| Atlético Ottawa vs. Vancouver FC Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. ET /4 p.m. PT TD Place in Ottawa, Ontario Watch Live: OneSoccer Tickets available here |
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Two sides on level footing in the standings will have a direct opportunity to push past the other this week, as Atlético Ottawa host Vancouver FC on Wednesday.
Both teams have 27 points after 17 games in the Canadian Premier League this year, although VFC currently hold the tiebreaker after winning two of their three matches against Ottawa so far this year. With the third meeting being a draw back in April, Vancouver have already clinched the head-to-head series, so Ottawa have to get past the Eagles on points (or total wins) if they want to finish above them.
Spirits are high in the capital this week, after a couple of hometown heroes — Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau and Ralph Khoury — led Atlético to a 2-1 comeback win in the final 10 minutes against FC Supra on Sunday. Both players had a goal and an assist, as Ottawa took three points out of Québec for the second time this year.
Fleuriau Chateau has been the goalscoring star Ottawa have needed ever since he joined the club in late July. He has played just five games and scored four goals already in a dream start to life at TD Place for the Ottawa native.
"Nico is in a really good moment, scoring goals, giving assists, but he's the kind of player I love to work with because all the time [he is] working," Ottawa head coach Gustavo Leal said of Fleuriau Chateau this week "Now we are lucky that he's scoring the goals we need, but even if he doesn't score the goals, he will help us because he fights all the time. He helps us in the defensive moments also, and I think that this attitude and atmosphere is so good for the group."
Atleti have won two in a row in CPL play, which has helped keep them neck-and-neck with a Vancouver FC side that remains one of the hottest in the league.
Last Friday's B.C. Derby wasn't quite the performance Martin Nash wanted to see from his team, but VFC did manage to strike late to snatch a 1-1 draw with Pacific FC. Terran Campbell saved the result on that occasion with a well-executed overhead kick, but the Eagles would've hoped for all three points at home against the last-place Tridents.
Still, Vancouver are unbeaten in their last six CPL games, and have won seven out of the last nine. In that stretch, they've beaten Ottawa twice — albeit both times in Langley. The one time VFC visited the capital this season, they took the lead on a quick break after Atleti missed a penalty, but Emiliano García scored a 97th-minute equalizer to grab a point for Ottawa.
Both Vancouver and Ottawa are in relatively comfortable positions above the playoff line, with FC Supra sitting nine points back, but neither side will feel fully safe until that postseason berth is confirmed. Atleti, of course, expect to return to the playoffs where they'll have a chance to defend their North Star Cup title. Meanwhile, Vancouver have eyes on their first ever top-four finish.
Creating some breathing room in third would be great for either team. Plus, a third-place finish does have some perks over fourth — namely, a chance of hosting the CPL Final, should both lower-seeded teams win their semifinals.
Regardless of what's on the line, there have always been great battles between Ottawa and Vancouver, including last year's outstanding Canadian Championship semifinal clash.
This may be one of the most significant meetings between them in league play ever, though. Both teams are embracing the opportunity to take firm control of a playoff position.
NEWS & NOTES
- Atlético Ottawa continue to deal with several injuries and absences. Defender Sergei Kozlovskiy remains day-to-day with an injury suffered in the recent Canadian Championship match. Fellow centre-back Noah Abatneh continues to be unavailable; Leal confirmed that Abatneh, who hasn't played since June, has been held out of the squad as potential transfer interest continues. Meanwhile, Wesley Timoteo missed Sunday's game at FC Supra and is considered questionable.
- Vancouver FC midfielder Emrick Fotsing remains unavailable due to injury, and is expected to be out for approximately six weeks.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Atlético Ottawa: Kalongo; Assi, Mbomio, Cloutier, Aguilar; Castro, Aparicio; Antinoro, Tabla, García; Fleuriau Chateau
Vancouver FC: Irving; Doner, Campagna, Field, Proctor; Polisi, Pecile; Bah, Mezquida, Amissi; Campbell
KEY QUOTES
"It's a really important game for us. It's a good opportunity to jump in the table and keep this distance between the teams in the playoff zone and other teams." - Atlético Ottawa head coach Gustavo Leal
"We have real depth this year. Guys like Terran [Campbell] sitting on the bench and having five goals already, to bring a guy on like that and take off Lys [Mousset], defenders don't really know what to do. Then bringing [Aboubacar Traoré] on, it's like almost having France with Doué, Dembélé, it's just speed running at you 24/7. Our depth is amazing, and we've been doing a good job of using it all year." - Vancouver FC forward Thierno Bah
