July 6, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Atletico Ottawa News Release
The 50th match of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season kicks off a Sunday doubleheader, as Atlético Ottawa host Pacific FC at TD Place.
Both sides currently sit in playoff spots, but have teams hot on their heels. Ottawa remain in first place after a hot start to the campaign, but Pacific has slipped down the table in recent weeks after two straight losses. The Tridents are currently in that fifth and final playoff spot entering play, but could drop out of the playoff positioning if they lose and Cavalry FC beat Valour FC later on Sunday.
Last week, Pacific lost a fourth-consecutive Salish Sea Derby to provincial rivals Vancouver FC, with a 2-1 defeat at home.
Thomas Meilleur-Giguère opened the scoring in the 38th minute, but the Tridents didn’t hold the lead for long, conceding to former Pacific star Alejandro Diaz just two minutes later. Elage Bah won the match for the visitors in the 82nd minute, turning and firing the ball past Daniel Zadravec to secure the three points.
The Tridents face an interesting dilemma now where they are in need of a win in CPL action to boost their confidence and playoff positioning, but they also must keep an eye on a massive Canadian Championship match against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night.
Miki Cantave and Kunle Dada-Luke battle for the ball at Starlight Stadium. (Photo: Vancouver FC/BChevalier)
Ottawa are coming off a dramatic 4-3 victory over Forge FC last week at TD Place.
After the hosts took a 1-0 lead into halftime thanks to a second-minute overhead kick from former Forge man Aboubacar Sissoko, the floodgates opened. The Hammers scored twice in the first minutes after the break to take the lead, before Ottawa responded with two goals of their own in the 62nd and 70th minutes – scored by Amer Didic and Ruben Del Campo. When Kwasi Poku scored in the 88th minute to tie it up once again, it seemed as thought the points would be shared, but Liberman Torres broke the deadlock in the 93rd minute, heading home a dangerous cross into the box from Dani Morer to pick up the full three points.
It was the second time in June that a cross into the box from Morer led to Ottawa gaining points at home – the other being a 101st-minute cross onto the head of Alberto Zapater on June 2 against Halifax Wanderers to rescue a draw with the final touch of the football.
“I think that that’s part of the genetics of the players, they’re winners and…
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