The race at the top of the Canadian Premier League table got closer on Friday night, as second-place York United FC beat league leaders Atlético Ottawa, 4-1 at York Lions Stadium, as the Nine Stripes improved to 6-1-1 on home turf in 2024 and pulled to just two points back of Atleti for the regular season lead.

York United fans in attendance were treated to a first glimpse of their team’s latest signing, as Mexican attacker Jorge Guzmán got the start after the club officially announced his arrival on loan from Atlas on Friday. Meanwhile, Ottawa went with as strong a lineup as ever, with Amer Didic and Luke Singh reuniting at the back while Matteo de Brienne returned from suspension.

The visitors did not need long to open the scoring in this one, as they found the net in just the sixth minute. Aboubacar Sissoko won the ball in the attacking half and held off a York defender to square it for Ballou Tabla, who found Ollie Bassett rushing into space. Bassett, drifting in from the left wing, cut into the half-space and unleashed a superb right-footed curler from outside the box to beat Thomas Vincensini in the top left corner and make it 1-0 for Ottawa.

York came to life after conceding, and about 10 minutes after the opening goal they nearly found their leveller, as Juan Cordóva moved into the box after a collision between two Ottawa defenders. He couldn’t get free, though, stumbling — perhaps with some contact from Matteo de Brienne — and ultimately unable to get a shot off. The Nine Stripes, continuing to press through the rest of the first half, had another penalty shout just after the 30th minute as a ball caught Kris Twardek’s outstretched arm in the box, but the referee waved play on again.

Shortly before halftime, York finally broke through. Mo Babouli played a corner short to Cordóva, who feigned a run toward the box before rolling it up to Guzmán in acres of space at the top of the area. The newcomer wasted no time delivering a superb ball into traffic, where York’s Elijah Adekugbe climbed above the rest to head it past Nathan Ingham and tie the game at 1-1.

The early second half saw York continue to be the aggressors, and it took just over five minutes for them to find the net again. Cordóva found a huge pocket of space well outside the box and, seeing Ottawa’s defenders staying in their deep block, he flicked a shot toward goal over all the outfield players. His attempt landed just inside the six-yard box and the bounce seemed to catch Atleti keeper Nathan Ingham by surprise, sending him the wrong way as it got past him to put York in front 2-1.

Bassett came inches from scoring again in the 69th minute as a similar situation to his first goal unfolded, but this time his strike smacked off the crossbar and back out, leaving York ahead. Ottawa hit the woodwork again just a few minutes later, when Rubén del Campo’s hit from the top of the penalty area caught the bottom of the right goalpost.

It would be York that put the hammer down after that however, as the 78th minute saw Babouli collect the ball by the wing and dribble into the box all by himself, cutting around a pair of defenders before shooting. The York captain’s attempt caught a deflection on the way through and again the ball eluded Ingham, nestling in the goal to give the hosts a two-goal lead.

York remained protagonists after scoring the third, mostly holding the ball to see out their victory. In fact, they added yet another goal on the edge of full time, as Brian Wright pulled back into a tie for the Golden Boot lead by scoring a fourth goal for York in transition, making it 4-1 in a statement performance from the club.

By securing another win — their third in a row at home — they extended their unbeaten streak at York Lions Stadium to seven, clawing ever closer to the top of the table.

BOX SCORE

Lineups 

York United FC: Vincensini; Ferrari, León, Sturing, Abatneh, Botello; Cordóva, Adekugbe; Babouli (Baldisimo 87′), Wright (Ricci 90′), Guzmán (Jimoh 90+2′)

Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Twardek (Morer 60′), Singh, Didic, De Brienne; Sissoko (Torres 88′), Zapater (Salter 60′), Aparicio; Tabla (Antinoro 79′), Del Campo, Bassett

Goals

6′ — Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa)
41′ — Elijah Adekugbe (York United FC)
51′ — Juan Cordóva (York United FC)
78′ — Mo Babouli (York United FC)
90′ — Brian Wright (York United FC)

Discipline

12′ — Yellow: Elijah Adekugbe (York United FC)
38′ — Yellow: Luke Singh (Atlético Ottawa)
54′ — Yellow: Kris Twardek (Atlético Ottawa)
56′ — Yellow: Alberto Zapater (Atlético Ottawa)
69′ — Yellow: Manny Aparicio (Atlético Ottawa)
82′ — Yellow: Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa)
82′ — Yellow: Oswaldo León (York United FC)