A trio of second-half goals in Langley on Friday night saw top of the table Atlético Ottawa stay undefeated on the road during the 2024 CPL season.
They defeated Vancouver FC 3-0, their league-leading fourth away win of the season, courtesy of goals from Ballou Tabla in the 57th minute, Rubén del Campo in the 69th and Sam Salter in second-half stoppage time.
After a couple of half chances for each team through the early stages of the match, the hosts had the first real look at goal in the 27th minute. That’s when Vancouver’s Rocco Romeo forced a brilliant reaction save from Nate Ingham on a point-blank effort from a header off a free kick.
The chance seemed to shake the match awake, as the teams went end-to-end in the next few minutes with both sides left shouting for penalties. First Matteo de Brienne skipped into the Vancouver box and his low cross looked to have struck the hand of Romeo. On the resulting counterattack, Vancouver’s Mikaël Cantave was brought down by Atlético Ottawa’s Tyr Walker in the Atleti box, but play was waved on once again.
Atleti had one more chance right before the half as a sweetly struck corner from Ollie Bassett dropped just in front of del Campo, but his header went harmlessly over the bar. The match remained scoreless at halftime.
Vancouver were on the front foot for the opening moments of the second half. They found a lot of joy, especially down the flanks, forcing some more key interventions from Ingham.
Against the run of play, however, Atleti opened the scoring in the 57th minute. Ollie Bassett slipped a ball through to Aboubacar Sissoko down the flank. Sissoko held up the ball well, and played in Tabla, who lost the ball on his initial turn.
As Vancouver FC’s David Norman stole the ball, however, he inadvertently had a heavy touch into the box. Tabla shouldered the Vancouver midfielder off the ball, and poked it past Irving to make it 1-0 for the visitors.
Atlético Ottawa continued to press their advantage, and forced a good save from Irving in the 68th minute on a dipping strike from de Brienne from distance.
Moments later, they doubled the lead. Tabla slipped in del Campo, who smashed his initial shot off the post before collecting his own rebound and putting it past Irving. It was the Atleti striker’s seventh goal of the season, moving him into a tie for the league lead with York United’s Brian Wright.
Looking to get back into the match, Vancouver had a good chance in the 74th minute as Gaby Bitar sent a thundering volley goalward. It was brilliantly blocked by Atleti’s Amer Didić.
Off the bench, Salter added insult to injury cutting past Allan Enyou outside the Ottawa box, before driving a low shot that slipped through the hands of Irving. It was the fourth time this season that Atlético Ottawa have scored three or more goals this campaign.
It was just Vancouver FC’s second loss of the season at home. However, their form in general has dipped significantly of late with just one win in their past seven matches.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Vancouver FC: Irving; Cameron (Crawford 84′), Romeo, Enyou, Gee; Bah (Fisk 46′), Norman (McDonnell 74′), Garcia, Cantave (Dzikowski 67′); Bitar, Díaz
Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Twardek, Didić, Walker, de Brienne; Torres (Zapater 60′), Aparicio (77′), Sissoko, Bassett (Roy 90+3′); Tabla (Antinoro 77′) , del Campo (Salter 77′)
Goals
57′ — Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa)
69′ — Rubén del Campo (Atlético Ottawa)
90+1′ — Samuel Salter (Atlético Ottawa)
Discipline
12′ — Yellow: Rubén del Campo (Atlético Ottawa)
26′ — Yellow: Manny Aparicio (Atlético Ottawa)
47′ — Yellow: Matteo de Brienne (Atlético Ottawa)
54′ — Yellow: David Norman (Vancouver FC)
85′ — Yellow: Tyr Walker (Atlético Ottawa)
