In a season finale that embodied the heart and grit of Canadian soccer, Atlético Ottawa conquered the cold and the competition on Sunday night at a snow-swept TD Place, defeating Cavalry FC 2–1 after extra time to win the 2025 North Star Cup, the club’s first-ever Canadian Premier League (CPL) championship.
It was a night that felt quintessentially Canadian in the nation’s capital, with snow falling thick and fast for much of the night, as 13,132 fans bundled in the stands to witness history in the making.
Atlético Ottawa midfielder David Rodríguez was the man of the moment on the blustery night, which was broadcast live on TSN and OneSoccer. His audacious overhead strike, quickly dubbed the “Icicle Kick,” equalized the match in the 40 minute, after Cavalry’s Fraser Aird opened the scoring by way of a penalty kick in the 33rd minute.
And it was Rodríguez, finishing his first season with the club, who came up big once again for Atlético when the game demanded extra time. He delivered the game winner, a chip finish in the 107th minute, to seal Ottawa’s place in league history.
Rodríguez’s heroics earned him the title of 2025 CPL Final MVP fuelled by Gatorade, as Head Coach Diego Mejía’s side celebrated a championship that symbolized both Canadian resilience and the growing passion for the domestic game while reflecting a league that welcomes talent from around the world and embraces them as part of our own Canadian soccer story.
It was a memorable night for Mexican-born Rodriguez, who had never seen snow before arriving in Ottawa from Mexico in February after signing with Atlético.
“I came to the locker room and I was excited. I saw it was snowing and I was like, ‘It’s going to be a good day,’” said David Rodriguez, Midfielder, Atlético Ottawa.
The victory earned Atlético Ottawa the North Star Cup as League Champions and secured the club’s first berth into the Concacaf Champions Cup, where it will represent the Canadian Premier League alongside Forge FC and Vancouver FC on the continental stage.
Media can find assets of the 2025 CPL Final below:
- Highlights (Please Credit OneSoccer)
- Post-Match Press Conference (Please Credit OneSoccer)
- Still photography (Please Credit Canadian Premier League)