Match Preview: Halifax Wanderers vs. Atlético Ottawa

August 23, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Atletico Ottawa News Release

2024 CPL Regular Season – Match #77

Halifax Wanderers vs. Atlético Ottawa

August 24, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. AT

Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia

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

A crucial stretch of games begins for the Halifax Wanderers this weekend, as they host Atlético Ottawa at the Wanderers Grounds on Saturday.

Two teams at opposite ends of the table, it promises to be a fierce battle between two teams eager to win, for different reasons.

On one side, there’s the Wanderers, who have reached a massive portion of their schedule. With four of their next five games at home, they’ll be looking to rack up some wins and move up the table, as they currently sit in eighth place with 16 points.

Coming off a three-game road trip where they emerged with zero points, they return home eager to get some wins on the board as they try and keep pace in the race towards the playoffs.

Currently sitting seven points behind the fifth and final playoff spot, they remain very much in the postseason race, especially if they can make the most of this upcoming stretch, but some tough games await them, starting with this Ottawa side who themselves are in the midst of a title race.

“With where we are, you can do two things,” Wanderers head coach, Patrice Gheisar, explained this week. “You can feel sorry for yourself, dig a hole and wish that nobody could see you, or you can stand tall and have a hell of a story to share next year that yes you dug a hole, but not only did you get out of it, you stood taller than you ever have.”

Speaking of Ottawa, they themselves are coming off a key result, as they beat Pacific 3-0 on the road last weekend to snap a three game losing streak of their own, allowing them to remain within two points of first-place Forge FC in that aforementioned title race.

With Forge and third-place York facing off on Friday, they’ll enter this Halifax clash knowing the result of that match, which is key for them, as they could potentially leap into first if that result goes their way and they then snatch a win over Halifax.

At the same time, they won’t want to look too far ahead, as they’re focused on building off the positives of their recent Pacific win, where they looked like the side who has spent a large chunk of the season at the top of the table.

If they’re going to find a way to beat a Wanderers side that’s never easy to beat at…