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(PHOTO: Matt Zambonin/Freestyle Photography)
MATCH ANALYSIS: Ottawa keep record unbeaten streak alive, deny Wanderers first win of 2024 with late comeback
2024-06-02
by
Benedict Rhodes, CanPL.ca Contributor (@BTFR17)
News

Final Score: Atlético Ottawa 2-2 Halifax Wanderers
Goalscorers: Bassett 84′, Zapater 90+11′; Ferrazzo 21′, Coimbra 75′
Game of the 2024 season: 30
CPL match: 514

Match in a minute or less

Atlético Ottawa extended their unbeaten streak to begin the season to a Canadian Premier League record-breaking eight matches on Sunday afternoon, as a 101st minute goal from Alberto Zapater simultaneously ended Halifax Wanderers’ chance to pick up their first win of the 2024 season.

It was the visitors who held the lead after 45 minutes, thanks to a great team goal 21 minutes in, finished off by Riley Ferrazzo after the Wanderers strung several passes together on their way into the Ottawa 18-yard box. They had other opportunities in the first half to potentially extend their lead, but a second goal wouldn’t come until the 75th minute, when Tiago Coimbra

Coimbra was sent off in the 86th minute, picking up a second yellow card moments after Ollie Bassett picked out the bottom left corner to cut the hosts’ deficit in half. TD Place and the home side were given a boost by the goal and the red card, which grew when the fourth official’s board flashed the number ten for the amount of stoppage time added on.

It wouldn’t be until 16 seconds after the ten minutes were up that Ottawa would find their goal, however, with Zapater heading home an inch-perfect cross from Dani Morer past Yann Fillion, rescuing a point for the league leaders and keeping them undefeated.

Three Observations

Ottawa keep record unbeaten streak alive, break Halifax’s hearts late

Atlético Ottawa made history with Sunday’s draw, becoming the first team in Canadian Premier League history to start the season unbeaten through eight matches.

They were tied on seven games with 2019 Cavalry FC (whose seven wins to start that season remains the longest winning streak in league history), and 2023 Forge FC, but now stand alone in that category. They are also now just one result away from tying the club record for most games unbeaten in a row, which was nine between August 17 and October 9, 2022 as they went on to become regular season champions and host the CPL Final.

This result was one that showed why they have been the best team in the league so far in 2024, as even down two goals after 83 minutes they had the fortitude to believe that they could still pick up a result. That mental strength has served them well at other times this year as well, coming from behind to beat York United on the opening day of the season as well, for example.

Ollie Bassett was back to his brilliant best in this match, and was rewarded in the 84th minute with his first goal of the season in league action. His goal, followed by the red card to Halifax forward Tiago Coimbra and the news that there would be ten minutes of stoppage time, were the sparks that pushed Ottawa to battle hard for the rest of the match, and eventually find the equalizer.

That set the stage for Alberto Zapater’s goal. The 38-year-old Spaniard, definitely not known for his goalscoring prowess, is now up to four goals on the season in all competitions, all from headers in the box, and is becoming a real asset for the attack in that regard.

“I don’t even see him score in training, so it’s actually crazy that he scored four goals this season,” joked Bassett after the match, before praising Zapater for making the players around him better.

“There are moments in the season, there are moments in games, that the football, the tactics, are not the most important thing,” said Carlos Gonzalez after the match. “It’s more about the attitude and intangible things — the spirit, the commitment, the pride that you play.

“I think that we were brilliant on that, it was spectacular. These points are points that at the end of the season, we will remember.”

 

Alberto Zapater celebrates his last-second equalizer in front of a packed TD Place (Photo: Matt Zambonin / Freestyle Photography)

Wanderers play with more confidence, but finishing has room for improvement

For most of Sunday’s match in Ottawa, Halifax Wanderers played the most confident, attacking football of their season so far. If not for the late collapse, it would have led to a deserved first win of the season, but for now they have to settle for the positives that can come from 75 minutes of playing on the front foot.

Their first goal was an outstanding passing play from the visitors, spearheaded by a charging run up the pitch by Wes Timoteo, and finished off by Riley Ferrazzo, with a Ryan Telfer backheeled pass to give the ball back to Timoteo in between. It wasn’t the kind of goal you might expect from a frustrated team that had one point in six matches entering Sunday, but the team has never showed any signs of quitting or backing down from their opponents, and that goal was proof of it.

Halifax’s midfielders were finding pockets of space all afternoon to unlock runners going forward, leading to many of their best opportunities to score, including on Ferrazzo’s goal, and Tiago Coimbra’s to double the lead in the second half.

Despite scoring twice for the first time in league play this season, there is also some room for improvement in the finishing department. The Wanderers could have potentially put the game to bed in the first half had they taken advantage of a few big opportunities.

Ryan Telfer had a breakaway in the eleventh minute, but missed the net entirely from near the penalty spot with only Rayane Yesli to beat, curling his shot wide of the left post. Moments later Ferrazzo had a chance as well from a few yards out, trying to squeeze a shot past Rayane Yesli at his near post, when he perhaps could have passed the ball across the box to a teammate.

After the Wanderers did score 21 minutes in, Ottawa built up some momentum and everyone knew that the next goal would be absolutely crucial for deciding the outcome of the match. It was frustrating for the Wanderers then when Julian Dunn positioned himself well in the box and rose above everyone to meet a free kick into the danger zone, but lacked the finish — sending the last play of first half stoppage time over the bar.

The visitors were getting into all the right positions, but just lacking a killer instinct to keep testing Yesli and put the match out well and truly of reach. The second goal from Tiago Coimbra seemed to potentially be just that, but Ottawa never gave up and both sides ended up with a point each.

“I thought we were fantastic in the first half,” said Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar after the match. “We could have scored several first half, we were fantastic. What I was really proud of is that for the first 60 minutes, we came out with a desire to hunt. We were going for it, going, going, going, and being on the front foot is something that we necessarily haven’t had due to injuries and a lack of confidence, but there’s no excuses.

“I thought for me that was really a big thing that we could take away, we could show that we want to be the protagonist, we don’t want to sit back and wait for your mistakes to score goal. I thought the first goal was scored through good football, and the second goal was really scored with clever transition.”

Tyr Walker impresses in Amer Didic’s absence, and his first start of the year

One of the bright spots of a disappointing finish to the 2023 CPL season for Atlético Ottawa was the emergence of young centre-back Tyr Walker. The local product played 242 minutes over five appearances late in the year, and was rewarded with a two-year professional contract, through the end of 2025.

With Amer Didic out of the side through injury after playing every minute of the season up to this point, Walker made his first start of the season on Sunday after being limited to a pair of brief appearances off the bench in the first quarter of the season. Walker’s pace is one of his best attributes and that was on display on Sunday, as he was able to keep up with the speedy Wanderers attackers, and made a fantastic tackle on Ryan Telfer in the first half, although the play was ultimately blown dead for offside.

Lining up next to Luke Singh in the middle of the Ottawa backline, Walker made some impressive plays on both sides of the ball. He completed 44 of his 47 attempted passes on the afternoon, won a couple of duels, and made an interception. On a couple of occasions the 20-year-old’s inexperience showed when it came to tracking a runner or rushing a pass, but he played well in his first start of the year.

His afternoon was done around the 70th minute, after going down a couple of times with cramping on both legs. He was replaced by Liberman Torres, who came off the bench for his first appearance for the club. Didic’s aerial presence was missed on set pieces, and the calmness and leadership defensively improved when Alberto Zapater came off the bench into midfield, but there was a lot to like from the duo, and Singh at the other centre-back position.

“I think that we can be satisfied with the level of Tyr,” said Carlos Gonzalez after the match. “It wasn’t an easy game for him to play, because he hasn’t had competitive minutes from a while ago and it’s difficult to step into the field and to give your best version.

“I’m pretty happy because he competed well, he minimized his mistakes, and he was a player that added to the team today. He started to cramp because the minutes that he hasn’t played before, and also maybe mentally, he felt a little bit more stressed than usual, and it’s normal that he ended up cramping.”

Tyr Walker entering the pitch ahead of Sunday’s match against Halifax Wanderers. (Photo: Atlético Ottawa)

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Ollie Bassett, Atlético Ottawa

Ottawa midfielder Ollie Bassett was back to his best on Sunday, looking dangerous all afternoon and scoring the goal that ignited the late comeback.

What’s next?

Halifax Wanderers return home next weekend, and will host Pacific FC in a coast-to-coast clash on Saturday (3 pm AT/11 am PT). Atlético Ottawa hit the road next, visiting Valour FC at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday (1:30 pm ET/12:30 pm CT).

Watch all CPL matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.

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