After a dramatic conclusion to an otherwise quiet match, Halifax Wanderers and Atlético Ottawa split the points in CPL action at Wanderers Grounds on Saturday, as both teams traded goals late in added time in a dramatic 1-1 draw.

With that result, Atlético Ottawa remained two points off first place in the CPL, unable to capitalize on a chance to leapfrog into first place with a win, while the Wanderers remained in eighth place, six points back from the fifth and final playoff spot after picking up this point.

After a quiet start to the game for both teams, Dan Nimick had a good chance for the Wanderers in the 35th minute, as he got his head on a dangerous corner, looping his header just over the goal from a tight angle.

At the other end, Ottawa nearly pounced on a dangerous Wanderers turnover, which nearly led to a chance if not from a last-ditch challenge from Wanderers goalkeeper Yann Fillion, who was booked for his efforts.

Shortly after half time, Ottawa had the first big chance of the game in the 51st minute, as Dani Morer found Amer Didić on a perfect set-piece delivery, but Didić’s powerful header was kept out by a strong save from Fillion.

Then, continuing their push for an opener, Ottawa had another great look in the 56th minute, as Rubén del Campo snuck in behind the Halifax defence, and he fired a dangerous low shot towards the goal, curling it just wide of the far post.

Right after in the 62nd minute, del Campo got in behind the Wanderers defence again, attempting a tight-angle chip, sending a dangerous attempt just wide once again.

Meanwhile, Halifax nearly scored a perfect goal at the other end in the 73rd minute, as Ryan Telfer found Wesley Timóteo with a great ball over the top, but Timóteo was unable to keep his attempt below the crossbar from inside of the box. Shortly after, Massimo Ferrin stepped up to take a long-distance free kick, making great contact on his attempt, but his shot just missed the Ottawa target.

The Wanderers would come to rue those missed chances late on, however. In the 92nd minute, the ball fell to Ottawa’s Sam Salter in Halifax’s box on a counter-attack, and he managed to power home a deflected shot on his right foot to give his team a late 1-0 lead.

Yet, they didn’t give up from there, setting up a dramatic conclusion. After a great run from Massimo Ferrin in the 95th minute, he found Andre Rampersad with a nice pass, and Rampersad would do well to win a penalty after dribbling around Ottawa’s Manny Aparicio.

There, up stepped Dan Nimick, and he made no mistake in slotting home his seventh penalty and eighth goal of the CPL season for the Wanderers, allowing his team to recover a point on the last kick of the game.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

Halifax Wanderers: Fillion; Fernandez, Nimick, Loughrey, Timoteo (Ferrazzo 90′); Callegari, Rampersad, Ferrin; Telfer (Dias 90′), Coimbra (Daniels 64′), Rea (Probo 80′)

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Morer (Sissoko 75′), Walker, Didic, Iliadis, de Brienne; Bassett (Tabla 75′), Zapater, Aparicio, Antinoro (Salter 56′); del Campo

Goals

90+2′ — Samuel Salter (Atlético Ottawa)

90+6′ — Dan Nimick (Halifax Wanderers) (pen.)

Discipline

33′ — Yellow: Manny Aparicio (Atlético Ottawa)

39′ — Yellow: Yann Fillion (Halifax Wanderers)

47′ — Yellow: Matteo de Brienne (Atlético Ottawa)

62′ — Yellow: Amer Didić (Atlético Ottawa)

81′ — Yellow: Rubén del Campo (Atlético Ottawa)

84′ — Yellow: Alberto Zapater (Atlético Ottawa)