So far, matches between Atlético Ottawa and FC Supra have never been short on excitement, goals and spectacle. This latest episode lived up to its predecessors and went in favour of the Montrealers, who qualified for the next round, where they will face Forge FC.
For a rare time this season, Nick Razzaghi played both Condé and Kwemi up front. An excellent idea, as both attackers scored and put in solid performances.
Kwemi, who played as a winger during his amateur career, quickly found his bearings and opened the scoring.
Already dangerous from the outset with a shot from a tight angle that found Chris Kalongo (6th), Kwemi took advantage of some excellent work from Choinière on the right wing, then beat Timotéo and Mbomio with his first touch before slotting the ball past Kalongo (0-1; 8th).
Ibrahim Condé then fully seized his opportunity by quickly doubling the lead.
Abzi’s through ball found Condé’s head, much quicker and more powerful than Timotéo, and the Montrealer beat Kalongo (0-2; 15th).
Two goals down, on top of the deficit accumulated in the first leg, things looked very bleak for Atlético Ottawa, who were unable to build their attacks or put their forwards in the best positions.
It took until the half-hour mark for Ottawa to produce something resembling an attacking move, thanks to a solo run from Fleuriau-Chauteau, finished with a cross-shot that ultimately posed no danger.
Shortly before halftime, Fleuriau-Chauteau established himself as Ottawa’s most active player, managing to find Ballou-Tabla, but his roulette failed to fool anyone.
Completely overwhelmed in the first half, Atlético Ottawa came out of the locker room with different intentions and three new players on the pitch.
The consequences were not long in becoming apparent. Sergei Kozlovskiy, one of the substitutes, found Fleurio-Chateau in the box, who managed to shake off his marker and beat Joakim Milli to pull one back (1-2; 50th).
Without completely turning the match around, the game picked up some momentum, especially since the last match in Ottawa had seen a complete second-half turnaround in favour of the players from the national capital.
However, Supra would not be caught out twice. After another technical display from Kwemi, Ibrahima Condé found Sean Rea with a cutback, and he quickly restored the Montrealers’ two-goal advantage (1-3; 55th).
With a commanding lead on aggregate and facing a very busy schedule, FC Supra made numerous changes relatively early in the match.
The Quebecers could have extended their lead even further, had it not been for a superb save from Kalongo on an attempt by Kwemi (67th), then another from Condé (71st), before the crossbar denied Riad Bey (73rd).
Fleurio-Chateau’s second goal, following a rebound from a blocked attempt by Kozlovskiy, did not change much (2-3; 74th). Even though FC Supra continued its unfortunate habit of conceding too many goals, its lead was far too comfortable to imagine a turnaround.
Ballou-Tabla’s equalizer just before the final whistle, after winning the ball from Riad Bey’s feet (3-3; 90+4), indeed changed nothing: Supra qualified, quite logically on aggregate over the two matches.
On September 1 and 15, they will face Forge FC.
For Atlético, they must quickly turn their attention back to the Canadian Premier League. It starts with the next match... against Supra.
Statistics
Starting XI
Atlético Ottawa: Kalongo; Timoteo (Kozlovskyi; 46th; Assi; 79th), Mbomio, Cloutier (Dunn; 46th), Antinoro, Ballou-Tabla; Aguilar, Aparicio, Arnaud (Habibullah; 62nd), Fleurio-Chateau, Garcia (Coulanges; 46th)
FC Supra: Milli; Abzi; Chrétien (Deslandes; 75th), Ferdinand, Auguste (Bayiha; 65th); Mlah, Biello (Sissoko; 65th), Rea (Elkalkouli; 65th); Choinière (Bey; 45th), Kwemi, Condé
Goals
Kwemi (FC Supra) – 8th
Condé (FC Supra) – 15th
Fleurio-Chateau (Atlético Ottawa) – 50th
Rea (FC Supra) – 55th
Fleurio-Chateau (Atlético Ottawa) – 74th
Ballou-Tabla (Atlético Ottawa) – 90+4
Cards
Antinoro (35th)
Garcia (45th)
Dunn (59th)
Aparicio (68th)
Player of the Match CPLSoccer.com
Ibrahim Condé – FC Supra
All of Supra’s forwards had a very good match, but with a goal, an assist and constant activity, Ibrahima Condé was decisive. Playing up front, Condé covered a lot of ground, used his physicality to good effect and was effective with the ball at his feet. A statement performance for him.
Next Match
FC Supra and Atlético Ottawa will meet again in the CPL, on Sunday, August 16 at 12 p.m. ET, at Stade Boréale in Laval.
To see the full broadcast schedule: cplsoccer.com/watch.