RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC vs. Atlético Ottawa | April 13, 2025

It was four goals and three points for the first time in 2025 for Atlético Ottawa, who earned their first victory of the season in a dominant 4-1 win over Vancouver FC in Langley.

David Rodríguez continued his brilliant start to the campaign as he scored the opener on a stunning effort in the 20th minute, before setting up Kevin Dos Santos in the 37th. Ballou Tabla and Monty Patterson also scored for Atleti, while Terran Campbell scored his first goal for the Eagles.

In the fourth minute, Atlético Ottawa’s Gabriel Antinoro forced an excellent stop from Callum Irving, who got a hand to his cross-goal strike from the right flank. The ball bounced dangerously across the net but was cleared by Vancouver before Atleti could open the scoring.

Vancouver came even closer in the 13th minute, as a great attacking sequence saw a lovely ball across goal played by Allan Enyou to find Alejandro Díaz at the back post. The Vancouver attacker volleyed the ball back across goal, which fell to the boot of Henri Godbout, in his first professional start. But the Vancouver winger’s point-blank shot was brilliantly blocked off the line by Atlético’s Noah Abatneh.

It was a moment of individual brilliance that created the match’s opening goal, however. Rodríguez picked up the ball in the middle of the park and ran at the Vancouver FC defence. After beating a few players on the dribble before finding a pocket of space at the top of the box and unleashing a driven shot that beat Callum Irving to put Atlético Ottawa up 1-0.

It was Rodríguez’s second goal in as many matches since joining Atlético Ottawa, and he quickly establishes himself as one of the most exciting players in the league early in the 2025 season. Atleti nearly had their second of the match in the 26th minute, as Dos Santos sent a lovely ball across the goal to Samuel Salter, but his shot was denied by Callum Irving.

In the 37th minute, Atlético added a second. Again, it was Rodriguez who created the moment, as he dribbled across the top of the box, and played the ball wide for Dos Santos, whose curling strike nestled in the far side of the net.

Atlético Ottawa added a third in the 42nd minute on a rare error from Irving. Attempting to clear a ball over the top, he shanked his effort, and the ball fell to Ballou Tabla, who had a wide-open net to slide in his first of the season.

Vancouver looked like they had an excellent opportunity to get one back before half-time through Elage Bah, but his effort from in close was hit wide before the offside flag came up. Atlético Ottawa held a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the half.

The hosts made a pair of changes at the half, looking to find some sort of spark, bringing off youngsters Emrick Fotsing and TJ Tahid, replaced by Campbell and David Norman Jr.

Ottawa had some great chances to do even more damage early in the second half, including when Noah Abatneh hit the post from close range in the 51st minute. In the 61st minute, Irving was forced to make another great save on another great strike from Tabla.

Díaz had a great chance to get Vancouver on the board in the 62nd minute after a ball over the top, but Nate Ingham did well to stop his initial effort and then dive on the rebound before Campbell could pounce.

The CPL’s all-time leader goalscorer wouldn’t be denied, however. Bah played a lovely ball into the box, and Campbell slotted home his first goal since August 12, 2023 — but his league-leading 40th in Canadian Premier League history to make the score 3-1.

Atleti’s Sam Salter had a number of great opportunities to open his account thereafter, but Irving seemed to have his number on the day, denying several good chances before the Ottawa striker’s removal from the match in the 78th minute.

His replacement, Patterson, added a fourth for Ottawa after latching onto the rebound of an Aboubacar Sissoko strike in the 83rd minute.

For Vancouver FC, their struggles at home continue, as the Eagles have now gone ten straight matches, dating back to last season, without a victory.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Enyou, Campagna, Gee; Godbout (Podgorni 67′), Fotsing (Norman Jr. 46′), Mezquida (Joseph 90'), Bah (Powell 78′); Tahid (Campbell 46′), Díaz

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Kozlovskiy (Cloutier 64′), Didić, Abatneh; Dos Santos, Aparicio, Castro (Sissoko 64′), Rodriguez (Verhoeven 64′), Antinoro; Tabla (Moreno 70′), Salter (Patterson 78′) 

Goals

20′ — David Rodríguez (Atlético Ottawa)
37′ — Kevin Dos Santos (Atlético Ottawa)
42′ — Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa)
66′ — Terran Campbell (Vancouver FC)
83′ — Monty Patterson (Atlético Ottawa)

Discipline

45+1′ — Yellow: Juan Castro (Atlético Ottawa)
54′ — Yellow: Amer Didić (Atlético Ottawa)
90+1′ — Yellow: Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)