| Final Score: York United 2-2 Atlético Ottawa Goalscorers: Yeates 10', Sturing 54'; Salter 8', 49' Game of the 2025 season: 92 CPL Match: 687 |
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Match in a minute or less
The fourth and final regular-season meeting between Atlético Ottawa and York United ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw at York Lions Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was a third consecutive draw between the two clubs in league action, but this one had a lot more attacking firepower. Twice, Atlético Ottawa took the lead through Samuel Salter, who is now up to a league-leading 17 on the season. Twice, York responded, first through Steffen Yeates in the first half and then Frank Sturing in the second half.
The draw failed to create the separation either team would have hoped in the standings, although York now move up into fourth, one point ahead of Halifax. Atleti, meanwhile, remain two points behind Forge at the top of the table, ahead of a meeting with the Hamilton club in a week's time.
Three Observations
A wide-open contest between two of the league's best attacking teams makes for a thrilling conclusion
After playing to back-to-back 0-0 draws in the league the last two times they had met in the league, each of them fairly cagey affairs, Sunday's final regular season meetings between the two clubs was a far more open contest.
York held the marginal advantage in shots attempted (16-15) and touches in the box (30-29) although Atleti did have more shots on target (8-6). Each side had four big chances.
The hosts, however, will certainly feel the more aggrieved of the two sides to have not picked up more than a single point after they put in yet another excellent attacking display at home.
Shaan Hundal could have had a hat-trick in the first half with some excellent opportunities. The best of which came in first-half stoppage time when he found himself in behind, but perhaps tried to be too clever with his chance and saw it denied by Ingham. Yeates then rounded Ingham on the rebound, and failed to convert.
In the second half, Julian Altobelli hit the crossbar on what would have been a brilliant solo goal.
The visitors, meanwhile, will feel extra disappointment in the manner in which they conceded. Twice, they took the lead in the match, but felt they lost concentration and quickly allowed York to equalize. The first equalizer came just two minutes after Salter's opener, before Sturing scored five minutes after Salter's second.
It was a match that felt like it could have gone either way right up until the last moment, with Salter nearly completing his hat-trick in second-half stoppage time. Certainly a bit more open of a match than either manager would have been comfortable with, but an incredibly entertaining ending to what has been one of the CPL's best fixtures this season.
York United change formation for the first time this season
For the first time this season, since October 10, 2024 -- the penultimate game of last year's regular season against Pacific FC, York United lined up in a back four on Sunday.
Much like their opponents, Atlético Ottawa, they have spent this season under Mauro Eustáquio lining up exclusively in some iteration of a 3-4-3. With this being the sixth meeting in all competitions between the two sides, the hosts decided to switch things up to something closer to a 4-2-3-1.
The main tweak came in midfield, where fresh off international duty with Trinidad and Tobago, Steffen Yeates returned to the lineup to form a double-pivot with Kembo Kibato, allowing Leonel López to play a more advanced role as a number ten.
López thrived in this role, able to get into more dangerous attack positions and play direct passes. He finished with two chances created, including a lovely ball through the lines to Shaan Hundal late in the first half that the York striker really should have converted on. He made 14 passes in the final third, many of them leading to great opportunities -- and played a role in the build-up to York's opening goal.
"It gave us a lot of things going forward," said Mauro Eustáquio. "Obviously, with the extra man there in the midfield, and create a lot of three-v-twos. It was something we wanted, we wanted to give Leo a lot more of the ball and he did. So again, I think the execution of the game plan was good."
Whether or not we see this formation going forward, especially once León returns, remains to be seen. But it is another weapon that York have in their increasingly dangerous arsenal.
Missed opportunity for Atlético Ottawa to close gap on league-leading Forge
The number two is going to haunt Atlético Ottawa coming out of Sunday's match.
Twice did they take the lead against York United in the match, only to squander the lead both times. They had only dropped a league-low two points from winning positions this season prior to the match. Now they remain two points behind Forge at the top of the table, when they could have been level after Forge fell 2-1 to Valour on Thursday.
Where Atleti will be particularly disappointed in their efforts on Sunday, however, is on the defensive side of the ball, particularly in transitional moments. They conceded 2.86 expected goals, on six shots on target and 16 attempted they conceded was the second most they had all season, and only the third time they have allowed more than 2 expected goals in a match.
"They created a lot of chances, but because we didn't play in the way we always play," said Atlético Ottawa head coach Diego Urtiaga. "Because, for the time of possession that we had, we received 16 shots against. I think it was an open match, but more because of our behaviour."
As the Atleti manager mentioned, Ottawa had 66.7 per cent of the ball, yet still allowed York to outchance them in the game.
A part of it, of course, is down to the lack of consistency with which Atleti have been able to roll out their back three of late. On Sunday, Loïc Cloutier played in the middle of Rony Mbomio and Brett Levis, but the latter left after 40 minutes with injury and had to be replaced by the returning Noah Abatneh. They didn't look in sync throguhout the match, especially when the ball was turned over in dangerous areas.
Atleti know they will need to tighten things up at the back for their next league match, when they welcome top-of-the-table Forge to TD Place next Sunday. But for now, attentions turn to the Canadian Championship semi-final on Thursday, and their league ambitions will have to wait.
What They Said
"I think we were the better team tonight. We're closer to scoring that third goal, in this case, more than they were, I think, if we put those opportunities to bed. Happy with the players, obviously, we came into this game with the strategy and the execution was close to perfect." — York United head coach Mauro Eustáquio
"Scoring a goal is not easy. [My] team starts to relax, starts to think that we will score three-four more goals in the same way. It's my responsibility to try to work in the mindsets of the players and try to respect our model. They created a lot of chances, but we didn't play the way we always play." — Atlético Ottawa head coach Diego Mejía
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Sam Salter, Atlético Ottawa
The Atleti striker bagged another brace, with two well-taken finishes on either side of half-time. He could have had more, as he saw his hat-trick, and match-winner, denied by Urtiaga late in stoppage time.
What’s next?
York United travel to Langley next weekend for a match with Vancouver FC on Sunday, September 21 (6 p.m. ET).
For Atleti, it's those very same Eagles next in the TELUS Canadian Championship on Thursday, September 18 (7 p.m. ET) in the second leg of their semi-final. Their next league action is a massive clash with Forge FC, also at home, on Sunday, September 21 (3 p.m. ET).
Watch all CPL and Canadian Championship matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.
