Forge FC, on an uncharacteristically long break between games, might find a different Atlético side waiting for them in Ottawa next Sunday (2 p.m., OneSoccer, CBC Gem) than the one that opened the 2026 campaign in Hamilton.
In that rematch of 2025 CPL hardware hoisters—the Hammers as regular season winners and champions; Atleti as playoff champions—Forge dominated the real play for an in-control 2-0 win despite the restructuring Ottawa side’s misleading advantage in ball possession (65 per cent) and passes (85 per cent). A penalty kick awarded to Brian Wright, which was reviewed via FVS ad nauseum, and an in-tight strike from midfielder/back Ben Paton in the 67th minute made the scoreboard resemble what the naked eye was seeing.
That was the first of three Atlético losses—all on the road—in the season’s opening five games, to go along with a sole win (over Supra) and a draw as Ottawa played four of those five on the road while their stadium is being renovated and new, high-end turf was being installed.
Ottawa harvested only four of its possible first 15 points and had been outscored 10-4 as head coach Diego Mejia was breaking in some young defenders and the team was adjusting to a number of lineup changes.
But fortunes have changed in the past two weeks as Atlético went into Toronto and eliminated MLS side TFC 3-1 in the sudden-death first round of the Canadian Championship, then edged HFX Wanderers 1-0 in the Nation’s Capital Sunday behind Jonathan Villal’s goalscorer’s goal.
Forge, meanwhile, last played six days ago in the School Day Match a 1-0 win over Supra du Québec that gave keeper Dimitry Bertaud his fifth shutout in six games.
The league record is 13, set last year by Forge’s Jassem Koleilat. Bertaud made his CPL debut against Ottawa on opening day and his club has allowed just one goal all year: on an iffy penalty kick in Halifax. They haven’t allowed a goal from the run of play, and over their last three games have found some scoring touch with eight goals, seven of them against the Wanderers in league and Canadian Championship play.
Hamilton leads the CPL with 16 points, two beyond second-place Cavalry FC, five up on Inter Toronto and nine up on fourth-place Ottawa.
“They’re meshing a little bit more,” Paton said of Atleti. “They brought in a lot of players this year and it probably took them a little time to adapt.
“It should be a good game. We know they have a lot of quality, plus they have good home support too. And with the new turf as well, that takes a bit to adjust to for them. I’m looking forward to the game on Sunday. Because we had our game back on Wednesday it seems like we’ve been waiting a while to play.”
Paton and his holdover teammates know the kind of emotional momentum that can be built up by a CPL side which defeats an MLS team in the Canadian Championships: they cleanly took out CF Montréal last year, in a two-game set for the second season in a row.
“I think that’s always a confidence-booster,” Paton said. “You’re playing against players who are supposedly better than you, they’re getting paid more, and to come across them and beat them, not just scraping by but comfortably, always just lifts up the squad.”
As part of the Atlético Madrid stable, Ottawa is affiliated with Club Atlético de San Luis of the top division in Liga MX, Mexico’s elite league. That arrangement paid dividends against Halifax as the only goal was scored by 21-year-old midfielder Jonathan Villal, who’s on loan from San Luis.
Villal is American-born (Atlanta) and grew up in the Atlanta United system before joining San Luis two years ago. Eligible to play internationally for Mexico, the slippery attacker has been capped nine times by their U-18 side and three times for the country’s U-20s. Against Halifax, he took a perfect pass from CPL veteran Manny Aparicio and made a nice inside spin to unleash his targeted shot from in tight.
“It’s always good to have young guys in the league make a name for themselves in a special environment,” Paton said. “And they’ve got quite a young squad at the back so just the fact that they’re trying to adapt to that as well takes a while. But they’re a good team, as we know.”
Paton will likely be marking both Aparicio and Villal at various times during Sunday’s game as the Ottawa attack often filters through Aparicio, after being forwarded by league passing-accuracy leader Noah Abatneh.
“I feel like I come across almost everyone in the league,” Paton laughed. “Especially since I’ve been playing multiple positions, so I’ve got to be ready.”