Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC produced the first split decision of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season on Saturday at TD Place, as a late equalizer from the Calgary side meant a 1-1 draw in the nation’s capital.
In this, both teams’ second match of the 2024 season, the two managers had different approaches to squad selection. Atlético’s Carlos González opted to name an unchanged starting XI from the team that beat York United 2-1 last week. Cavalry boss Tommy Wheeldon Jr., meanwhile, had his hand forced by a late injury to Callum Montgomery as Tom Field came in at left centre-back in the back five. He also handed a start to William Akio, which dropped 2023 Players’ Player of the Year Ali Musse to the bench, and he deployed former Ottawa player Malcolm Shaw in the front of his attack.
Both sides had very early chances to open the scoring; Cavalry’s Diego Gutiérrez put a fifth-minute free kick just barely over the crossbar, and moments later, Ballou Tabla put the ball in the net at the other end for Ottawa, but he was ruled to be just a hair offside.
From there, the two teams did settle down although both had a few dangerous chances in quick transition, as Atlético tried to feed Ballou Tabla going forward and Cavalry likewise sought forays into the box driven by Akio and Sergio Camargo. Ultimately, though, neither team managed to get the ball into quite the positions they wanted it, as a fairly even first half ended with the score 0-0, Cavalry taking five shots to Ottawa’s two.
Shortly after the game resumed for the second half, the home side found themselves in a good area and won a corner kick. Ollie Bassett whipped it into the six-yard box, where Amer Didić — one of the league’s most formidable in the air — rose above the rest to head it in and put Atleti in front, 1-0.
Cavalry continued to possess the heavy majority of the ball in the second half, but struggled to get meaningfully into the Atleti penalty area. Looking to shake up his attacking rhythm, Wheeldon Jr. turned to his bench around the hour mark as he brought Musse into the game to take over from Bradley Kamdem. He also opted to introduce another creative presence in Lucas Dias, replacing Camargo.
In response, González brought Maxim Tissot and Kevin Dos Santos into the game in lieu of Alberto Zapater and Ballou Tabla, as Ottawa shifted to a back-five formation in hopes of protecting their lead.
The visitors continued throwing all they could at the Ottawa penalty area, but the home side came centimetres from doubling their lead with just under three minutes of the 90 to play. They broke upfield in transition and Tissot drove into the box, flicking a shot over Marco Carducci for what looked like a goal, only for it to skip off the right goalpost and away from danger.
Atleti would shortly be punished for that miss, and just on the brink of full time Cavalry surged down the right flank, as a cross from Fraser Aird came into the six-yard box where Kris Twardek and Lleyton Brooks were tangled. The ball appeared to deflect off Twardek’s leg and past his goalkeeper, as an own goal levelled the tie for Cavalry.
Although Cavalry produced one more scare for Ottawa in the 93rd minute with a Lleyton Brooks header that just missed the left post, the referee would soon blow for full time and the match would conclude in a 1-1 draw.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Atlético Ottawa: Ingham; Twardek, Didić, Singh, De Brienne (Walker 82′); Bassett, Aparicio, Zapater (c) (Tissot 65′), Tabla (Dos Santos 65′); Sissoko, Salter (Del Campo 69′)
Cavalry FC: Carducci (c); Shome, Kobza, Klomp, Field, Kamdem (Musse 62′); Akio (Brooks 82′), Gutiérrez, Trafford (Aird 73′), Camargo (Dias 62′); Shaw (Warschewski 73′)
Goals
47′ — Amer Didić (Atlético Ottawa)
90′ — Kris Twardek (Atlético Ottawa) (Own Goal)
Discipline
4′ — Yellow: Alberto Zapater (Atlético Ottawa)
38′ — Yellow: Kris Twardek (Atlético Ottawa)
81′ — Yellow: Amer Didić (Atlético Ottawa)
85′ — Yellow: Rubén Del Campo (Atlético Ottawa)
