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Fury FC Strikes Late, Downs Penn

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 05/07/18, 8:39PM EDT

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Falvey scores only goal as Ottawa earns first win of the season


Photo courtesy Penn FC

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Ottawa Fury FC’s Colin Falvey scored with three minutes to go to lift his side to a 1-0 victory against Penn FC on Monday night at FNB Field as Fury FC took its first win of the 2018 season. Ottawa’s Cristian Portilla flashed a shot just wide of the left post in the 13th minute off a free kick in the first real effort on goal for either side. Six minutes later Penn’s Saalih Muhammad forced a near-post save from Fury FC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, while Fury FC’s Steeven Dos Santos had a chance cleared away by Penn defender Ken Tribbett in the 27th minute as he just missed out on making clean contact on his finish. Ottawa hit the post five minutes into the second half as Carl Haworth beat both his marker and Penn goalkeeper Sean Lewis to a through-ball, but his finish came back off the right post, and then again in the 56th minute when a corner kick by Portilla from the right hit the far post and rebounded out to safety. The visitors again went close with five minutes to go as Jimmy-Shammar Sanon wove into the penalty area but was denied by Lewis, but from the ensuing corner kick the ball fell to Falvey as Penn’s defense failed to clear and sent home a low shot that gave the visitors their first win of the season.

Scoring:
87’ – OTT – Colin Falvey

Three Things That Matter:

  • 1. With the way Fury FC’s luck appeared to be going, it felt like a kind bounce of some kind was going to need to go the way of the visitors if they were to take anything from Monday night’s game. In the nick of time, that slice of good fortune arrived as a corner kick by Cristian Portilla wasn’t dealt with well by the Penn defense allowing Colin Falvey to put home the winner as the hosts protested a foul should have been called for interference with goalkeeper Sean Lewis. After the bad breaks Ottawa had suffered previously this season, Fury FC finally got something to go its way.

  • 2. Ottawa came very close to coming away with nothing to show from a good road performance, but the chances the side just missed out on prior to its late winner gave some optimism that things are turning in the right direction for the club. The first came in the 27th minute as a good through-ball put in Steevan Dos Santos for a chance that the striker mishit past Penn goalkeeper Sean Lewis, allowing Ken Tribbett to clear. Carl Haworth had the second five minutes into the second half as he looked set to give the visitors the lead after a fine through-ball by Adonijah Reid, only for his finish from the right side of the penalty area to come back off the near post on another incisive move that could have opened the scoring earlier. But Falvey’s late winner meant both of those chances became footnotes for the visitors, who’ll return home to face ATL UTD 2 on Saturday with a big lift in confidence.

  • 3. Penn entered aiming to build on a big victory on Friday night, but slightly cramped by a congested schedule this week the lineup changes the side underwent didn’t produce as positive a display as against Tampa Bay three days ago. The hosts finished the game without a shot on goal in its seven shots overall in the contest, and just didn’t do quite enough to threated despite some bright play on the flanks by Saalih Muhammad and Fredrick Opoku.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match

Jamar Dixon, Ottawa Fury FC – Dixon was consistently effective in midfield for the visitors, winning six tackles and winning 17 of 22 duels to keep Fury FC on the front foot for much of the game. 

Upcoming Games:

Penn FC at Toronto FC II – May 9, 11 a.m. ET, Monarch Park Stadium

Ottawa Fury FC vs. ATL UTD 2 – May 12, 2 p.m. ET, TD Place

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