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Fury FC Takes First-Leg Advantage in Canadian Championship

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 06/20/18, 11:38PM EDT

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Taylor’s first-minute goal the difference in victory against AS Blainville


File photo courtesy Steve Kingsman / Freestyle Photography / Ottawa Fury FC

LAVAL, Quebec – Ottawa Fury FC scored in the opening minute to take a 1-0 victory against AS Blainville in the first leg of the Second Qualifying Round of the 2018 Canadian Championship on Wednesday night, putting the USL club 90 minutes away from a return trip to the semifinals next month against Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC.

Fury FC Head Coach Nikola Popovic introduced Tony Taylor to the attacking line for Steevan Dos Santos for the contest, and Taylor did not waste his chance to make an impression, finding the back of the net in the opening minute after speeding past Blainville’s defenders. The visitors then pressed for a second as Taylor and Adonjah Reid regularly made it past the Blainville last four only to miss out adding to their lead.

Not surprisingly, Ottawa’s pressure gave Blainville some headaches, despite their physical demeanor. In the first half-hour, the Premiere Ligue de Soccer du Quebec champions conceded four free kicks just outside their penalty area, but withstood Fury FC’s attempts to add to their advantage.

Blainville’s physicality caused some trouble for Fury FC late in the first half, and Ottawa goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau was forced into action to keep the visitors ahead at the halftime break. The second half then opened more quietly in terms of attacking action, but the hosts went close to finding an equalizer in the 57th minute when a low cross just eluded Pierre-Rudolph Mayard by inches, with the corner kick that followed punched out by Crépeau.

That would be as close as the hosts came to finding an equalizer, however, as Ottawa took a valuable away goal back with it for the second leg at TD Place next Wednesday night.

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