience, we can strengthen and cut out the errors that hurt us last season and get a home winning streak as soon as possible.”
Fury FC can start that streak at home if they can get their first-ever win against Minnesota United. And after a loss and a draw in two matches thus far, with a 10-game Spring Season, getting the first win in 2015 is crucial. Beckie, however, wasn’t ready to call it a must-win situation just yet.
“We want to win each and every one and points are vital, but right now, you look at the first-place team, and they have four points,” Beckie said. “We’re three points behind the first-place team.
“There hasn’t been anyone who has won two games straight. The league is very even this year, and we want to win, but we don’t look at it as a do-or-die game.”
But playing in front of the home crowd, the match against Minnesota, as well as all the matches at TD Place, should be even more important.
“For us this season, every game at home we need to win,” Ryan said.
