RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Atlético Ottawa vs. Cavalry FC | September 30, 2026

The Canadian Premier League's defending champions are back in the playoffs. 

Atlético Ottawa clinched a postseason spot on Wednesday night with a heartstopping stoppage-time victory over Cavalry FC at TD Place. 

It brought back championship memories in the capital, as the last time they had defeated Cavalry, and the last time the Calgary club had conceded multiple goals against a CPL team, was in the 2025 CPL Final. 

Atlético Ottawa hoisted their first-ever North Star Cup on that day; now they will officially have a chance to defend that crown.

They earned it in a fierce battle on Wednesday night with the CPL league leaders, dealing a blow to Cavalry's CPL Shield hopes in the process. 

On a ninth-minute corner kick, Cavalry's set-piece supremacy continued. Eryk Kobza rose the highest to meet a perfectly placed cross from Ali Musse, heading it past Chris Kalongo and into the net for the opening goal. 

It was the 23rd set-piece goal Cavalry have scored this season, clearing the CPL single-season record of 19 they set last season.

Having been dealt that early blow, Atleti responded well. They controlled most of the ball, and got into some dangerous areas, but could not test their former goalkeeper Nate Ingham. 

Cavalry had a great chance to add a second at the half-hour mark through some fluid football, which ended with Edwards picking out Musse in the box. His shot, however, was brilliantly blocked by Julian Dunn. 

The visitors continued to look dangerous on the counter throughout the half. They had a penalty shout in the 40th minute on another dangerous fast break, but after an FVS challenge it was waved away. 

That was the final action of note in the half, with Cavalry leading 1-0 at the half. They still have not conceded a first-half goal away from home this season. 

Cavalry kept pressing for a second to begin the second half. First it was a breakaway for Goteh Ntignee, but he got his finish all wrong and set it well wide of target. Moments later, Ntignee picked out Edwards, whose effort at goal was far better but was brilliantly denied by Kalongo. 

It was Atleti, however, who struck next. In the 59th minute, Kamron Habibullah beat his man in midfield and sent the ball wide to Emiliano García. After Ingham spilled the winger's strike, Habibullah hammered home the rebound to make it 1-1. 

The goal seemed to ignite Atlético Ottawa's confidence, and they came close again moments later as Ballou Tabla was slipped into the box. This time, Ingham made a good save to deny the capital club's leading goalscorer. 

But Ottawa kept pressing, and in the 73rd minute they won a free kick just outside the box. Habibullah stepped up again, and sent a stunning strike over the wall and past Ingham to make it 2-1. 

Things went from bad to worse in the 81st minute, when Goteh Ntignee was initially shown a yellow card, and then a second one for arguing, to put the visitors down to ten men. 

But when the fourth official showed 13 minutes of stoppage time, it opened the door for more theatrics. 

Despite being down a man and a goal, Cavalry took that opportunity. Substitute Owen Graham-Roache picked out Tobias Warschewski in the fourth minute of stoppage time, and suddenly it was level again at 2-2. 

Nobody in the CPL this season has done late drama quite like Atlético Ottawa, however. In the tenth minute of stoppage time, substitute Gabriel Antinoro took a ball just outside the box, cut into the area and fired a shot over Ingham to send TD Place into pandemonium. 

It was a huge moment in Atlético Ottawa's season, and a potentially significant one in the CPL Shield race. With a win on Saturday in Hamilton, Forge FC could close the gap to three points with three matches remaining in the 2026 season.

Box Score

Starting XIs

Atlético Ottawa: Kalongo; Coulanges, Kozlovskiy, Dunn, Arnaud (Abraham 90+9'); Gutiérrez (Castro 88'), Aparicio; Habibullah, Tabla (Antinoro 76'), García (Assi 90+9'); Fleuriau Chateau (Escoto 76')

Cavalry FC: Ingham; Pearlman (Myroniuk 85'), Didić, Klomp, Kamdem (Ofori 85'); Paton (Baldisimo 61'), Kobza; Ntignee, Musse (Henry 85'), Edwards (Graham-Roache 77'); Warschewski 

Goals

9' - Eryk Kobza (Cavalry FC)
59' - Kamron Habibullah (Atlético Ottawa) 
73' - Kamron Habibullah (Atlético Ottawa) 
90+4' - Tobias Warschewski (Cavalry FC) 
90+10' - Gabriel Antinoro (Atlético Ottawa) 

Discipline

43' - Yellow: Diego Gutiérrez (Atlético Ottawa) 
51' - Yellow: Harry Paton (Cavalry FC)
56' - Yellow: Adam Pearlman (Cavalry FC) 
80' - Yellow+Red: Goteh Ntignee (Cavalry FC)
90+8' - Yellow: Michael Baldisimo (Cavalry FC) 

CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match

Kamron Habibullah, Atlético Ottawa 

A brilliant brace from the Atleti midfielder changed the game, and was the foundation on which his club picked up one of their biggest wins of the season. 

What's Next?

Cavalry FC's Ontario road trip continues as they travel to York Lions Stadium on Saturday to take on Inter Toronto (12 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. MT). 

Atlético Ottawa, meanwhile, aren't in action next until Sunday, Oct. 11, when they travel to Royal Athletic Park in Victoria to battle Pacific FC (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT).