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Vancouver FC vs Atletico OttawacJames Glezos/@jg.visuals__
Salter revels in ‘amazing feeling’ after scoring first Atlético Ottawa goal
May 15, 2023
2023 Season Carlos González Sam Salter

Atlético Ottawa thrashed Vancouver FC 5-0 at the weekend as we picked up our first win of the new Canadian Premier League season. The convincing display stood for more than three points as Samuel Salter, who recently signed from Halifax Wanderers, scored his first goal for the club.

Salter’s transfer to that nation’s capital came with plenty of buzz and excitement, as was to be expected when the 22-year-old became the first transfer between two CPL clubs to involve a fee. With the excitement came expectation and after four games without a goal in the league, quiet murmurs started to get louder but “patience and positivity” was the message from both the player himself and Head Coach Carlos González as both knew recent performances weren’t being reflected on the leaderboard.

That message paid off this weekend when Ottawa, notoriously efficient on their travels last year, met with expansion side Vancouver FC for the first time at the Willoughby Community Park Stadium. A five-star performance from González’s side was underpinned by a lethally efficient right flank with Jean-Aniel Assi and Ollie Bassett center stage throughout the opening 45 minutes. Bassett scored the first goal before Assi, darting past his defender and towards the byline, cut the ball back to Salter whose cool left-footed finish doubled Atlético’s lead.

Vancouver FC vs Atletico OttawacJames Glezos/@jg.visuals__

“It’s an amazing feeling to get my first goal,” said the 22-year-old speaking after the game. “The team played really well in the first half which gave us the confidence to head into the second half and play freely and create some more chances. Scoring first was important for us, as we hadn’t done that yet.”

Salter had the ball in the back of the net again when Assi found the Canadian forward in an almost identical move in the second period but it was disallowed for a marginal offside that could’ve gone either way. It wouldn’t affect the result on the day, but a growing understanding between the two Québec forwards is promising for Ottawa.

“We know he [Assi] is an explosive player and likes to run on the wing,” explained Salter. “As soon as I saw him run I knew he was going to cut that ball back to me, it’s something that we’ve been trying to go more of and I’m glad it paid off.”

The dazzling attacking display drew compliments from González after the match: “I’m very happy for the forwards, I think they understood really well what we wanted to do, finding the spaces where we thought the other team had weaknesses and today we were clinical, we were solid and we were competitive, with great individual performances and great team performance.”

Having conceded the first goal in each game so far this season, the clean sheet obtained in British Columbia will have been just as important as the goals score. Assi’s attacking display was underpinned by a selfless defensive display, making more tackles (5), more successful tackles (3) and winning possession more (11) than any other Atleti player, whilst also winning seven duels. González’s new look back-four remained resolute throughout, limiting Vancouver to only two shots from inside the area – as opposed to Ottawa’s 10 – and only seven touches in our penalty area.

“We have created many chances in the last few games and we weren’t clinical enough,” said González. “However, the clean sheet is more important, we need to build consistency in defence, without conceding and being solid is for a team that wants to fight for big things. If we are not consistent, and solid and do not defend well it will be tough. The goals give confidence to the team, and it’s a win we have been deserving for a few matches so I’m very happy for that today.”

A fine display was capped off with recent signing Noah Verhoeven scoring his first-ever league goal, as well as Zach Verhoven and Zakaria Bahous coming off the bench to open their personal accounts for the season and Tyr Walker, the 19-year-old defender of Russell, ON, also coming on in the dying minutes to make his professional debut.

Atlético continues its back-to-back away matches in the Canadian Premier League with a visit to Spruce Meadows to face Cavalry FC the next weekend. González’s side then return to Ottawa on May 27, 2023, in a rematch of the 2023 playoff final against Forge FC – get your tickets now!