Brazilian forward Oliver Minatel led the Ottawa Fury FC to its first win at TD Place on Wednesday in a 2-0 shutout of the Atlanta Silverbacks, a crucial result in what could be a season-defining game.
Oliver, known by his first name and for his goal-scoring prowess, played the role of set-up man in Wednesday match, sending a key pass to Vini Dantas for his 21st-minute opening goal and then recording an assist for Nicki Paterson’s insurance marker just 13 minutes later.
The victory brings the eighth-place Fury within eight points of the Carolina RailHawks and the coveted fourth and final NASL playoff spot.
With only five games remaining in the club’s inaugural season, the Fury’s threadbare playoff hopes hinge on the RailHawks drawing one, and losing at least two of their final five games. The Fury’s implausible dream would also require Fort Lauderdale, Edmonton and Tampa Bay to drop points in the final weeks.
To make that playoff-qualifying scenario even more unlikely, the Fury would have to garner the maximum three points from each of the team’s upcoming games against the second-place San Antonio Scorpions and third-place New York Cosmos.
But in the face of that daunting task, Wednesday’s landmark victory in front of more than 3,000 home-field fans should spur the Fury in its drive for post-season action. But the win over Atlanta should at least serve as a solid foundation for launching the team into its second season in the North American Soccer League.