Fury 1, Cosmos 1

It’s going to be over soon for Ottawa Fury FC. Today, tomorrow, this week, next week, soon.

And we’re not even talking about the North American Soccer League playoffs, which Fury FC will be absent from this season.

Odds are pretty good Fury FC won’t wait until its offseason to pull the plug on its NASL membership. Look for that to possibly happen before the team’s regular-season finale, Oct. 29 at TD Place versus Fort Lauderdale. The Ottawa team will announce it’s joining the United Soccer League.

First things first, though. The Fury FC gave it a great effort, maybe taking the foot off the gas pedal in the latter stages and allowing the New York Cosmos to salvage a 1-1 tie Sunday afternoon at TD Place.





Share Tumblr Pinterest Google Plus Reddit LinkedIn Email

GALLERY: Ottawa Fury FC player Kyle Porter (19) falls in front of New York Cosmos player David Diosa (21) as he tries to gain possession of the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Fernando Timbo (77) and New York Cosmos player Juan Arango (18) fights for the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Carl Haworth (17) and New York Cosmos player Adam Moffat (16) fights for the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Kyle Porter (19) takes a shot as New York Cosmos player David Diosa (21) tries to block the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

New York Cosmos player Carlos Mendes (4) kicks the ball as Ottawa Fury FC player Thomas Stewart (16) tries to block him during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Ryan Williams (7) dribbles past New York Cosmos player Ryan Richter (2) during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Onua Thomas Obasi (14) dribbles the ball as New York Cosmos player Ruben Bover (15) chases the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Kyle Porter (19) gains the possession of the ball as New York Cosmos player Yohandry Orozco (19) chases him during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Kyle Porter (19) gains the possession of the ball as New York Cosmos player Yohandry Orozco (19) chases him during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Carl Haworth (17) during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

New York Cosmos player Sebastian Guenzatti lays on the ground after crashing with Ottawa Fury FC player during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Thomas Stewart (16) and New York Cosmos player Ryan Richter (2) fight for possession during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Carl Haworth (17) takes a shot as New York Cosmos goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer (1) tries to stop the ball during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Onua Thomas Obasi (14) fights for possession as two New York Cosmos players Ryan Richter (2) and Andres Flores (11) tries to stop him during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Ryan Williams (7) takes a shot against New York Cosmos player Ryan Richter (2) during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Ottawa Fury FC player Thomas Stewart (16) and New York Cosmos player Ryan Richter (2) fight for possession during the NASL match between Fury FC and Cosmos held at TD Place on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016. (James Park) James Park /Postmedia

Off a steal deep in the New York end, Ryan Williams sped in and slid the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer in the 54th minute. The Cosmos tied the game in the 79th minute when a Juan Arango header beat Romuald Peiser. Less than three minutes later, Williams just missed the far post.

It was a game Fury FC should have won, even against the Cosmos, the class of the NASL – holding down first place in both the Fall and Combined standings.

“We’re in a really good place at this moment in time with our level of performance,” said Fury FC coach Paul Dalglish. “Even the last two games, when the result didn’t go our way, the level of performance has been excellent. (This is) disappointing because I almost think once we scored, we kind of protected the lead and thought the best way to win the game was to not concede. I don’t want that mentality on this team. I want the mentality to be, we need to get another one, put more daylight between us. Go for the jugular when we’re 1-nil up against a team at home, it doesn’t matter who it is.”

The coach is happy with how far his team, which was decimated by injuries, has handled itself in recent weeks.

“If the season was starting now, we’d have a really, really good chance of making the playoffs,” he said. “All the powerhouses – Minnesota, New York, Miami – we’ve played in recent weeks and I feel we’ve been equal if not better than all of them. With the cards we were dealt, it’s about finishing the season with as much momentum as possible to get people excited for next year.”

Williams’ goal was his fourth in the past five games.

“After the goal, it got a bit sloppy,” he said. “Maybe we didn’t adhere to our principles as much as we should have. That’s something we need to improve.”

The Cosmos lost Sebastian Guenzatti, who was taken off on a stretcher with a leg injury late in the first half. He was replaced by Andres Flores.