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Camaraderie, Surging Attack Lands Ottawa Atop NASL Standings

A tight-knit group and a flurry of goals has Ottawa on a 10-game unbeaten run and on top of the Fall and Combined Standings
Matthew Levine (@NASLInsider} | Jul 31, 2015

Carl Haworth found the back of the net late in a victory against the Carolina RailHawks. The goal came in the 96th minute, to be exact, and not a moment too soon.

The result – a 2-1 win – meant more than just three points in the Fall Season Standings as it sent Ottawa Fury FC to the top of the Combined Standings as well.

“It was something special hearing the crowd erupt – it being the last second of the game and sending us to the top of the league,” Haworth said.

After a ninth-place finish in the Spring Season, Fury FC has shot right to the top of the standings, and also are currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak

Fury FC’s strong defense – which kept an NASL record 648-minute shutout streak earlier in the unbeaten run – has been boosted in the second half by a surging attack. After just five goals in its first 10 league games, Ottawa has found the back of the net 11 times in five Fall Season matches.

While creating plenty of chances, the club was unable to find the goals needed to accrue more points in the standings. But a bit more luck and growing confidence in front of goal has seen an uptick in the side finding the back of the net, and it has the club turning what would have been draws in the Spring Season into wins now.

“When we had so many minutes without scoring, we realized we were one of the top three teams in the NASL shooting at goal,” head coach Marc Dos Santos said. “It wasn’t that we weren’t in the opponent’s last third or we weren’t creating. Sometimes it’s a question of luck or confidence.

“When you have all your best pieces together, the service is better, the possession is better, the amount of opportunities is better, the quality of the last pass is better, and all of that put together gives you better opportunities at scoring goals.”

Haworth, who scored two goals in two Ottawa victories last week, isn’t the only one scoring regularly. Since his return from injury, Richie Ryan has scored three times – twice with fantastic free-kick efforts in a 4-0 win against Indy and a game-winning penalty kick against the Atlanta Silverbacks. Also, mid-season signing Aly Hassan also added his first goal of the year in the win over the RailHawks.

“Goals aren’t really a big a part of my game, but to get three in two games was a bonus more than anything else,” Ryan said. “I’m just happy to be back playing.”

Within the locker room for Fury FC, the camaraderie of the group is extremely high, and it’s showing on the pitch. It’s easy to see in the enthusiasm every time Ottawa scores or in the way the team is working for each other.

Dos Santos said: “The personality, the character, the attitude these guys have every game they seem to get energy when there shouldn’t be any energy at all. There is a warrior mentality in the locker room - a bunch of guys that fight for and work for each other - and that’s very important.”

After a recent run of three home games, Ottawa will head on the road to face its Canadian rival, FC Edmonton, in a battle of the top two sides in the Fall Season Standings. In picking up victories at home – four of the last five at TD Place have been wins, the other a draw – the home support has been a major reason.

“The supporters’ section has been fantastic,” Haworth said. “Anyone who shows up to the games is always fully involved, fully engaged, and we can hear them the whole game so it’s been huge.”

Ryan added: “It’s been great for us as players. I think the fan base has grown every week for us, and hopefully if we keep on a good run of form it’ll continue to grow week-to-week. The fans generate a good atmosphere.”

And speaking of Ottawa’s next opponent, could the budding rivalry between the pair of Canadian sides be the best in the league? Dos Santos believes it is.

“When you look at Ottawa against Edmonton - and this is my opinion and I don’t want to be disrespectful - it’s the best rivalry in the NASL,” he said. “There’s something special with the only two Canadian teams in the NASL and both want to be the best in the NASL. They are always intense games.”

While a win or draw would continue Ottawa’s unbeaten run, it’s less about the streak and more about being in a position to reach The Championship, the NASL’s four-team postseason tournament.

“We have to keep our feet firmly on the ground,” Ryan said. “We haven’t achieved anything, yet. There’s 16 games left this season, and we just need to chalk off one game at a time.

“With the players we have and the staff we have, we want to win every game. As soon as we can get enough points on the board, the sooner we’ll know if we made the playoffs or not.”

He added, “We just need to take one game at a time, hopefully stay on the streak and end up where we want to be at the end of the season.”

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