Final Score: Vancouver FC 0-5 Atlético Ottawa
Goalscorers: Bassett 8′, Salter 36′, Verhoeven 59′, Verhoven 71′, Bahous 72′
Game of the 2023 season: 19
CPL match: 386

Match in a minute or less

After an ugly loss to Pacific FC at home last weekend, their fourth match without a win to start the 2023 CPL season, Atlético Ottawa responded in a big way with a club-record 5-0 victory over Vancouver FC on the road at the Langley Events Centre.

Ollie Bassett, Samuel Salter, Noah Verhoeven, Zach Verhoven and Zakaria Bahous all got on the scoresheet, while at the other end, Ottawa didn’t allow a single shot on target to keep their first clean sheet of the season.

For Vancouver FC, it was the first time in club history that they had been scored on multiple times by an opponent in what amounted to a soul-searching loss for the expansion side in front of their home fans.

Three Observations

Early goal allows Atlético Ottawa freedom in attack during historic offensive performance

For the first time in seven matches in all competitions in 2023, Atlético Ottawa managed to score the opening goal.

That was the catalyst for an explosive offensive performance, in which for the first time in CPL action this season they scored more than a single goal in a match — five, to be exact. For once in 2023, Ottawa didn’t have to attack an opponent who had the luxury of sitting back and defending a lead.

This led to significantly more space than they have been used to in the final third. Within that space, Ottawa did a good job of using their wide attackers to cut in centrally and create overloads in the middle of the park, as seen when dos Santos drifted inside on the opening Atleti goal.

“I’m really happy for them,” said Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos González of his team. “I think that they understood really well where the other team had their weakness. Today we were clinical, today we were solid. Some great individual performances, and great team performance.”

After a frustrating start to the year where Ottawa has often seemed disconnected in the attacking third of the field, they were finally able to connect in a big way in Vancouver. The chart below shows just how many chances (totalling 1.88 xG) they created during the match (yellow dots are goals, the bigger the dot the bigger the xG rating), and especially note how many of them came from dangerous areas inside the Vancouver box.

It was a collective performance that delivered this result, but there are still a few individual performances that are worth highlighting. Sam Salter finally got his first goal of the season, which came from a much-improved effort in which he consistently got himself into dangerous areas in the box. He was also able to take up positions on the field throughout the match where he could better combine with teammates, instead of being the isolated figure he has been in past matches.

A player who has shown potential in past matches but finally delivered product in this one was Assi. The 18-year-old was dangerous all match long, picking up an assist and making clever runs that consistently created space for himself and his teammates in attack. Assi also showed a good defensive work rate, winning possession a match-leading 11 times, as well as three tackles.

The energy and ruthlessness from the players who came off the bench was promising as well, as they continued to pour forward. Zach Verhoven, in particular, has been a spark any time he has been introduced into matches of late, scoring the fourth goal and setting up the fifth during a brilliant cameo performance.

More than all the goals, however, it should come as no surprise that what González was most happy about on the night was his side picking up their first clean sheet of the season. A week after picking out four balls from the back of their net, Atleti didn’t allow a single shot on target during the match, and just 0.26 expected goals on six total Vancouver FC shot attempts.

Contrary to what has become the ‘Atlético DNA’ in terms of road performances, however, Ottawa played the match on the front foot, holding onto the ball for significant portions of the match while defending more proactively than they often have in past low blocks.

“I think that [Vancouver] didn’t get into dangerous areas in really all the game, we have many moments with the ball, so that the ball was the better way to defend, in which we had the possession and also when we were in organized defence we didn’t drop and we would press higher,” said González.

Makeshift Vancouver FC backline struggles during awful evening for the expansion side

It was a night to forget for Vancouver FC on Saturday, as after allowing a goal just eight minutes into the match just about everything went wrong for the club.

“In every department, we didn’t show anything and were very poor,” said Vancouver manager Afshin Ghotbi. “We lost concentration, we lost organization, we were always second best in every dual and every race.”

For a side that has impressed with their organization and defensive solidity, the issues started at the back. Missing Rocco Romeo through suspension, Ghotbi was forced to create a somewhat makeshift backline to compensate.

That came with it a surprising decision to play 19-year-old Mamadou Kane, who so far has featured in the Canadian Premier League primarily as an attacker, as a central defender. While there was certainly some promise, Kane also looked out of his depth on multiple occasions, especially when isolated in 1-v-1 situations where players consistently got on the wrong side of him.

“We think he has the athleticism, he has the ability to play out of the back, he is good in the air,” said Ghotbi of his decision to move Kane to the back. “Maybe positionally he has to improve, but he needs experience with that.”

The breakdown could hardly be pinned just on a single player, as there were mistakes aplenty during this match for the expansion outfit. By the fifth goal, there had been a complete defensive breakdown, as evidenced by this still from just before Verhoven (no. 16) picks out Bahous in the middle. Look at how many Ottawa players are just queuing up in the middle of the box, with barely a Vancouver defender in sight to stop them.

“I’m really sorry for our fans, because they paid hard-earned money, they gave their time to come here, to support the club and I am very, very sorry for today,” said Ghotbi. “For our lack of quality and effort in the loss, we will make it up to them and I am hoping that our players will learn very quickly and wipe the tears and move on.”

Ghotbi says he is not concerned about his team bouncing back from this humbling result. What is on his mind, however, is the status of Kadin Chung and Gabriel Bitar, who both had to be removed from the match through injuries. Bitar and Chung have proven to be two integral players for this Vancouver FC side, and any significant time spent without them could do serious damage to the club’s performance this season.

Ollie Bassett the architect as always for Ottawa

A week ago, Ollie Bassett was a dejected figure as he sat in front of reporters at TD Place Stadium describing a performance from his Ottawa side that he could only describe as ’embarrassing’. Less than eight minutes into Saturday’s match he was finding the back of the net, and doing a celebration that a young fan had asked him to do should he score.

What a difference a week makes, and what a difference Bassett makes when he is at his best for this Atlético Ottawa side. With a much more solid structure around him, Bassett was able to get himself further forward than he has all year throughout the match and create the sort of magical moments that he has become known for in this league.

It started with his goal, on which Bassett cleverly faked a cross while in the same motion picking out Gianni dos Santos with a quick pass before running into the box and firing home the return ball from a tight angle.

Quick start for @atletiOttawa as @OllieBassett28 scores within the first 10 minutes of the game 💥#CanPL | 📺 @onesoccer pic.twitter.com/t7e3dJmra8

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) May 14, 2023

Then, in the second half, Bassett reacted quickest to a free ball from a set piece, poking the ball free before making a lung-busting run on the counterattack. He then picked out an inch-perfect pass to Noah Verhoeven, who fired home his first professional goal from close range.

Noah Verhoeven scores a stunning goal for @atletiOttawa, assisted by Ollie Bassett, increasing their lead to 3-0 against @vanfootballclub. #CanPL | 📺 @Onesoccer pic.twitter.com/eR6wiNJx3V

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) May 14, 2023

During 82 minutes of action, Bassett also created three chances, had 19 passes in the final third and completed three dribbles during a vintage performance from the 2022 CPL Player and Players’ Player of the Year.

“Ollie and everyone they are understanding little by little what we want,” said González. “Ollie always has this special decision, this special last pass, this special ending situation. So we are lucky to have him, but also he is working very hard, and he is defending really well, and he is committed and he is solid, so I think that he is very important for the team.”

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Ollie Bassett, Atlético Ottawa 

When Ottawa is at its best, it usually means Bassett is the conductor, and that was unquestionably the case against Vancouver FC. He had a goal, an assist and influenced play from the centre of the park during the match in the way that only Ollie Bassett can.

What’s next?

Vancouver FC heads to Hamilton next where they will take on three-time CPL champions Forge FC for the first time on Friday, May 19 (4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET). Atleti, meanwhile, continue their western road swing when they pay a visit to ATCO Field to face Cavalry FC on Sunday, May 21 (7 p.m. ET).

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