RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC vs. Atlético Ottawa (May 30, 2025)

Vancouver FC and Atlético Ottawa kicked off a busy weekend of Canadian Premier League action with a thrilling clash at Willoughby Community Park, as Ottawa came from down 2-0 to rescue a 2-2 draw.

After a strong first half from Vancouver, who took a two goal lead into half time, Ottawa did well to respond with a second half outburst, one that nearly won them the game in the dying moments, as they instead had to settle for a draw that provisionally pushes them atop the table, while keeping Vancouver locked in seventh.

Despite Vancouver’s good first half, Ottawa had a strong start to the game, as they came out of the gates with all sorts of energy early.

As a result, Sam Salter had a good look at goal in the 7th minute, as he lined up a shot from distance, forcing a good save out of Vancouver’s Callum Irving. Then, soon after, Tyr Duhaney-Walker had a great chance on a header, having found himself unmarked in the box for a dangerous cross from Kévin dos Santos, but he sent his shot over the goal.

At the other end, having survived that early onslaught, Vancouver would open the scoring in the 13th minute, which ironically came from a bit of Ottawa misfortune. After a great run down the right flank by Kunle Dada-Luke, he whipped in a dangerous ball, one that would bounce off Ottawa’s Loïc Cloutier, who stood by helplessly as the ball rolled in for the own goal.

Then, right after, Juan Batista had a fantastic effort from distance in the 18th minute, catching all of a right-footed strike, but Nathan Ingham caught the ball nicely, having anticipated the trajectory of the shot before diving.

Eager to get back into the game, Ottawa came close off a corner in the 25th minute. Once again, it’d be dos Santos who’d whip in a great ball, this time after a short corner routine, but Noah Abatneh’s back-post header would hit the crossbar and stay out of the goal.

From there, Ottawa kept pushing and had another look in the 37th minute, as Gabriel Antinoro curled a shot towards the top corner, but Irving did well to anticipate the shot and catch it without diving. Continuing a strong sequence, Salter then had a great chance in the 41st minute, driving a powerful left-footed strike towards goal after the ball fell to him in the box, but Irving would manage to tip that one over the crossbar.

The pressure kept mounting from there, as Alberto Zapater found David Rodríguez with a great ball over the top, but the Ottawa attacker sliced his shot wide of the goal.

Ottawa would quickly come to rue that swarm of missed chances, too, as Vancouver would respond with a perfectly timed goal. On a great corner from Vasco Fry, he found Emrick Fotsing at the back post, and the youngster headed the ball into the bottom corner with accuracy to make it 2-0 right before the break.

On the other side of half time, Ottawa kept on pushing, and had another glorious chance in the 50th minute, as Salter found a wide-open Rodríguez with a cutback towards the penalty spot, but Rodríguez sent his shot wide of the goal. Then, right after, dos Santos had a crack from distance, striking the wrong side of the post with his effort, as he was inches away from halving the deficit.

Finally, however, Ottawa’s constant pressure would lead to them finding their first goal in the 55th minute, and it’d come from the foot of dos Santos. This time, he’d be the provider, finding Salter with a beautiful cross into the box, one that Salter easily turned into the goal with his left foot to cut Vancouver’s lead to 2-1.

They wouldn’t be done there, either, as Ottawa kept pushing for more. They came very close to finding an equalizer in the 59th minute, as Antinoro fired a powerful shot after getting teed up at the edge of the box, but his attempt rattled the crossbar. Then, less than a minute later, Rodríguez had a shot from distance, forcing a beautiful save out of Irving.

That pressure would eventually pay off, as Ottawa found an equalizer in the 64th minute. After a great ball from Manny Aparicio to Salter, Salter would find himself denied on his breakaway attempt, but the rebound would then fall to Rodríguez, who’d slot the ball into an empty net to make it 2-2.

Wanting to get a foothold back in the game, however, Vancouver started to push again, and almost regained the lead in the 70th minute.

There, Terran Campbell would have an excellent double chance, first firing a shot from close range with his right foot after being teed up by David Norman Jr., but he’d be denied by Ingham on that attempt, before he sent the subsequent rebound wide of the goal on his left foot. Then, soon after, Norman Jr. had a nice header on a corner, but his looping attempt was saved on the goalline by a defender, as Ottawa did well to keep the game tied.

At the other end, Ottawa had another good chance in the 78th minute, as Rodríguez cut inside and fired a shot, curling it just wide of the goal. Then, Rodríguez teed up Ballou Tabla with a nice cutback in the 80th minute, but Tabla curled the ball over the goal.

Vancouver almost gave their fans something to cheer about in the 3rd minute of stoppage time, as Mehdi Essoussi whipped in a perfect ball on a free kick, but his bouncing ball would bounce off the post and stay out, much to the relief of Ottawa’s defenders.

Ottawa would almost make them pay for that miss, as Monty Patterson fired a shot from distance, one that would deflect off Rodríguez and dribble into the net for what seemed to be a late winner, but the goal would be ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Then, in the 6th minute of stoppage time, Salter had a glorious chance off a free kick, but he headed just wide on the final action of the game, as Ottawa’s late push was unable to yield a dramatic finish.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Campagna, Enyou, Bah (Gee 90+1'); Fotsing (Godbout 90+1'), Norman Jr., Fry (Essoussi 82'); Batista (Mezquida 56'); Ndiaye, Díaz (Campbell 56')

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Cloutier, Abatneh, Levis (Duhaney-Walker 9'); Antinoro (Patterson 86'), Zapater (Tabla 56'), Castro (Sissoko 86'), dos Santos; Rodríguez, Aparicio; Salter

Goals

13' -- Loïc Cloutier (Atlético Ottawa) (Own Goal)

45' -- Emrick Fotsing (Vancouver FC)

55' -- Sam Salter (Atlético Ottawa)

64' -- David Rodríguez (Atlético Ottawa)

Discipline

29' -- Yellow: Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)

35' -- Yellow: Elage Bah (Vancouver FC)

48' -- Yellow: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)

84' -- Yellow: Nicolás Mezquida (Vancouver FC)

90+2' -- Yellow: Tyr Duhaney-Walker (Atlético Ottawa)