RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Atlético Ottawa vs. Cavalry FC 🇨🇦 | Sept. 27, 2025

Atlético Ottawa soundly beat Cavalry FC 3-0 at TD Place Stadium on Saturday, taking another step in their pursuit of the CPL Shield thanks to key performances from Sam Salter, Ballou Tabla and goalkeeper Nathan Ingham.

Cavalry very much started the match on the front foot and smothered Atlético Ottawa’s patented build in the opening minutes. Head coach Diego Mejía’s squad, like a pugilist searching for a gap, explored the pitch in possession but it was Cavalry’s striker, Tobias Warschewski, who delivered the first real shot, a tame attempt from outside the 18-yard box that was calmly collected by Atlético Ottawa 'keeper Ingham.

Minutes later, on the counter-attack, winger Goteh Ntignee found himself with space and Ali Musse streaking down the right flank. However, pressed by a collapsing defence, Ntignee opted to shoot, sending the ball wide.

The match began to shift around the 15-minute mark, with Atlético Ottawa settling in and finding their passing groove. Veteran pivot Manny Aparicio registered his side’s first shot on target — a knuckleball from distance — but it was the CPL’s leading goalscorer Salter who broke the deadlock, stripping Cavalry centre-back Levi Laing in the 18th minute before juking the goalkeeper to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Cavalry had their looks in the first half, with Musse causing trouble for Mejía’s defenders, but were unable to seize their opportunities. They finished the first stanza with eight shots to Atlético Ottawa’s four but only had one on target. Despite a strong start, they held only 42.8 per cent of possession.

Atlético Ottawa picked up where they left off in the second half, finding space with some nifty ball movement from Salter, Tabla and David Rodríguez, but couldn’t intially solve Cavalry’s defence, which sat deeper in their 4-2-3-1.

Head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. went to his bench first, subbing off Shamit Shome and Bradley Kamdem for Caniggia Elva and Mihail Gherasimencov ahead of a dangerous free-kick opportunity just outside of Ingham’s box. Warschewski’s attempt on the subsequent play was blocked. Later, in the 66th minute, Cavalry’s passing connected with Warschewski again as he motored into the box but his shot flew well above the net.

The match opened up from there with both sides creating fantastic chances. Salter had the first opportunity, played in by a perfect through ball from Rodríguez, but he was stopped by a sprawling Cardducci. Moments later, Musse found himself with a brace of chances — in open play and from a dead ball situation — but was unable to convert. Ultimately, it was Tabla who found the back of the net after a flurry of activity up and down the pitch, taking a low shot that deflected off Aird and into the back of the net.

Tabla struck again minutes later, collecting a pass from Salter before clinically picking the bottom left corner with a bullet of a shot to complete his brace. Salter finished the match with a goal and an assist.

Cavalry pushed to get something on the board and looked poised to do so as Monty Patterson was deemed to foul Nikolas Myroniuk in the box, resulting in a penalty. However, on the ensuing play, Elva's shot was saved by Ingham, who preserved the clean sheet with a fantastic stop. Wheeldon Jr.'s side finished the match with 21 shots but only three were on target whereas Mejía’s were much more clinical in the box with their shot selection.

With the loss, Cavalry have opened themselves up to potentially being caught by both the Halifax Wanderers and York United FC. Meanwhile, Atlético Ottawa continue their push for the CPL Shield, putting themselves in a good position with a big three points.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Cloutier, Abatneh, Kozlovskiy; Antinoro, Castro (Zapater 75'), Aparicio, Santos (Assi 67'); Rodríguez (Ortega 75'), Tabla (Verhoeven 83'); Salter (Patterson 83')**

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird (Wähling 75'), Laing, Klomp, Kamdem (Gherasimencov 63'); Kobza, Baldisimo (Myroniuk 75'); Musse, Shome (Elva 63'), Ntignee (Sellouf 75'); Warschewski

Goals

18' — Sam Salter (Atlético Ottawa)

72' — Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa)

80' — Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa)

Discipline

28' — Yellow: Ali Musse (Cavalry FC)

45'+2 — Yellow: Fraser Aird (Cavalry FC)

55' — Yellow: Sergei Kozlovskiy (Atlético Ottawa)

55' — Yellow: Eryk Kobza (Cavalry FC)

78' — Yellow: Kevin Ortega (Atlético Ottawa)

86' — Yellow: Nikolas Myroniuk (Cavalry FC)

88' — Yellow: Tobias Warschewski (Atlético Ottawa)