The Ontario Fury opened their 2021 campaign with a final minute hat-trick by Frank Tayou to help the Inland Empire team beat the Ambush 5-4, taking 3pts for today’s 2nd match against the Ambush. Here is how the teams came in before the game and how the match went down in The Family Arena.
Pre-game: STL Ambush
The Show-Me State team was rolling into this home game after taking down the hot-undefeated Florida Tropics last month. They were second place in the league with a 4-3 record, scoring 35 goals and allowing 37, and their 3 game streak record was W-L-W. They were short on reinforcements due to some players listed ineligible to play due to COVID.
Pre-game: ONT Fury
Meanwhile, this is their first official game of the year for the boys in red and black. As mentioned by Stryking Fury podcast, the Ontario team has been itching to play and has looked great following an exhibition match in Upland. The team’s attitude is winning nothing less than the Ron Newmen Trophy this year.
Post-game report
Since the start of the match, the Fury jumped into action, having the best shots that could have easily resulted in goals. The team had a good mix of being physical with the Tayou brothers and having a good pass and move plays by their midfielders and pressed very high for the majority of the game. Along with this strategy, the Ontario team was not afraid to take risky shots and passes. On the flip side, the Ambush takes advantage of the Fury’s pass and move style to capitalize on them not trying to clear shots and their failure to pace back to defend as well as make their first goal come off of a bad pass in a dangerous position to take the lead. The St. Louis team would make others goals in a similar fashion and maintain the lead for most of the match.
Throughout the game, the Fury have made many opportunities to get in key positions to make goals compared to the Ambush but end up kicking too hard or soft to not have the ball in the back of the net. Still, the Ambush played it safe and conservative by bunkering down, not pressing, and get them on the counter. Mistakes played a part in both teams getting easy points, but the match was mostly the Fury having the ball most of the time, the Ambush getting the goals when the red and black were vulnerable.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, with 1 minute remaining in the match and the game tied at 4-4, the match seemed to be going to extra time after the final whistle, but, coming off an intercepted pass in the midfield of an Ambush pass, the Fury was on a counter in a 3v3 situation. Frank Tayou would receive a pass outside the box, sends it to Juan Carlos Gonzalez, which he sends it right back to Frank, and he takes a left-footed shot on the ground past the keeper to complete the comeback and help the Ontario team get their first win in 2021.
Today, the two will face off again, hoping to learn and take note of Friday’s match. The Fury will have a 1-0 record, and the Ambush has a 4-4 record, still in second place in the MASL.