Final Score: Atlético Ottawa 1-1 Cavalry FC
Goalscorers: Tabla 47′ ; Escalante 20′
Game of the 2022 season: 54
CPL match: 304

Match in a minute or less

Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC met in a clash of first versus second place in CPL action this weekend, as league-leaders Cavalry visited second-place Ottawa at TD Place. 

Cavalry would draw first blood in this game, as a wonderful José Escalante free-kick goal stunned the crowd at TD Place in the first half, but it wouldn’t last long, as Ballou Tabla levelled the scores with a tidy finish just at the beginning of the second half. 

From there, that’d be all that both teams could muster up over the last 45 minutes, as strong defensive play ended up stealing the show, with both sides putting up defensive showings to remember.

Three Observations

Defences steal show in top-of-the-table clash:

Heading into this clash, you did wonder if defence would end up playing a big role in proceedings. 

In a matchup between two of the more solid defensive teams in the league, it was reasonable to expect it to play a role, but just how big a role was up in the air, as both teams looked to grab full control of first place in the CPL. 

Therefore, while you had to imagine defence would be a factor, the fact that both teams were chasing that crown did make one wonder, leaving the possibility for a more open game. 

Instead, however, defence quickly would steal the show, as both teams came out with their A-games defensively, right from the first whistle. 

From some hard tackles, to some good positional play, there was hardly an easy inch of territory to be had on the pitch for a lot of the game, leaving both sides to have to work for their opportunities. 

“That was pretty cagey,” Cavalry’s Ben Fisk said afterwards. “Both sides set up well (for this one) tactically.”

A peek at the numbers indicates as much. Despite there being a huge discrepancy in shots, as Ottawa outshot Cavalry 16 to five, the shots on target were just three to one for the hosts, who only narrowly won the Expected Goals (xG) battle 0.88 to 0.60. 

Yet, thanks to the fact that each team contested 100 duels, and both completed over 50% of their tackles, that shows why that was the case, as it was a struggle to fashion space for any high-quality events. 

Due to the talent on display defensively, from Ottawa’s defensive unit of Nathan Ingham, Maxim Tissot, Miguel Acosta, Diego Espejo and Drew Beckie, to Cavalry’s crew of Marco Carducci, Bradley Vliet, Mason Trafford, Karifa Yao and Daan Klomp, along with the tactics of both coaches, it was just that kind of game for both sides.

Because of that, while some might see a top-of-the-table clash like this and be disappointed by the lack of goals or chances, that shows how strong the quality of defending was, which if anything, is far more impressive given the quality of attacking players on both teams.

Often, goals can steal the spotlight in games, especially when there are as many nice goals as there are in the CPL, but in this one, defence ended up shining, making for an entertaining duel, one that the coaches will certainly enjoy looking back upon. 

“This was a very good chess match,” Cavalry head coach, Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said. “They had their traps and triggers in terms of the way they wanted to press and attack, and we had ours, and both tried to unlock them, (meaning that) it was always going to come down to that bit of quality, which I think both sides had (in moments).”

“Today, two of the strongest teams in defence (in the CPL) played against each other,” Ottawa head coach, Carlos González added. 

Ottawa’s direct play causes problems for Cavalry:

When trying to break down Cavalry, it’s not an easy task to have to undergo. 

Constructed around a unique mix of size and speed, combined with good defensive awareness, they can hurt teams in a multitude of ways.

Because of that, it left a big task for Ottawa offensively, as they knew that they had to be methodical with their approach to breaking down their guests, making sure to consider every detail.

Which, to give credit to them, they certainly did, as they managed to put Cavalry under pressure by making a small tweak to their game – they decided to play quite direct in possession.

Usually content to pass the ball around more, moving their opponents around before pouncing, they decided to bypass that all together in this one, knowing that to beat Cavalry, quick and efficient attacking moves are the way to go. 

The more lines you can beat against them in one go, the better, so while it goes against what Ottawa usually does, they knew that they had to go for it, which ended up working quite well for them. 

“That was one of the things that we worked on during the week,” González said. “Playing against Cavalry, you have to skip lines of pressure, if you play with near balls, you will have trouble.”

“We were looking to be a little bit more vertical than usual, and connect with those forward players, so that we could find the spaces that we wanted to attack.”

Therefore, while the xG didn’t reflect a wild offensive performance from Ottawa, just the sheer number of shots shows the impact that their strategy had, especially given that Cavalry made a lot of last-ditch blocks and tackles to deny Ottawa in this game. 

On another day, if they finish one or two of those shots, they head home with the full complement of points, so while that wasn’t this game, that doesn’t mean that they can knock the approach. 

Plus, it gives them something to ponder going forward. When you have pure #9s such as Malcolm Shaw, Vladimir Moragrega and Brian Wright, speed around them from the likes of Ballou Tabla and Zach Verhoven, and the creativity of Ollie Bassett and Zakaria Bahous underneath them, they certainly have the tools to play that way more often. 

That much was clear in this game, where Tabla, in particular, was a real handful to deal with, finishing with a whole bevy of chances to his name. 

Because of that, while the result might not be the one that they hoped given how they played, it will certainly give them food for thought as they revisit the film from this one, giving them something to ponder as they continue to put together the pieces of their puzzle this year. 

Cavalry continues to flex tactical flexibility:

It hasn’t been easy to play Ottawa as of late. With how solid they’ve been defensively, and how they like to hold the ball, they can frustrate you on both sides of the play, which isn’t fun for teams to deal with. 

Yet, Cavalry didn’t get that memo, as they came in and played Ottawa’s game, defending well and holding onto the ball (they won the possession battle 56% to 44%) away from home. Not only that, but they did it pretty well, too, overall ensuring that a draw was a more than a fair result when considering the balance of the game. 

Except for those following Cavalry, that’s nothing new, showing why they’re on this 10-game unbeaten run that they’re currently on. Not only have they been picking up points in all sorts of environments, but have done so in an almost chameleon-like fashion, doing well to adapt to the strengths of their opponents. 

Eager to play a quick and direct game? Cavalry can do that. Want to play a drawn-out possession battle? They’re comfortable with that, too. Looking for a physical battle? They’re almost eager for you to want that. 

Because of that, it’s made it hard for everyone to play them right now, as you know that whatever you throw at Cavalry, they’ll be up for it, meaning that your game plan is going to have to be perfect if you’re to leave with all three points. 

Which is exactly how Cavalry likes it. Having constructed a roster filled with versatile players, many of whom can play in different positions and have a well-rounded blend of skills, it’s given Cavalry an ability to be adaptable like that. 

In a soccer world where coaches tend to pick a style and stick with it, it’s been fascinating to watch, as it means that you really don’t know what to expect from Cavalry on any given night, making for vastly contrasting matches. 

Their last two games are a perfect example of that. Having combined for a thrilling 3-3 barnburner of a matchup against Pacific FC, that they were able to slide into a cagey 1-1 with Ottawa like this is quite unique, yet is just the latest example of why Cavalry are where they are right now, which is atop the CPL standings as they halfway point nears for them. 

“I think it’s our mentality,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “We play what the opposition gives us.”

“What I really like about our team is the fact that we can change to what the opposition is doing.”

“I think it’s just due to the homework that the staff puts in,” Fisk added. “And we also have a very intelligent team, one that is able to take that direction game-by-game, tweak little things in our tactics and, and then go out on the field and actually make it happen.”

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Ballou Tabla, Atlético Ottawa

It was a fun night for Tabla on Saturday, as he nabbed a very well-taken goal in what was a lively performance from him against the league leaders. Even beyond the goal, he was dangerous all night, too, finishing with five shots, two chances created and one dribble, all while completing 21 out of 25 of his passes, and winning five out of seven of his duels. Overall, not a bad day at the office for him.  

What’s next?

Ottawa are back in action next weekend, as they’re slated to host Valour FC at TD Place on Sunday, July 17th (2:00 p.m. CT/3:00 p.m. ET). Meanwhile, Cavalry will head back to Alberta, where they’ll take on the Halifax Wanderers at Calgary’s ATCO Field on Thursday, July 14th (6:30 p.m. MT/9:30 p.m. AT).

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