OTTAWA – Ottawa Fury FC struck early and often on its way to a 4-0 victory against FC Cincinnati in front of 5,445 at TD Place on Sunday afternoon as FCC missed out on the chance to clinch a place in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs. Fury FC struck first in the fourth minute as a long throw-in from the right by Carl Haworth deflected to Onua Obasi, who fired home on the half-volley from the top of the penalty area into the right corner. Steevan Dos Santos almost added a second three minutes later as his curling shot from the top-left corner of the penalty area, only to come off the right post. Haworth added Fury FC’s second in the 13th minute as Carl Haworth found space in the penalty area to hit a turning shot into the net. Haworth’s second came in the 20th minute from a tight angle on the right side of the penalty area, and Ottawa carried its lead to halftime as Cincinnati produced only one long-range effort from Djiby Fall that tested Fury FC goalkeeper Callum Irving in the first half. Ottawa added to its lead only two minutes into the second half when a surging run down the right by Eddie Edward saw the full back produce a perfect back-post cross for Steevan Dos Santos to head home. Adonijah Reid also went close for Fury FC in the 57th minute with a curling effort that went just wide of the right post. FCC’s Jimmy McLaughlin forced a sharp save from Irving on the hour-mark from the left side of the penalty area, and Austin Berry had a header saved from the ensuing corner. But despite gaining a man-advantage when Ottawa’s Kyle Venter was sent off in the 69th minute, Cincinnati was unable to find a way to break through and get back into the game as Ottawa closed out its home slate with its biggest win of the season.

Scoring:
4’ – OTT – Onua Obasi
13’ – OTT – Carl Haworth
20’ – OTT – Carl Haworth (Jamar Dixon)
47’ – OTT – Steevan Dos Santos (Eddie Edward)

• #OTTvCIN: Full Match and Opta Box Score

Three Things That Matter:

• 1. The high moments for Fury FC have been somewhat limited this year – the club’s Canadian Championship victory against Toronto FC in May the biggest of the season – but on Sunday the side showed what it could be capable of next season with a tremendous display in its home finale at TD Place to earn its biggest victory of the season. Setting a single-season club record as the club passed the 100,000-total attendance mark for the season, the club sent its fans home with strong hopes for the future.

• 2. Since his return from injury in midseason, Fury FC captain Carl Haworth had a frustrating go of it in front of goal with no tallies in his 19 appearances in the USL regular season. In the final game of the season, Haworth finally broke his duck with a pair of goals in the opening 20 minutes that paved the way to victory for the hosts and provided a massive mental boost to go into the offseason with. The Canadian international is going to be a key player for Ottawa moving forward into 2018, and will have the chance to build on his final competitive outing for the side as Fury FC aims for a postseason berth next year.

• 3. Cincinnati was made to pay for another slow start as the side dropped into a three-goal deficit inside the opening 20 minutes, leaving the side in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with one game to go in the regular season. FCC still holds its fate in its hands as it visits Toronto FC II next Saturday night, and would claim a playoff place if Orlando City B is unable to defeat the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Thursday night, but alarm bells will still be ringing around the locker room after another massively disappointing outing.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Carl Haworth, Ottawa Fury FC – Haworth’s brace highlighted a performance that also saw the Fury FC captain create five scoring chances in a game that could have seen Ottawa win by a wider margin.

Upcoming Games:
Ottawa Fury FC at Pittsburgh Riverhounds – October 14, 7 p.m. ET, Highmark Stadium
FC Cincinnati at Toronto FC II – October 14, 7:30 p.m. ET, Ontario Soccer Centre