Pacific FC and Atlético Ottawa split the points on Friday night at Starlight Stadium, as a wild roller-coaster of a match ultimately finished 2-2 to wrap up the CPL’s doubleheader.
Despite Pacific having more than 75 per cent possession in the opening 20 minutes, it would be the visitors who opened the scoring in the first half. After successfully defending a Pacific corner, Ottawa’s Ollie Bassett brought down a long clearance to launch a counter-attack, driving forward quickly and drawing a defender before playing a neat pass to Samuel Salter in empty space in the box. Salter finished past Kieran Baskett to put Atleti ahead.
The home side continued to push for a goal in the remainder of the first half, but despite all their possession they struggled to find a way through Ottawa’s block. Easton Ongaro came close, hitting the crossbar with a header in first-half stoppage time, and not long after — with the final touch of the half — Pacific did at last find their equalizer.
Ayman Sellouf sent an in-swinging corner toward the near post, where Thomas Meilleur-Giguère was available to flick it into the net for his first CPL regular season goal.
Both sides kept the goals flowing early in the second half. Just four minutes into the frame, Sellouf took another corner kick and this time he didn’t need a teammate’s help, as Ottawa keeper Nathan Ingham couldn’t control the ball and it bounced in to put Pacific in front with an Olimpico goal.
Just a few minutes later, though, Atleti went down the other way quickly and Salter found the ball in the box. Sean Young made contact with the Ottawa striker who went to ground, earning the penalty kick. Ollie Bassett stepped up for the visitors to score in the bottom right corner, bringing his side back level.
After a handful of chances at either end, Pacific thought they might have found their winning moment in around the 83rd minute. Djenairo Daniels came bursting into the box free on goal, but Ottawa defender Diego Espejo grabbed him by the shoulder and sent him to the ground. Referee Alain Ruch immediately pointed to the penalty spot and showed Espejo a red card for denying the goalscoring opportunity.
Pacific captain Josh Heard took the ball for the spot kick, and he took the shot low to the right corner, but Atleti keeper Nathan Ingham got down quickly to save the penalty and keep his side level.
Tempers boiled over somewhat in the final few minutes of the game, but ultimately neither side could find a way through again for the winner, and they split the points in a 2-2 draw that kept Pacific at the top of the table and Ottawa in seventh.
BOX SCORE
Goals
19′ — Samuel Salter (Atlético Ottawa)
45+4′ — Thomas Meilleur-Giguère (Pacific FC)
49′ — Ayman Sellouf (Pacific FC)
53′ — Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa) (Penalty)
Discipline
56′ — Yellow: Macdonald Niba (Atlético Ottawa)
64′ — Yellow: Steffen Yeates (Pacific FC)
84′ — Red: Diego Espejo (Atlético Ottawa)
89′ — Yellow: Djenairo Daniels (Pacific FC)
90+2′ — Yellow: Nathan Ingham (Atlético Ottawa)
90+3′ — Yellow: Jean-Aniel Assi (Atlético Ottawa)
