August 2, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL)
Atletico Ottawa News Release
For perhaps the first time since the 2024 Canadian Premier League season kicked off, Atlético Ottawa are facing some adversity as they host Cavalry FC on Saturday at TD Place Stadium.
Having topped the table since Matchweek 4, Atleti saw their league lead slip to just two points after a humbling 4-1 loss to second-place York United this past weekend at York Lions Stadium. They also have just a pair of wins in their past seven matches, and only one home victory in their past five at TD Place Stadium.
If anyone truly understands what they are going through, however, it is their opponent on Saturday. Cavalry spent the final ten matchweeks of the 2023 season in the league’s top spot, and despite ultimately winning the league by 13 points they know the difficulty and pressure that comes with leading from the front.
“We’ve been at the top of the table quite often, it’s hard because there’s an expectation,” said Cavalry FC manager Tommy Wheeldon Jr. “I think what Ottawa is going through right now is exactly that.”
Despite their struggles, particularly in picking up wins this season, Cavalry FC come into the match with plenty of confidence after a 1-0 away victory over Vancouver FC last Friday which put them back above the playoff line. They sit eight points behind Ottawa right now in the table, but know this is a chance to really announce themselves as regular season title contenders during the second half of the campaign.
“We’re looking forward to the game because it’s an opportunity to bridge the gap to the lead,” said Wheeldon Jr. “I remember at some point last year, Pacific had an 11-point lead on us, and we obviously end up winning by 13. So leads can change, and different leaders can come through it.”
Leads haven’t lasted in the two meetings between the sides so far this season, both of which have ended in 1-1 draws. The most recent meeting, on June 21, saw a second-minute goal by Tobias Warschewski cancelled out by an Alberto Zapater header. The sides also met in Ottawa back on April 20, with Didić opening the scoring this time before a 90th-minute equalizer on a Kris Twardek own goal.
It was the second consecutive trip to the nation’s capital that has seen late drama for Cavalry. On September 2, 2023, a 97th-minute winner from William Akio gave the Cavs a famous 2-1 victory in Ottawa en route to lifting the 2023 CPL Shield as regular season winners.
That was actually their first and…
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