2023 CPL Regular Season — Match #87
Atlético Ottawa vs. Cavalry FC
September 2, 2023 at 7 p.m. ET/5 p.m. MT
TD Place in Ottawa, Ontario
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

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Cavalry FC visit Atlético Ottawa at TD Place on Saturday in a crucial match for both teams’ playoff push.

It’s one of those “six-point games” in the nation’s capital, as league-leaders Cavalry FC could move as far as seven points clear at the top of the table with a win and other results going their way, or Ottawa could win and close the gap at the top to just one point. If Ottawa win, and Pacific FC, the Halifax Wanderers, and Forge FC all win their matches as well, there could be just one point separating first through fifth in the table by the end of the weekend as an already-close playoff and title race heats up even further.

It is also a battle between two of the best attacking teams in the league, as well as two of the best defensive teams in the league. Cavalry have scored a league-high 34 goals in 21 matches, two more than Ottawa, and conceded just 23, one fewer than Ottawa and one more than the league leaders in that category in Halifax.

RELATED READING: DEEP DIVE: Defenders Nimick, Didić, Klomp have excelled in CPL; what’s next for them?

Ottawa have historically had the upper hand against Cavalry, beating them eight times in their eleven all-time meetings. Cavalry have beaten Ottleti just twice, and never at TD Place — winning once at ATCO Field and once at IG Field during the CPL’s bubble to start the 2021 season.

Of the three previous meetings in 2023, Ottawa have won the last two. At ATCO Field in May, Cavalry won 2-0 at their home ground, but Ottawa went into Calgary in mid-July and came away with a 2-0 win of their own. The two sides met again soon after on July 29 in the nation’s capital, where Ottawa won 1-0. This match, potentially a preview of a playoff encounter in the weeks to come, is a big chance for Cavalry to claim a first win at TD Place and break a poor string of results at this ground (0-1-4).

Both teams will be at or near full strength for this match. Tommy Wheeldon Jr said on Friday that everyone from his side was in full training this weekend, while Carlos González said that Diego Espejo and Abou Sacko are injured, but everyone else should be available. Neither side will have anyone missing out through suspension.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• Another playoff-like match expected in Ottawa: Last weekend’s match between Atlético Ottawa and Forge FC at TD Place, a rematch of the 2022 Canadian Premier League final, ended up being a cagey 0-0 draw in which neither side could really get their attack going against the opposition. Ottawa boss Carlos Gonzalez said after the match that “this was a playoff game” in terms of its intensity, and González is expecting more of the same this time out against Cavalry. “This week is going to be the same type of game,” he said to reporters on Friday. “A game of details, a game of two teams that are good teams and are trying to play for everything until the end of the season.”

• Cavalry sell Ntignee, chance for someone else to step up: The big news around Cavalry FC this week was that the club has sent exciting young winger Goteh Ntignee to French Ligue 2 side FC Annecy, initially on loan before the deal becomes permanent next summer. Ntignee is the latest young player that Cavalry has moved to Europe, following Aribim Pepple and Victor Loturi last summer to Luton Town and Ross County, respectively. Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said to the media on Friday that he’s incredibly proud of the pathway they are creating for players, even if it means losing a good player during a playoff push. “The timing is a difficult one because of the different transfer windows, but with his injury delaying his return, we felt that if we waited for our selfish reasons we could possibly scupper a really good deal, and the 2026 World Cup is not that far away so we wanted to give that opportunity,” said the Cavalry head coach. “It was also a financial offer that we felt was a very good business deal as well, it was a win-win in many ways and we’re delighted for the lad and happy as a club that we continue to find good local talent.” Wheeldon Jr also said on Friday that the club will be making a corresponding move to bring in another local player, which could be announced as early as next week. It is also a chance for a player like William Akio to lock down his spot in the starting lineup, with youngster Gareth Smith-Doyle also keen to impress in attack.

• Can Cavalry maintain gap at the top of the table?: Cavalry enter the weekend top of the table, four points clear of four teams tied on 32 points in an incredibly close race to make the playoffs. They will end this weekend top of the table no matter what, but the margin of their lead could be as much as seven points if they take care of business and other results go their way. If they pick up three points — and any of Pacific FC, the Halifax Wanderers, or Forge FC drop points when they play Valour FC, York United, or Vancouver FC, respectively — they could create a bit more of a buffer for themselves at the top. Alternatively, a loss to Ottawa would mean that the capital city club would be just one point back of them, and the other teams would have a chance to catch up a bit as well. Saturday’s match is a huge opportunity for both sides, but especially Cavalry as they chase a first-ever trophy.

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Acosta, Ouimette, Singh; Zapater; Assi, Bassett, Iliadis, Dos Santos; Salter, Del Campo

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird, Klomp, Montgomery, Kamdem; Shome, Daley; Musse, Camargo, Akio; Bevan

ALL-TIME SERIES

Atlético Ottawa wins: 8 || Cavalry FC wins: 2 || Draws: 1

Last meeting:

July 29, 2023 — Atlético Ottawa 1-0 Cavalry

KEY QUOTES

“I don’t expect similar games than in the past. I think that we are in a moment of the season that teams are going to take care of more things and we are going to see maybe a chess match on the field tomorrow. ” — Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos González

“They’ve been a tough opponent for us, but they’ve been very close games and I think it’s usually decided by the team that scores first.” — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.