2024 TELUS Canadian Championship — Preliminary Round
Atlético Ottawa vs. Valour FC
May 1, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT
TD Place in Ottawa, Ontario
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here
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A deep run in this year’s Canadian Championship beckons when Atlético Ottawa host Valour FC at TD Place on Wednesday night, as these two sides attempt to return to the tournament’s quarter-finals. The home team enter this preliminary round tie full of confidence, having leapt out of the gates in the Canadian Premier League season. Ottawa are currently undefeated at 2-1-0, which puts them second in the table, and they impressed over the weekend by defeated 10-man Halifax Wanderers 3-1. That game was an impressive showing from the new-look Atleti attack, with three well-taken goals from Ruben del Campo, Manny Aparicio and Ballou Tabla. So, perhaps Ottawa are well primed to do some damage in this year’s cup, which is something this club hasn’t quite had a chance to do yet. Last year, they beat Halifax Wanderers in the first round but bowed out to Forge FC on penalties in the quarter-finals. Atleti have yet to test themselves against a Major League Soccer team, which is a matchup they’d certainly love — although they wouldn’t be able to play one until the semifinals this year, with the bracket drawing them against either Pacific or TSS Rovers in the next round. Before they can think about that, however, Valour will prove a tricky test. The Winnipeg club have yet to pick up a point in the CPL yet, but that doesn’t quite tell the full story of how they’ve played. At Tim Hortons Field against Forge on Saturday, Valour demonstrated how brave and aggressive they can be, peppering the penalty area with crosses. They lost 2-1, but might not have deserved to leave empty-handed considering how many problems they caused for the champions. Likewise, Valour played very well in the first half of their game against Pacific, but still earned no points. They may be at the bottom of the table, but there’s every reason to believe this Valour team could be well built for a cup run. Nine of their 11 starters from Saturday’s game are new to the club this season, as were three of their four substitutes, so it’s natural they’re taking some time to turn encouraging performances into results. However, in a one-off elimination game, it’s not hard to imagine a moment or two of brilliance making the difference. Valour also have a point to prove in the Canadian Championship. In last year’s competition, they were upset in the preliminary round by League1 BC side TSS Rovers, as they became the first CPL outfit to lose to a semi-pro side in the cup. Only a handful of players remain in the Valour squad from that match — Abdou Samake, Dante Campbell and Raphael Ohin, from the starters — but they’ll be keen on getting some redemption. The Winnipeg side has been to the quarter-finals once, getting there in 2021 after beating Atlético Ottawa. The following year, they lost in the preliminary round to MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps. With both sides on a short turnaround after playing on Saturday, expect a little rotation in the sides, but not too much given the importance of the cup tie. Ottawa coach Carlos González said Monday his side has the same availability as the weekend, suggesting it’s pretty much a full squad, although Kevin Dos Santos missed out and is still dealing with his knock. They continue to await visa clearance for Liberman Torres, who has yet to join the squad. Valour, meanwhile, are approaching full health, although Tass Mourdoukoutas, Raphael Ohin, Kian Williams and Marcello Polisi may not yet be ready for their season debuts — although the first two did travel with the squad this week. Roberto Alarcón missed the Forge game so he may also be day-to-day, while Gianfranco Facchineri came out of Saturday’s match with a suspected head injury and Valour continue to monitor him.
All CPL and Canadian Championship matches will be broadcast live on OneSoccer, available as a linear channel on Telus’ Optik TV (Channel 980) as well as online at OneSoccer.ca, through the OneSoccer app and on the fuboTV Canada platform.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
- Ottawa aiming for first big cup run: After finally winning a Canadian Championship game last year and feeling the sting of defeat on penalties against Forge, Atlético Ottawa are putting major emphasis on a run at the Voyageurs’ Cup in 2024. The way the bracket is set up — a home match in the preliminary round and then a quarter-final against either Pacific or L1BC’s TSS Rovers — means they can see a path for themselves straight to a semifinal clash with, potentially, the Vancouver Whitecaps. A home-and-away tie against MLS opposition (for the first time in club history) with a chance to play in the final might be the ideal litmus test for just how strong this new version of Atleti can be. Under Carlos González, this team has always been set up well to win tight, possibly low-scoring games, which is often the case in cup matches. “We want to improve the records of the past of this club,” González said. “Last season we were able to get into the second round and that was a milestone for the club, and this season we’ll try to get over that round. Step by step and game by game, our target is to go as far as possible to conquer a new stage of the competition.” * Valour have wide threat, can Ottawa repel? In their match against Forge, Valour’s game plan of attacking via crosses from the flanks was evident and, to a degree, effective. They had Themi Antonoglou and Zachary Sukunda bombing down the touchlines and sending the ball into the box, which did ultimately result in a goal, and could’ve been more had the finishing in the penalty area been better. Atlético Ottawa will feel they’re well prepared to deflect any aerial threat Valour send at them with towering centre-backs Amer Didić and Luke Singh. However, they conceded against Cavalry to a standard cross from the right wing, which might be exactly how Valour target them. The side that executes better in this battle might end up on top. * Ottawa wary of Valour despite winless start:* Valour might be at the bottom of the CPL table, but Atlético Ottawa say they have no concerns about taking the Winnipeg side lightly. “I’ve seen an evolution in the last three games from them,” González said of his cup opponent. “Each time you can see a more clear style and way of playing. I feel they had a pretty good game at Forge and maybe they could have won some points over there.” If Ottawa play conservatively, they could be in danger of a giveaway at a crucial point against a Valour side that loves to press aggressively. Meanwhile, Phillip Dos Santos has tried to feed confidence into his locker room, shouldering responsibility for the poor start and standing by his players: “They’re never on their own, they’re with me. I’m responsible for this. What I tell them is we have to keep pushing.”
ALL-TIME SERIES
Atlético Ottawa wins: 4 || Valour FC wins: 6 || Draws: 3
Last meeting:
Sept. 24, 2023 — Atlético Ottawa 0-1 Valour FC
KEY QUOTES
“It is as important as the league; we see it in the same way. Two competitions that really motivate us. The league is the competition of consistency, so it’s very important for us, but the Canadian Championship is the competition of dreams. You play against opponents that are playing at a higher level; you have opportunities that you’re not going to have in the league. Both competitions are so important for us.” — Atlético Ottawa head coach Carlos González *“If the team feeds from me, with three defeats, four, five, they won’t lack confidence. I didn’t see a team that lacked confidence; that’s the way I approach life, and this is only football. That’s the reality. We have to show up every day and give our best and deal with the moments. Because I’m a confident guy, the team will be confident. That’s what I’m gonna pass them.” ***— Valour FC head coach Phillip Dos Santos