Ali Musse is back.

The 2023 Players Player of the Year made his return from injury off the bench on Saturday in the nation’s capital and scored a brace to hand Cavalry a 2-1 victory over Atlético Ottawa in the nation’s capital. Sam Salter looked to have given the hosts a point with an 87th-minute equalizer, but Musse provided the match-winner for the visitors in stunning fashion just two minutes later.

It was the first time in 2024 that the 2023 regular season winners Cavalry FC have won back-to-back matches in the league — but they had to wait a while on the night to make that happen. In the third minute of the match, a flash of lightning sent both teams back to their respective locker rooms for a lengthy weather delay. Two hours later, after the severe weather system had moved through the area, the sides returned to the pitch to resume play.

Cavalry had the first chance of note in the 13th minute, as Diego Gutiérrez carried the ball into a dangerous area down the byline. His cutback attempt bounced around the Ottawa box, and both Tobias Warschewski and Sergio Camargo had cracks at goal, but both saw their attempts blocked.

Eight minutes later, Ottawa’s Tyr Walker tripped up Camargo just outside his box — giving up a dangerous free kick. Warschewski’s attempt, however, was once again blocked by the Atleti backline.

Cavalry continued to create chances with brilliant ball movement, putting the hosts under pressure for long stretches during the opening half hour. In the 28th minute, Camargo got himself all alone in the box, but his shot was stopped well by Rayane Yesli.

The hosts were able to slow the match down thereafter, however, and hold the ball a little bit better. Matteo de Brienne had a decent effort from distance in the 38th minute, which was caught and held by Marco Carducci. That was the last chance for either side during a mostly quiet first half, with the score remaining 0-0.

At the half, Cavalry decided to make a bit of a tactical switch, bringing on striker Lowell Wright for Camargo. Warschewski moved back into the middle as a second striker, with Wright leading the line up top.

The visitors had an excellent chance early in the second half, as Shamit Shome dispossessed Liberman Torres in the centre of the park. He sent the ball to Warschewski, who returned it to him in a dangerous spot alone down the left side of the box. Shome got his shot all wrong, however, and sent it wide from close range.

A substitution for Atlético Ottawa seemed to also shift the match thereafter, as Kris Twardek’s introduction saw the hosts build several chances down his right flank. They continued to struggle to breach the Cavalry box with regularity, however.

In the 66th minute came what could be a significant moment in Cavalry FC’s season, as Musse stepped back onto the pitch for the first time in CPL action since May 3. Just over seven minutes later he created a moment of magic, taking a short corner to Fraser Air, who returned the ball. Musse struck a shot from the top of the box, which took a significant deflection off of Amer Didić and beat Yesli to make it 1-0 for the visitors.

Warschewski then scored on a lovely backheel in the 80th minute but was well offside on the play. Atleti then won a free kick in a dangerous position in the 85th minute, but Alberto Zapater’s effort was well saved by Carducci.

In the 87th minute, however, after a long spell of pressure, Atlético Ottawa found an equalizer. Zapater played a lovely ball around the corner into the patch of de Brienne, who played a great low cross into Didić. His shot was blocked, but the rebound fell to Salter, who showed brilliant composure to curl the ball into the top corner and tie the game.

But there was still one more moment of Musse magic on the night. In the 89th minute, Musse won the ball at midfield and burst toward the Ottawa box and with several he created a yard of space for himself before curling a stunning left-footed strike past Yesli.

It was just the second victory Cavalry FC have ever managed in the nation’s capital, and just their fourth win against the capital club overall. Atleti will remain in the league’s top spot, but lead Ontario rivals York United by just a single point, with Forge and now Cavalry hot on their heels as well.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

Atlético Ottawa: Yesli; Morer (Salter 71′), Didić, Walker (Singh 71′), de Brienne; Roy (Twardek 58′), Torres (Zapater 58′), Bassett, Sissoko; Tabla, del Campo

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird (Montgomery 90+1′), Klomp, Field, Kamdem; Gutiérrez, Shome; Henry (Musse 66′), Camargo (Wright 46′), Wähling (Myroniuk 66′); Warschewski (Shaw 81′) 

Goals

72′ — Ali Musse (Cavalry FC)
87′ — Sam Salter (Atlético Ottawa)
89′ — Ali Musse (Cavalry FC) 

Discipline

33′ — Yellow: Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)
76′ — Yellow: Shamit Shome (Cavalry FC)
84′ — Yellow: Fraser Aird (Cavalry FC)