Final Score: York United FC 1-0 Atlético Ottawa
Goalscorers: Jimoh 70’
Game of the 2024 season: 104
CPL match: 588

Match in a minute or less

Sixteen-year-old Shola Jimoh turned out to be the trump card for York United, who beat Atlético Ottawa 1-0 in Toronto, with the team from the national capital forced to play 65 minutes of the game with 10 men, after Liberman Torres was sent off for headbutting Josué Martinez.

The match seemed to be a pretty even contest until then: Brian Wright’s path to goal was blocked by keeper Nate Ingham in the 10th minute, while eight minutes later, Ruben del Campo’s powerful effort was blocked by Thomas Vincensini.

Tempers threatened to boil over in the 20th minute when Kris Twardek’s trailing arm caught Orlando Botello square in the neck, forcing the York defender to the floor, as he required treatment and a check for a concussion, before they finally did in the 25th minute: Torres appeared to headbutt Martinez just a few feet away from the linesman. The referee had no choice but to send him off, forcing Ottleti into a rearguard action featuring two banks of four players in defensive roles.

Ottawa managed to keep the hosts at bay for nearly an hour after being reduced to 10 men, but the constant pressure of keeping the York United attack at bay finally told on them: In the 70th minute, Ilias Illiadis played a loose ball across the box, and Shola Jimoh snaffled the pass, easing his way past one defender and then the next, before curling an impeccable finish past Ingham and into the far corner of the goal.

Atlético’s head coach Carlos Gonzalez made a raft of changes to alter the game, chief among them being Ballou Tabla, whose trickery nearly paid off about five minutes from time, as he floated a hopeful ball across the face of goal for one of his teammates to stab home, only for Max Ferrari to clear.

The result means that York have all but made fourth place their own, and still have a chance of climbing up the table with two games to go.

Three Observations

Shola Jimoh is another up-and-coming star for Canada

With Brian Wright misfiring in front of goal, and York United lacking the support of Juan Cordova and Molham Babouli, York United needed a fresh approach to break down Atlétco’s resolute rearguard. And it came in form of one of their up-and-coming players: drafted into the starting XI ahead of more established players, Shola Jimoh capitalized on an Atlético defence that was just beginning to creak under the hosts’ constant pressure. 

Jimoh belied his young age, twisting like a snipe to escape his marker before curling in a finish that would make an expert marksman proud. He is one of a number of talents being blooded in the CPL, alongside players such as Max Ferrari, Michael Harms and James Cameron. As modest as they are skilled, players of their ilk are going to provide Canada with an amazing talent pool in the years to come.

“It felt really good when I scored, because I intercepted the ball and then it was a one-on-one, and I just put it on my right foot – on my weaker foot – and just shot it and it went in. I was really happy,” he said during his post-match interview. “I just try to keep getting better every single day, and just keep putting in the work and put my head down.”

York United head coach Benjamin Mora is also keen to share his expertise with the younger players in his squad.

“I have in my DNA something that is called giving my resources, my knowledge, my learnings along the way, my experiences, so of course, if I can touch players in their minds, in their emotions and of course in their game plan, in their style, in their play, in the development of their capacities, I will do it,” he said. “Hundred percent, of course we will. This is part of the project. This is part of the objectives of this club.”

Atlético Ottawa need to recapture their winning form – fast

The capital club’s defeat in Toronto means they have now failed to win in their last five games, and with the playoffs looming on the horizon, head coach Carlos Gonzalez knows he needs to turn results around, and fast.

“What we have to do now is recover as soon as possible, take the positive things into the next game, and also take some learnings, because I think that today we made two big mistakes that are important learnings for playoff games. We cannot afford to make these types of mistakes,” he said, post-match.

Recapturing their form isn’t just down to physical and technical skills but being level-headed mentally as well: Ottawa’s players cannot afford to lose their heads when results are sorely needed, and now that other teams know how to provoke them, it is doubly important that they keep calm when they’re under pressure.

“I think that he’s old enough to see what he’s done, and to learn from what he’s done today,” said Gonzalez, when asked about Liberman Torres’ red card. “I think that you cannot give the opportunity to the referees to take a red card. 

“With that type of reaction, although he didn’t touch him, I think, seeing the replay, I think that is one of the learnings that we take home today,” he added.

Ollie Bassett was of a similar mindset to his coach, highlighting the need for him to rediscover the chemistry that made him, Ruben del Campo, and Jean Yves Ballou Tabla such an exciting trio to watch.

“Three points goes a very long way because essentially, you’re taking points off other teams that are around you and chasing the same goal,” he said. “I think we’ve got two games left, two big games, against Forge, and then we finish at home to Vancouver. It’s obviously very important to finish the season strong and pick up as many points as possible.

“I’ve played with Ruben now for the last year-and-a-half and, and Tabs (Tabla) and I have played together this season, and obviously in 2022, and when we won the league,” he added. “These are guys I enjoy playing with. They kind of wanna play the game the same way as me, and we understand each other on the pitch. We obviously want to get back to the past form and be on top of our game going into the postseason.”

Mind games afoot ahead of knockout rounds?

All-Ontario derbies between York and Atlético are turning into rather spicy affairs, and the rivalry between the two teams seems to have carried itself off the pitch as well. Ottawa’s Gonzalez said York were the weakest team in the playoffs, during his post-match conference.

“They are the weakest team, they don’t have so many tools,” he said, before taking a shot at Shola Jimoh, seemingly making disparaging comments about his age, and the fact that he could only score because of an erroneous pass made by Atlético Ottawa.

In response, Benjamin Mora appeared to not know who Carlos Gonzalez was, telling the media, “That’s the name? I didn’t know his name.”

“I am an elegant professional… mature,” he went on to say. “I have 250 games in first divisions all over the world. I’m not going to get into this conversation with Carlos, because I don’t know his view about the situation.”

Mora then went on to highlight York’s 7-3 aggregate advantage in his three games against Ottawa, adding that the Nine Stripes have already beaten them thrice this season.

“Imagine if we were not a weak team,” he added. “My father taught me that the opinions of others don’t determine who we are and what we are. He has his opinion and well, it’s fine. I don’t have an opinion. I really don’t have an opinion of him. Ottawa is a great team: they have great players. Maybe their weak side is in another place. I don’t really care what he says about our team. He must concentrate on his team.”

When asked whether Atlético Ottawa began the match physically in order to intimidate and destabilize York, Mora said, “They are supposed to be super Ottawa, right? That’s their name, right? Super Ottawa, but is it? A super team doesn’t do that. A super team plays football. 

“I don’t really know what they tried to do,” he added. “I didn’t see a straight pattern of what they wanted to do.”

CanPL.ca Player of the Match

Shola Jimoh, York United FC

The 16-year-old attacker, who was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, but raised in Brampton, Ontario, was imperious throughout the game, unafraid to take on Atlético’s defenders and was a thorn in the opposition’s side all game. His winning goal aside, Jimoh’s contribution could’ve been far greater had Ingham not rushed off his line to stop Brian Wright from converting the youngster’s pass.

Jimoh is another prime example of York United giving opportunities to youth players from their region (such as Max Ferrari of Newmarket, Ont.) and is definitely one to watch for the future.

What’s next?

York United travel to Pacific in another crucial match for the hosts, with their playoff spot still not fully secure. That game kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Meanwhile Atlético Ottawa find themselves in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area once again, when they face league champions Forge FC on Saturday. Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. ET.

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