For the first time in club history, Atlético Ottawa are into the semi-finals of the TELUS Canadian Championship, where they will take on fellow Canadian Premier League side -- and also first-time semi-finalists -- Vancouver FC over two legs. It is the first all-CPL semi-final in the competition's history, and guarantees that one of these sides will have a chance to play for the Voyageurs Cup against Forge FC or Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Current form
Atlético Ottawa have been in great form all season long under new head coach Diego Mejía, and have been in first or second place in the Canadian Premier League table for 17 of the league's 18 matchweeks so far -- after sitting fourth at the end of week one.
They have only lost once in all competitions in 2025, a 2-0 loss to the Halifax Wanderers at the end of May, and head into the first leg of the semi-final with an 11-6-1 record in league play. That record is good for second place behind fellow Canadian Championship semi-finalist Forge FC, who are one point better with an undefeated 11-7-0 start to 2025. Ottawa is 13 points up on third-place Cavalry FC as the top two spots seem to be all-but-officially secured by the two Ontario rivals.
Ottawa has scored goals for fun this season, already finding the back of the net 37 times in 18 league matches -- nearly matching their 2024 total of 42 already with ten games to go. They are a very difficult team to beat, and the confidence they have built -- especially in attack -- makes them dangerous and must-watch.
How they got here
Atlético Ottawa reached the Canadian Championship semi-finals for the first time ever by beating a pair of other Ontario sides.
First up, League1 Ontario champions Scrosoppi FC made the trip to TD Place for a preliminary round tie. The Milton, Ontario-based side put up a valiant effort against their CPL opponents, but in the end goals from Kevin Dos Santos and Sam Salter were the difference in the capital.
They then moved on to play York United in a high-scoring quarter-final over two legs. Leg one in Ottawa saw the teams combine for three goals in 13 minutes in the first half, with Julian Altobelli opening the scoring for the Nine Stripes just five minutes in before Ballou Tabla and David Rodriguez scored in the 16th and 18th minutes to turn the game around in the blink of an eye.
That was it for scoring in the first leg, but it whet the appetite for a crazy, back-and-forth second leg in Toronto a month later.
Just like in the first leg, Altobelli opened the scoring in the first half, but Ottawa responded well thanks to two goals in three minutes from Rodriguez and Sam Salter. Altobelli found the back of the net to tie things up in the 37th minute, before Massimo Ferrin tied the score at 4-4 on aggregate with a goal eight minutes after halftime. The match seemed destined to head to penalties, but Salter found another breakthrough in the 84th minute to win the tie for the visitors, before Aboubacar Sissoko rubbed salt in the wound two minutes into stoppage time.
The 6-4 aggregate victory propelled them into the semi-finals where they will now take on the CPL's last-place side Vancouver FC. No CPL opponent should be underestimated, and the first leg on Wednesday night in Langley won't be easy, but Ottawa will fancy their chances over two legs, and especially heading home for leg two in Ottawa on September 18.
Canadian Championship history
Best-ever finish: Quarter-finals (2023, 2024) -- lost to Forge FC on penalties/lost to Pacific FC 2-1
This is Ottawa's fifth year in the Canadian Championship after being founded ahead of the 2020 season in which the competition was not held in its traditional form due to the pandemic.
In 2021 and 2022 the club was eliminated in the preliminary round of the tournament, first a 3-2 loss to Valour FC at home, before losing on penalties to York United at home the year after. In 2023 they overcame that preliminary round hurdle by beating Halifax Wanderers FC 3-1 at York Lions Stadium, played at a neutral site due to neither side being able to host the match. Ottawa was eliminated in the next round, losing on penalties to Forge FC at Hamilton Stadium after a late penalty from Ollie Bassett tied things up at one goal apiece.
In 2024, Ottawa matched their best-ever finish by reaching the quarter-finals, crushing Valour FC 7-0 at TD Place in what is tied for the largest margin of victory in the competition's history. They moved on to play Pacific FC in a two-legged quarter-final, drawing the first leg 0-0 in Ottawa before losing 2-1 away from home in the second leg.
This year, by reaching the semi-finals they have already achieved a best-ever result, and will look to reach the final for the first time in club history.
Three players to watch
David Rodriguez (Forward)
Currently the expected frontrunner for the Canadian Premier League's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards, David Rodriguez has turned heads from the second he stepped on the pitch for the first time this season. On loan from Liga MX's Atlético San Luis, Rodriguez leads the league with five assists, and is tied for third in the league with seven goals so far. He can do things on the ball that many players can only dream of, and will continue to be the focal point of Ottawa's attack.
Manny Aparicio (Midfielder)
One of the top midfielders in the CPL since its inception, Manny Aparicio is a perrenial Player of the Year candidate and one of the most influential players in the country. Aparicio is like an engine that never runs out of fuel in midfield, covering every blade of grass from box to box and contributing on both sides of the ball. Aparicio isn't afraid to get stuck into tackles defensively, but is also very involved offensively and can be a major threat from set pieces.
Sam Salter (Forward)
Nobody has benefitted from Ottawa's attacking resurgence more than Sam Salter, who 18 games into the CPL season has a career-high 12 goals, and will almost certainly break the CPL's single-season record of 14 set by former Halifax Wanderers teammate João Morelli in 2021. He also has three goals in three games in the Canadian Championship through the first two rounds -- one against League1 Ontario's Scrosoppi FC in the preliminary round and twice against fellow CPL side York United in the quarters. Salter has established himself as a very good finisher in the box, but he is also very good at running in behind defenders and making opportunities for himself and others. Salter has been red-hot all season long, and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Why they can win
Atlético Ottawa can win the Canadian Championship because of their attacking prowess. They score goals for fun in the CPL, and ruthlessly look to pile on the goals every time they take the pitch. Head coach Diego Mejía has brought out a champion mentality in the group where they don't fear any opponent, and should they advance to the final, Ottawa would fancy their chances against either MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC or CPL rivals Forge FC.
