Regular Season Champions Atlético Ottawa Head Into Playoffs After a 2-2 Draw Against York United; Will Face Pacific FC Starting Saturday Oct 15
October 9, 2022 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) – Atletico Ottawa News Release
Atlético Ottawa Celebrate As Regular Season Champions
(Atletico Ottawa, Credit: Matt Zambonin)
On Thanksgiving Sunday, already assured of a top position in the standings following the rest of the action earlier in the weekend, Atlético Ottawa were hoping to cap off their 2022 CPL Regular Season Championship celebrations on a high as they hosted already eliminated York United at TD Place. If the 2-2 draw was not the result they were looking for, it did not tarnish the accomplishment – or dim the pride of the players – after literally from worst (last place in 2021) to first.
KEY MOMENTS
Atlético Ottawa, by virtue of Cavalry FC win over Pacific FC on Saturday, had secured the Regular Season Champions title before stepping onto the field on Sunday.
Applying the “one more match, one more final” motto once again, the squad was determined to show well for this final home match of the regular season calendar.
Maxim Tissot lifted the team – and the crowd – to their feet in the 25′ minute to open the score.
Shortly after, Tissot left the match with a gnarly gash to the knee that would require stitches. He is not expected to miss a significant amount of time however.
Brian Wright, off a perfect cross by Carl Haworth, added to the tally in the 43′ with finesse and style, giving the home side a 2-0 lead going into the break.
York United fought back – as they have done in the second half of their season – to claw back two goals and equalize the score in the 79′.
Ottawa wraps up the 2022 calendar with a total of 49 points with 13 wins, 10 draws and 5 losses in 28 matches.
Defender Miguel Acosta concludes the regular season with 53 tackles, a league-leading stats despite sitting out the final match of the year.
Only needing 27 U21 minutes entering Sunday’s match, Ottawa easily fulfilled the mandated 2,000 seeing Zakaria Bahous playing 86 minutes and Zachary Roy coming on for injured Max Tissot in the 35th minute.
This marks the first Regular Season Championship title for Atlético Ottawa and the franchise’s first participation in the post-season. Ottawa joined the Canadian Premier League in 2020 and completed on Sunday their first full-length/standard format season (2020 Island Games, 2021 start in bubble, 2022).
PLAYOFFS: Atlético Ottawa finish in the first position after a 28-match regular season calendar, securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The two-legged semi-final will begin at Pacific FC on Saturday, October 15, KO 7 PM ET.
Ottawa will host the return leg at TD Place on Sunday, October 23 (2 PM ET). Tickets are available now at atleticoottawa.club.
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