The Story
Atlético Ottawa — 2nd place, 56 points
Record (W-D-L): 15-11-2
Goals For/Against: 54/28
Top Scorer: Sam Salter (19)
Assists Leader: David Rodríguez (9)
Improving on their third place finish from a year ago, Atlético Ottawa were in the CPL Shield race until the final day of the campaign, but ended up falling two points short of their second regular season crown, finishing behind Ontario rivals Forge FC.
It has been a remarkable first season under Diego Mejia, though. In the past Ottawa were criticized at times for playing a more defensive style of football where they would try to grind out wins rather than play a free-flowing attacking game, to mixed results. Mejia's first year in charge could not have gone more differently, with a league-record 54 goals scored in the regular season, striker Sam Salter setting a new individual record with 19 on his own, Ballou Tabla recapturing his form with 11 goals, and newcomer David Rodríguez impressing with nine goals and nine assists.
Entering the playoffs, the team believes it has what it takes to get back to the CPL Final for the first time since 2022, and win it for the first time in club history.
The Stats
0 losses at home in regular season
Prior to this season, no team had ever gone undefeated at home in the regular season, but that changed in 2025. Both Ottawa and Forge managed the feat this season, with Ottawa completing so first with a 0-0 draw against Vancouver FC on October 12. TD Place was home to eight wins and six draws for the home team, providing 30 of their 56 points. If they can beat Forge on the road in the Championship Semifinal, the CPL Final will be returning to the capital on November 9.
80 per cent of goals scored or assisted by three attackers
Ottawa scored 54 goals in the Canadian Premier League regular season, a new CPL record. Remarkably, 80 per cent of those goals were either scored or assisted by their front three of Sam Salter (19 goals, four assists), David Rodríguez (nine goals, nine assists), or Ballou Tabla (11 goals, four assists). All three are amongst the best attackers in the Canadian Premier League, and for the vast majority of this season, have consistently played like it. If they are going to thrive in their brand of high-level attacking football, these three will be at the forefront of it.
8,575 under-21 minutes played by young stars
Even more impressive about Ottawa's strong second-place finish that they did it while also racking up the most under-21 minutes in the CPL. The league requires each team to play U21 players for a minimum of 2,000 minutes, and two — nearly three — Ottawa players reached that mark on their own. Wingback Gabriel Antinoro played 2,258 minutes of a possible 2,520 in the regular season, followed closely by a pair of centre-backs, Loïc Cloutier (2,067) and Noah Abatneh (1,976). Also in the backline was Sergei Kozlovskiy, who turned just 17 in June and played 1,556 minutes — but he will be leaving the squad during the playoffs to represent Canada at the U17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Ottawa's committment to young players is setting them up for this year and beyond - both on the pitch, and as an establishing destination for young Canadians to want to play in the future.
The Stars
David Rodríguez, Forward
In a team full of stars, David Rodríguez managed to stand out above the rest in the regular season. His nine assists tied a CPL record, and he pitched in with eight goals of his own – so close to becoming the first player in league history to have ten of each in a single campaign. One of the most feared players in the CPL when he has the ball at his feet, Rodríguez can create a moment of magic out of nowhere like few athletes can, and might have to at this high-stakes point in the CPL season.
Sam Salter, Forward
The previous individual record for goals in a single CPL regular season was 14, and Sam Salter smashed past that it an incredible campaign for the 25-year-old. Salter ended the season with 19 goals, comfortably winning the Golden Boot and setting a new benchmark that will be difficult to top. Salter's great play was rewarded, as Swedish top flight club GAIS — where his former Ottawa teammate Matteo de Brienne also plays — announced that Salter will be joining the team in January on a multi-year contract. Salter wants to end a five-year chapter in the CPL with some hardware, though, and his final opportunity for now is to win the 2025 North Star Cup.
Manny Aparicio, Midfielder
The engine in Ottawa's midfield in Manny Aparicio, a tireless runner and someone who always seems to playing with maximum intensity. Aparicio is amongst the league's best players on both sides of the ball, and has been a star in the Canadian Premier League since its inception. He is one of their leaders on and off the pitch, and annually in the league's Player of the Year conversation for his ability to control matches week in and week out from the middle of the pitch.
The Soundbites
“Fighting side by side against Forge, a historical team in the CPL — I don't say the best one, the historical team; I think that we are the best one. But fighting side by side like this against this team all year with a big difference in age, it's incredible for this team." — Atlético Ottawa head coach Diego Mejía
"He was pretty adamant about a month into preseason that we’re going to try and fight for every trophy. His goal was to be the best team in CPL history." — Atlético Ottawa captain Nathan Ingham on head coach Diego Mejía
The Scenario
Atlético Ottawa has had a brilliant season, but to this point it has been trophyless. The North Star Cup presents their last opportunity to get their hands on some hardware here in 2025 after being beaten to the CPL Shield by Forge FC and being knocked out of the Canadian Championship by Vancouver FC.
It's hard to say that such an impressive season would be a failure if they fail to lift at least one trophy, but that is the kind of pressure they will be putting on themselves as they look to add to their trophy cabinet for the first time since the 2022 CPL Shield. With arguably the best attack in the league, and quality all over the pitch, Ottleti have not been shy about their expectations and goals as a group, and that is to both host and win the CPL Final.
This confident group will need to do something they have not done this season to reach the summit, though: defeat Forge FC, and on the biggest stages of the year.
