NEW YORK - Ottawa Fury FC traveled south to Florida on Wednesday night and captured its first silverware when the club defeated Jacksonville Armada FC, 3-1, to clinch the Fall Season Championship with a game to spare in the regular season. Ottawa has lost only once in its last 24 matches dating to May; the loss at home was Jacksonville's first of the Fall Season.
In South Florida, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers picked up a precious point in their pursuit of the fourth and final spot in The Championship after a 0-0 draw against the San Antonio Scorpions.
The draw, coupled with Ottawa's victory eliminates FC Edmonton, San Antonio, and Jacksonville from postseason contention. Indy Eleven was eliminated after last weekend's action. Now Carolina, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay are still in the fight for their postseason lives in matches on Saturday in more Week 17 action.
With the victory - on second-half goals by Rafael Alves (59th minute), Sinisa Ubiparipovic (62nd) and Andrew Weideman (90th) that erased a 1-0 deficit - Fury FC is also assured of playing a semifinal match at TD Place in The Championship, the league's four-team postseason tournament.
Ottawa can clinch the No. 1 seed if the New York Cosmos lose at San Antonio on Saturday night or with a win in its regular-season finale at Atlanta on Oct. 31. Fury FC's win means that Minnesota United will be the No. 3 seed in The Championship.
The win also enabled Ottawa to open a five-point bulge over the Cosmos in the Combined Standings. A first-place finish in the Combined Standings would mean Fury FC could host The Championship Final should it advance. The Cosmos can be seeded no worse than No. 2 in The Championship by virtue of having won the league's Spring Season title.
The Strikers' draw upped their lead to two points over the Rowdies in the race for the final spot in The Championship. The teams are now even in games played (28). Both teams play on Saturday - Fort Lauderdale is at Indy Eleven and Tampa Bay hosts Carolina. The Strikers would clinch the final berth with a victory and a Rowdies tie or loss.