2023 CPL Regular Season — Match #24
Cavalry FC vs. Atlético Ottawa
May 21, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. MT/7:00 pm ET
ATCO Field in Calgary, Alberta
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

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Few would have predicted that six matchdays into the Canadian Premier League season, when 2022 regular season champion Atlético Ottawa and third-place finisher (just two points behind) Cavalry FC met for the first time, they would have just a single win between them.

As a result, there will be pressure on both sides to pick up points on Sunday at ATCO Field, but particularly on the hosts. Cavalry continued their historic limbo of being winless, but also undefeated, to start the season with their fifth consecutive draw, this time 2-2 against Halifax Wanderers (who have the same 0-5-0 record) this past weekend.

However, fans at ATCO Field are used to seeing their side pick up three points at home — and made that known during half-time of the match when boos could be heard around the stadium after Cavalry allowed two goals in stoppage time.

“I can understand it, I can understand the fans wanting wins, they are used to it,” said Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “When it is not there for the first couple of games of course there is going to be frustration, totally understand the fans.”

Wheeldon Jr. mentioned that Cavalry didn’t tie a single game at home last season — winning 10 and losing four, but at the end of the day would much rather his side be picking up a single point than losing if they can’t grab all three.

Spirits will be much much higher in the Ottawa camp coming into this match after their best performance of the season last weekend in a 5-0 drubbing of expansion side Vancouver FC. After setting a league record for road points last year, Atleti has still not lost a match in 90 minutes away from home in all competitions this season.

The historical series between the two sides has also decidedly been in Ottawa’s favour. The club picked up the first win in its history against Cavalry back in August of 2020 at the Island Games, and haven’t look back since. They have won all but two matches in the all-time head-to-head series, including both trips to ATCO Field last season by scores of 3-0 and 3-1.

Cavalry have already dropped a stunning 10 points from winning positions in 2023, the most in the league. That is just one less than they dropped when leading matches last season, which was still third most in the league in 2022.

The Cavs will be without midfielder Shamit Shome and defender Callum Montgomery for this match, while attacker Ethan Beckford is doubtful after a knock in training. Ben Fisk and Joe Mason, however, have returned to training and will potentially be available.

Atleti, meanwhile, will be given a big boost as veterans Carl Haworth and Max Tissot will both likely be available for this match after returning from injury. Goalkeeper Nate Ingham is the only Ottawa player who remains sidelined, still dealing with a finger issue.

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

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• Has Atlético Ottawa finally found balance in the midfield?: Since the start of the 2023 season, Atlético Ottawa have struggled to find the right mix of players in the middle of the park. This has been especially true in the number six position, where the offseason loss of Abdou Sissoko has loomed large in the nation’s capital. Carlos González has experimented with several different formulas in the middle of the park so far this season, but the most successful so far was the group he rolled out the past weekend against Vancouver. Miguel Acosta playing as a holding midfielder allowed Noah Verhoeven (who had his first CPL goal) and Ollie Bassett (a goal and an assist) the licence to get forward into dangerous positions. Out wide, Jean-Aniel Assi and Gianni dos Santos did well to pick their spots either stretching the Vancouver backline with runs down the touchline or coming inside to combine. A solid Cavalry midfield will be a tough test for this group, but there have been significant signs of progress in Atleti’s shape in the middle of the park.
• Can Ottawa stop high-flying Ali Musse?: There is no question as to who the danger man is for Cavalry FC this season. While Musse finally scored his first goal of the season this past weekend against Halifax on a brilliant long-range strike, he has been one of the league’s top chance creators so far this season. The 27-year-old has also added an assistant and ranks among the league leaders in expected assists with 1.17 (Tied for fourth highest), dribbles completed (15 – 3rd most), and leads the league in chances created with 12. Limiting Musse’s influence on the match will be key to picking up points at ATCO Field for Atleti. The good news for Ottawa is that they will have Max Tissot available again at left back, a player who will likely be primarily responsible for containing one of the league’s most in form attacking players.
• Jean-Aniel Assi returns to Cavalry looking to build on best Atleti performance yet: Assi will make his return to ATCO Field on Sunday, this time wearing the colours of Atlético Ottawa. Having played last season with Cavalry on loan from CF Montréal, the 18-year-old winger had his best performance to date with his new club this past weekend, picking up an assist and being a key chance-creator in Ottawa’s 5-0 victory over Vancouver FC. Wheeldon Jr. joked that hopefully the welcome won’t be too warm for Assi, and they will be able to contain the talented winger on the pitch on Sunday. “Jean-Aniel is a great kid, when he came to us he was only 17,” he said. “Still very young, really enthusiastic player and he is getting some really important playing time. I believe in that process of the young player rule that we have, and whether they are from a parent club like Montréal, [they] have done a great job in loaning players out.”

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

Cavalry FC (4-2-3-1): Carducci; Aird, Klomp, Kamdem, Escalante; Trafford, Daley; Musse, Mason, Cantave; Bevan

Atlético Ottawa (4-5-1): Melvin; Ouimette, Espejo, Singh, Tissot; Assi, Verhoeven, Acosta, Bassett, dos Santos; Salter

ALL-TIME SERIES

Cavalry FC wins: 1 || Atlético Ottawa wins: 6 || Draws: 1

Last meeting:

September 24, 2022 — Cavalry FC 1-3 Atlético Ottawa

KEY QUOTES

“We know what we are doing well and we know what we need to improve on. If you look at it we have scored first on every team, it is then given away…It is fine margins, we reminded the players of that. We are still unbeaten, that’s the positive.” — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.

“It is never easy to play at ATCO Field. Always Cavalry has a good amount of wins throughout the season there. So they are going to be hungry, I’m sure they have already played two matches over there, they haven’t won any of them. So I’m sure that they are going to try to put us in a difficult situation. But also we come from a good dynamic and we have to try to continue with that.” — Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos González