First Thoughts
It is completely natural for expansion clubs, in any sport, to experience various high and low points in their inaugural season. For Ottawa Fury FC, this has been highly apparent only five games into their first year. Having seen steady improvements in their form culminate in an impressive 4-0 victory over the Carolina RailHawks in their most recent NASL fixture, the Fury were brought back to reality with a 3-1 loss to fellow Canadian club FC Edmonton in the Amway Canadian Championship. There is not much time to regroup, as they face an away match in Atlanta only three days after the defeat in Edmonton.

Atlanta Silverbacks, meanwhile, are looking to use home-field advantage to build upon a solid 3-1 away victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. They have a few recent roster changes, with the additions of two new goalkeepers, as well as the end to the loan spell of forward David Estrada.

Keep Thinking
Both clubs will be looking to continue their recent impressive NASL results following poor starts in the league. Ottawa began the year with a lackluster 2-0 away defeat to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, followed by a frustrating 2-1 home loss, featuring a late stoppage-time winning goal, to Minnesota United. Atlanta, meanwhile, suffered defeats to the New York Cosmos and San Antonio Scorpions before winning their first match in Tampa Bay.

For Fury FC, this match will be a significant indicator of the team’s ability to perform in challenging situations. Manager Marc Dos Santos has been dealing with an influx of injuries since the beginning of the season. He will need to contend with two of his top players, Tom Heinneman and Nicki Paterson, continuing to deal with injuries which have forced each to miss several games. In addition, dynamic left back Maykon will be dealing with the effects of a hamstring injury sustained in the club’s match against Carolina. The good news for Dos Santos has been the return of both Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Omar Jarun from recent injuries. Ubiparipovic is relied upon to create scoring opportunities in the team’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, while Jarun provides a large, domineering presence at centre-back.

An errant injury-bug won’t be the Fury’s only drain, as the club will likely be dealing with fatigue stemming from both heavy congestion in their schedule and prolonged travel. Saturday’s match will mark Ottawa’s fifth game in fifteen days and is the culmination of a travel log which featured flights from their home base to the NASL’s furthest north-west locale for the Canadian Championship, followed by a transcontinental trip to Atlanta, all in one week. The team’s fitness will be tested as they look to return to the solid form displayed against Carolina.

Atlanta Silverbacks, who will only be playing their fourth match in four weeks following their relatively short trip to Tampa Bay, will be without the services of David Estrada, who was abruptly recalled from his parent club, Seattle Sounders, following a loan spell in Atlanta which saw him feature in three matches. As a result, they will need to find a new creative spark for their offense. Additionally, an injury to goalkeeper Derby Carrillo forced the Silverbacks to sign two ‘keepers in the last week. While the squad will now have increased depth at this position, it may take time for its defenders to gain chemistry with their back-stoppers.

Both clubs have reasons to be confident, as the most recent NASL team of the week featured two players from each side. Fury forwards Oliver, who scored a brace in the team’s 4-0 victory over Carolina, and Phillipe Davies were joined by Atlanta’s Junior Sandoval and Blair Gavin on the team of the week.

Final Thoughts
This match will be a test of the Fury’s toughness, both mental and physical. The return of Omar Jarun will likely result in his pairing with Mason Trafford at the centre-back positions. Barring injuries or fatigue, Dos Santos seems to favour former Fury PDL player Drew Beckie at right-back and Maykon at left-back. Expect to see the Fury’s depth tested at the midfield and forward positions, with Richie Ryan, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, and Carl Haworth all having played the full 90 minutes against both Edmonton and Carolina in the past week. Look for Vini Dantas Pierre-Rudolphe Mayard, and Hamza Elias to play more significant roles on Saturday, as they were lightly utilized in Fury’s last two matches. Dantas, who was a fifty-third minute substitute against the Eddies, will be looking to continue his good form after scoring his second goal of the season.

Prediction
Atlanta Silverbacks 2 – 1 Ottawa Fury FC