It was, at times, beautiful.
Marc Dos Santos’s Ottawa Fury FC, in only its second year of existence, dominated the midfield and possession against the moneyed New York Cosmos, on New York’s home turf no less.
A Paulo Junior brace paved the yellow brick road for the Fury, who picked up insurance markers late via a Carlos Mendes own goal and a Tom Heinemann finish to defeat the Cosmos by a score of 4-1.
It pulled at the heartstrings, seeing Dos Santos’s vision – started on the pelleted turf of a rented university stadium some 18 months ago – come to life against the NASL’s marquee club in New York. Richie Ryan distributed beautifully, Ottawa’s 4-3-3 wreaked havoc all over the offensive half, and Romuald Peiser made a plethora of spectacular stops to preserve the victory. All of the frustrations of the first season-plus of the club’s existence, the late-game heartbreak,
Ottawa exposed the Cosmos’ defensive vulnerabilities in spectacular fashion on Tuesday night, moving to within one point of the outright NASL lead. With six matches to play, Fury FC might do the unthinkable and finish first in the NASL in the club’s second season. On a budget ranking somewhere between 7th and 9th in the 11-team circuit.
Call it the Dos Santos effect.
Whatever lies ahead for the club – postseason pressure, a potential championship, and an uncertain 2016 with its ringmaster gone – it can be proud of the inspiring run it’s gone on in year two. The kind of professional over-achievement that Fury FC has perfected under Dos Santos is one that its city can be proud of, featuring a respectable passing game, defensive integrity, and week-in week-out the best tactical gameplans in the North American second division.
This is going to be a fun ride Ottawa, buckle up and hang on.
Ottawa will now have three days to recuperate and jet down to Carolina, where Colin Clarke’s RailHawks – all but eliminated from post-season contention – will host them on Saturday night (kickoff – 7:30 p.m.).
