Final Score: Halifax Wanderers 2-0 Atlético Ottawa |
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Match in a minute or less
The Halifax Wanderers leapt ahead of Atlético Ottawa to take over first place in the Canadian Premier League on Saturday, winning 2-0 at the Wanderers Grounds to bank their fifth win of 2025.
After a promising first half ended scoreless, Halifax eventually found a way through in the second frame via a set-piece. Giorgio Probo played a long ball into the box just out of the reach of Nathan Ingham, and defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère was in position to get his head on the cross and score.
Less than five minutes later, the Wanderers all but wrapped up the win as Ryan Telfer was brought down in the box, and Tiago Coimbra coolly slotted the penalty to double his side's lead.
So, Atleti were handed their first defeat of the season, while the Wanderers won their second straight and climbed to the top on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Three Observations
Halifax's tenacity, energy in ball hunting leads to impressive all-around triumph
Patrice Gheisar has spoken recently about the grit and high workrate that has characterized the Wanderers' best performances this season, and it was evident again on Saturday.
This was a difficult match for Halifax, against an Ottawa team that's been in such excellent form to start the year, but they were up for it from minute one. The Wanderers were more aggressive with the ball, and when they didn't have it they worked furiously to get it back.
The Wanderers won 62.5 per cent of the duels in this game (70.4 per cent in the first half), they made 19 tackles, and they limited Atleti to a final third passing accuracy of just 59.6 per cent.
Across the board, it seemed that the home side were first to every loose ball, and that Ottawa had nowhere to go when they did take possession; the Wanderers were clever in choosing when to jump and press, and remarkably consistent in how frequently they won the ball back when they tried.
Gheisar mentioned before this game that he's noticed his team, much more than last year, is comfortable in games where they don't have a ton of possession. They seem to enjoy these kinds of games; that's evident from the way players seem to celebrate tackles and clearances as if they're goals.
There's an impressive quality to this Halifax team, who seemed to relish the stakes of this match. Gheisar said that the prospect of taking on an Ottawa team averaging three goals per game was exciting to him, and it seems genuinely true. Last year, the Wanderers cracked under pressure a few times, and unforced errors or poor performances in key moments were what doomed their season.
This year, they're not daunted by occasion and opportunity; they came into this game raring to go, knowing they could take over top spot in the league for the first time in club history. Then, they delivered a comprehensive, dominant performance, executing their game plan marvellously and completely stifling their opponent en route to their most impressive win so far in 2025.
Frustration for Ottawa as attack uncharacteristically toothless
Prior to Saturday, Atlético Ottawa had scored at least twice in every match they'd played in 2025. They've scored as many as five in a single game this year, and have been by far the most potent attack in the CPL.
In this game, however, you wouldn't have guessed it. They didn't register a single shot on target, and generated just 0.28 expected goals from nine touches in the penalty area.
It would be easy to chalk up Ottawa's inability to create chances to the absence of David Rodríguez, who missed this game due to suspension, but Atleti had plenty of talented and dynamic players on the pitch. Even though they actually had a slight advantage in possession (53.8 per cent), they were far less effective with the ball than their opponents.
Credit is due to the Wanderers for taking away Atleti's width by limiting space, as well as for dominating the battle in midfield, but Ottawa will be very disappointed in how little they were able to generate.
Two of their three shots from inside the box came after they were already down 2-0 and the game was all but decided.
Diego Mejía suggested after the game that he may need to adjust the attacking patterns he wants his team to play, because he can see opposing teams starting to defend against Ottawa in similar ways.
Ultimately, Atleti just didn't look as dynamic as usual, and against a well-organized Halifax defence they were always going to struggle if the energy wasn't there.
They won't be too worried by this result, of course, but their unbeaten streak is now over and they've been brought back to Earth somewhat. The challenge for Mejía and co. now is responding to this loss, and finding new ways to maintain their high standard.
Wanderers establish control in midfield thanks to composure on the ball, organization
Perhaps Halifax's greatest strength is how much depth they have in the middle of the park, and Patrice Gheisar has done an excellent job finding a way to use that to his advantage.
Lorenzo Callegari and Isaiah Johnston have developed a great chemistry togther in the double pivot, understanding how to cover for each other when one steps up into the attack. Callegari has a wonderful passing range and the cleverness to pop up in good areas around the penalty area, while Johnston has outstanding energy and tenacity to not only win the ball but progress it forward. He's an entertaining player to watch as well; at one point in this game he could be seen dancing through gaps and spinning aroudn defenders.
The two were hugely important to dictating the flow of this game, but they also did a lot of work to disrupt Ottawa and prevent them from getting into gear. Johnston won possession eight times and won 11 duels, while Callegari won all 10 of his duels and made five successful tackles.
Gheisar joked after the game that he might need an hour to fully articulate how much he likes the partnership Callegari and Johnston have formed, but he did explain that the two have complementary skillsets.
"Lorenzo is really influential in the build-up in our half, he has composure and top quality," Gheisar said. "Isaiah's got unlimited energy and can break in, he stretches the game. Today I think we saw him play a little bit higher up between the lines, which was one of our plans that we had for the game. They've been great together, and I think their relationship will only continue to grow more and more."
With those two forming a good base, Gheisar has been able to give his attacking midfielders Giorgio Probo and Sean Rea full license to create in the opponent's half. Both players are generally free to drift into any space they can find, looking to create chances and feed the ball into the box.
Then, the kicker: Gheisar has several other talented midfielders of different profiles he can bring off the bench to change a game when needed. Andre Rampersad has made some important contributions later in games, with his ability to calm things down and stabilize a match; Gheisar brought him into this game to help seal the win.
Alessandro Biello, meanwhile, is a useful creative midfielder who can be brought off the bench to add more energy, as is dynamic Brazilian number 10 Vitor Dias.
Gheisar may run into a selection headache with so many of these players in good form, and inevitably hungry for minutes, but he has this whole group extremely committed to their roles. The Wanderers are deserving of their spot atop the table.
What They Said
“We have a collection of everyone. They don't mind the suffering, they don't mind if we don't have the ball. It doesn't bother them if the referee doesn't give them a call, nothing bothers them other than the result at the end of the 90 minutes. We're able to take care of the ball; we lose it, great moments of counter-pressing and then we defend as a team. And everybody's committed to it.” — Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar
“Not clean enough in the final third. It's the toughest thing in football, that last ball, that last shot, that composure in the final third. I think the grass plays a bit of a role in that, but it's not an excuse. We've got to be better.” — Atlético Ottawa midfielder Manny Aparicio
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Isaiah Johnston, Halifax Wanderers
Patrice Gheisar said he thinks Johnston covered every blade of grass on the pitch in this game, and he might be right. Johnston won 11 out of 13 duels, won possession eight times (twice in the final third), had four successful dribbles and finished with a sparkling 90.9 per cent passing accuracy in the attacking third.
What’s next?
Atleti are the first of these sides to return to action, as they head west to take on Vancouver FC next Friday, May 30 (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET).
The Wanderers, meanwhile, are also headed on the road, but not to any usual destination. They'll be in Québec City for the CPL On Tour matchup against York United, on Saturday, May 31 (7 p.m. ET/8 p.m. AT).
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