Final Score: Forge FC 0-2 Atlético Ottawa
Goalscorers: Aparicio 14′, Salter 36′
Game of the 2024 season: 106
CPL match: 590

Match in a minute or less

Atlético Ottawa spoiled the party at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday afternoon, beating Forge FC 2-0 before the Hamilton club lifted the CPL Shield as 2024 regular season title winners.

Ottawa jumped out in front early, as Ollie Bassett’s corner found the head of Manny Aparicio at the near post to put the visitors in front less than 15 minutes in. They doubled the lead 20 minutes later, when Samuel Salter arrived on the doorstep to score the rebound from a stopped shot, making it 2-0 for Atleti.

Forge never managed to find a foothold in the game after that, going down to 10 men in the 69th minute when Alessandro Hojabrpour was shown a second yellow card.

As a result, Atleti remained in serious contention to finish second in the table, as they vie for a playoff rematch with Forge in the qualifying semi-final. They’re still in third after Cavalry’s win later on Saturday, but they sit two points behind.

Three Observations

Atlético Ottawa break slump in style with massive away performance

Prior to Saturday, Atlético Ottawa hadn’t won for five straight games. Forge FC had lost just one of their last 10, and only once at home all year — all the way back on May 18.

However, there’s just one team in the Canadian Premier League that has won its season series with Forge in 2024, and that’s Atlético Ottawa. The capital city club came into this game desperate for a win in what’s been the toughest venue for away teams this year, and they delivered perhaps their most impressive performance of the season so far.

Atleti had fallen out of the top two in the CPL standings for the first time since matchweek two last week, and it has become Cavalry FC who control their own fate in the race for second place. If Ottawa were to stand any chance of getting into that qualifying semi-final against Forge with a chance to host the CPL Final, they essentially needed all three points in Hamilton.

They got all three, and in impressive fashion. Ottawa outshot Forge 12 to four, with nine shots on target and an astonishing zero for the hosts. The usually well-drilled Atleti defence outdid itself this time, keeping Forge’s league-best attack completely silent.

What’s most encouraging for Ottawa, though, is not any stat of Forge’s that they’ve tarnished.

Atleti have scored first on 18 occasions in the CPL so far this year. However, only seven times — including this game — have they then scored the second goal to go up 2-0. Of the 11 matches where they’ve scored first and not added the insurance goal, they’ve dropped 17 points from winning positions, drawing seven and losing one of those games.

That’s why head coach Carlos González was so thrilled to see his side display a little killer instinct, seizing on a mistake at the back from Forge to secure the second goal in the first half.

“There are always things that we can continue tweaking and improving,” González said. “One of the things was that in previous games, I think we had situations that we’ve created to score the second goal, that maybe we weren’t that ruthless like how we’ve been today. The mentality was there. We knew that was one of the things that we had to improve.”

Now, regardless of the outcome of Cavalry FC’s match against Halifax Wanderers on Saturday, Ottawa know they’ll go into the final match of the regular season with a chance to finish second. Cavalry did beat Halifax, meaning Ottawa remain two points behind them, but if they win and the Cavs draw or lose against Valour, then Atlético will finish second.

“That’s our aim, that’s our target,” González said on the prospect of finishing second. “Once we cannot be first, we have to fight to be second in the league, and I think that we deserve it. I think that we’ve done a pretty good season until now, and the team has earned this position. But at the end of the day, this is not about earning, it’s about showing it on the field.”

Ottawa have beaten Forge three times this year; if they get another shot at them in the playoffs, they’ll certainly enter that game with plenty of confidence.

Rare home loss clouds Forge’s CPL Shield celebration

It was an unexpectedly bittersweet moment for Forge FC when they lifted the CPL Shield as regular season title winners after this match.

Forge had lost just one CPL match at Tim Hortons Field this year prior to Saturday, and dropped just five out of 39 possible points. Had they won this game, they would have set a new league record for points at home, after already breaking their own club record two weeks ago against York United.

In fact, in their past seven home games, they had conceded just twice — and both had been from penalties (although Cavalry’s was the buried rebound from a saved penalty).

However, Forge were uncharacteristically poor on Saturday. They didn’t manage a shot on target at home, for just the second time in club history (ironically, the first time was also against Atlético Ottawa, back on July 3, 2022).

Forge were perhaps a little shaken by a forced early lineup change, as David Choinière replaced Béni Badibanga in the XI moments before kickoff to ensure the club had the correct number of domestic players on the pitch. However, they won’t be making many excuses for a poor performance at home.

Head coach Bobby Smyrniotis isn’t particularly worried, however; he did admit that it’s possible his side was not quite as hungry to win this game as the opposition, knowing they already had the title sewn up and would be lifting the Shield postgame.

“Doesn’t matter which way you look at it,” Smyrniotis said. “Today you have a team that needs this game more than anything, and you have another team that doesn’t. That’s the only thing I take out of this game, nothing else that’s happened in it.”

Nonetheless, Forge have still been unequivocally the best team in the CPL this year. They will represent the league in the Concacaf Champions Cup next year after what’s been perhaps their most consistently dominant regular season yet.

Asked if he also believes Forge have been the best side in the league in 2024, Smyrniotis was direct in his affirmation.

“That’s clear. There’s no discussion about it,” he said. “You look over six years, and Forge is the decider of who lifts trophies, I think that’s pretty simple, doesn’t matter which way you look at it. This year, throughout the season we’ve been excellent, consistent, done the business, that’s why the league gives us a trophy. … The one thing if you look at the history of Forge, when you need to get things done they’re there. Sometimes when the fire’s not on our back, we take it easy.”

How exactly Forge approach next week’s regular season finale against Pacific FC will be interesting; it’s a long trip out to Vancouver Island to play a game that doesn’t mean much to them as far as the standings go. However, Smyrniotis will definitely want to see a few players recover from this week with a better performance, to ensure they build back some momentum before the playoffs.

One thing is for sure, though: whoever ends up finishing second and playing Forge in the playoffs will not likely see an opponent as easily beaten as they were here.

Atleti rewarded for key lineup changes as key players step up

Ottawa manager González made a handful of interesting alterations to his lineup this week after last weekend’s 1-0 loss at York United.

He made five changes altogether. Zach Roy and Luke Singh replaced Kris Twardek and Tyr Walker, respectively, as the right portion of the back five. Aboubacar Sissoko came into midfield in place of the suspended Liberman Torres.

Perhaps most importantly, though, González completely changed his front two. After starting Kevin Dos Santos and current Golden Boot leader Rubén del Campo last week, he opted for Ballou Tabla and Samuel Salter this time around.

Salter was the most impactful of the changes, as he played a major role in both goals. It was his mazy run and eventual shot that set up the corner for Aparicio’s goal — and he also helped get Aparicio unmarked by making a run across the near post, through the path where the ball would go.

Later in the second half, Salter would be the one to score the insurance goal, doing well to stay with the play and arrive in the six-yard box to score the rebound before Jassem Koleilat could get to it.

Aside from the changes though, González will undoubtedly be encouraged by how many of his regular stars put in one of their best performances of the season. Ollie Bassett, in particular, looked like he’d recaptured the form that won him the Player of the Year award in 2022; he was all over the pitch in a creative role, given freedom to roam from the right side. He created four chances for Atleti, and delivered the assist to Aparicio.

Likewise, Aparicio himself was outstanding with three shots, also winning eight duels and turning the ball over from Forge players nine times. Amer Didic, always steady at the back but especially so in this game, had a sparkling 95.9 per cent passing accuracy, and it was his excellent run and touch on the ball to redirect it at the net that created the second goal.

González will definitely be encouraged by Saturday’s performance. Not only are the three points massive for Ottawa in the standings, but to finally see them playing cohesively on both sides of the ball, convincingly beating the best team in the league, will bolster their confidence ahead of the playoffs.

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Ollie Bassett, Atlético Ottawa

Bassett created four chances for Ottawa, including his corner kick assist on Aparicio’s goal, and led his team by completing 60 passes (with 93.8 per cent accuracy). He also made three interceptions and two tackles, putting in one of his best performances of the season in a central attacking midfield position.

What’s next?

Both teams, along with the rest of the Canadian Premier League, will be in action simultaneously in The Outcome! presented by TonyBet next Saturday, Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. Forge will be on the road to take on Pacific FC, while Atlético Ottawa host Vancouver FC.

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