Match Preview: Halifax Wanderers FC vs. Atlético Ottawa

April 26, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Atletico Ottawa News Release

2024 CPL Regular Season – Match #10

Halifax Wanderers FC vs. Atlético Ottawa

April 27, 2024 at 1 p.m. ET/2 p.m. AT

Wanderers Grounds in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available

The Halifax Wanderers are back in Nova Scotia, as they get set to host Atlético Ottawa in their 2024 home opener at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday afternoon.

Following two games in British Columbia against Pacific FC and Vancouver FC to kick off the season, the Wanderers will return to their home patch for the first time this season, where they’ll welcome an Atlético side who heads out on the road for the first time after opening their campaign with two home games against York United and Cavalry FC.

Off to vastly different starts to the season, with the Wanderers yet to pick up any points through two games, while Ottawa sits with four points from their two matches, this game will be a chance for the hosts to find their feet, while their guests will look to keep chipping away at what has been a solid start to the year.

The Wanderers will feel this return home is exactly what they need. However, they had one of the best home records in the CPL in 2023, picking up 28 points in 14 games for an average of two points per game. In particular, they were an offensive force at home, scoring 25 goals in those 14 games, which was joint-best with Cavalry in terms of home production.

Given that they enter this match yet to score through two games, they’ll look to channel their 2023 home offensive form, as they were held off the scoresheet only once at home in the regular season, doing well to send the fans home having celebrated at least one goal on most occaisons.

Because of that, look for their offence to find their feet in this game, as they’ve been unlucky not to score so far, having generated over three Expected Goals (xG), meaning they’re due for an offensive eruption, one that their fans will hope can come in this game.

A team that plays a free-flowing, high-possession, and fluid attacking game at their best, something they couldn’t tap into in their first few games, will want to return to those ways once again.

“We’ll keep at it,” head coach Patrice Gheisar promised. “We’ll keep doing the right things, even if it doesn’t come tomorrow, we’ll keep going.”

Meanwhile, Ottawa is looking to build off their solid start to the season, as they’ve done well to pick up points from both…