The defending CPL champs claimed their first home win of the season in a tight 1-0 result over the Halifax Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.
Despite taking the lead in the 31st minute, there were chances until the final moments for Halifax to respond, as they suffered a frustrating fourth straight defeat in all competitions.
"We've been working very hand, and the results are coming in now," Villal told media after the match. "I feel like this is the turning point for the season. We're only going up from here."
Atlético Ottawa made just one change to the side that defeated Toronto FC 12 days ago in the TELUS Canadian Championship, as central defender Sergei Kozlovskiy was not in the matchday squad on Sunday.
Despite a difficult defeat in Hamilton in that same competition, Vanni Sartini chose to keep his eleven unchanged.
Halifax thought they had broken in behind early after a ball over the top to Cyprian Kachwele, but the striker's control let him down and he ended up playing it out of touch.
Otherwise, however, the hosts dominated the ball in the early stages, pushing Halifax deeper and deeper back into their own box.
In the 31st minute, they created their chance. Some great build-up from the capital club after Emiliano García won the ball up high saw Villal turn and shoot in the box, burying the ball into the far corner past Marco Carducci.
When they did go forward, Halifax lacked a cutting edge, failing to pick the right pass to unlock the hosts. They finished the opening half with no shot attempts and just a single touch in the Atleti box.
The hosts came close again to begin the second half, as Manny Aparicio sent a dangerous strike from the top of the box just over Carducci's net.
The Wanderers, however, started to find more of a footing in the match early in the second half, getting onto the ball more and finding moments of sustained pressure in attack.
Halifax had a great chance to equalize in the 71st minute as Ryan Telfer got in behind, but as he tried to put the ball around Tristan Crampton, the Atleti goalkeeper reached out his leg and denied the opportunity.
Halifax made a couple of substitutions late in the match, trying to find an offensive breakthrough, and both Miguel Arilla and Tavio Ciccarelli certainly had strong moments. The latter of whom had a pair of dangerous strikes goalward, but both were blocked well by the Atleti backline.
The visitors had an unbelievable chance to equalize in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but Victor Akinwale hit the post on a header despite a wide-open net as the ball had accidentally been chipped over Crampton by his own defender.
"I think that goals change games, and at the moment we're not taking our chances," said Wanderers full-back Marcus Godinho. "I felt that, they had a half chance, we've had much better chances than that, and they punish us, and just a difference of quality up top at the moment."
With the victory, Atlético Ottawa are now unbeaten in 25 straight matches at TD Place.
Lineups
Atlético Ottawa: Crampton; Mbombio, Abatneh, Aguilar; Assi (Coulanges 66'), Castro, Aparicio, Antinoro (Timóteo 79'); Villal, García (Myklebust 74'), Tabla (Habibullah 79')
Halifax Wanderers: Carducci; Sow, Linder (Troisi 81'), Alphonse; Godinho (Ciccarelli 87'), Zitman (Rampersad 86'), Callegari, Johnston, Telfer; Bahamboula (Arilla 66'), Kachwele (Akinwale 46')
Goals
31' — Jonantán Villal (Atlético Ottawa)
Discipline
29' — Yellow: Marcus Godinho (Halifax Wanderers)
45' -- Yellow: Kareem Sow (Halifax Wanderers)
46' -- Yellow: Daniel Aguilar (Atlético Ottawa)
89' -- Yellow: Miguel Arilla (Halifax Wanderers)
90+4' -- Yellow: Jonantán Villal (Atlético Ottawa)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Jonántan Villal, Atlético Ottawa
A lovely finish from the 21-year-old claimed victory for Atleti, as the attacker put in unquestionably his best performance yet for the capital club. He also created two chances, won 10 of 15 duels and won five fouls.
What’s next?
Atlético Ottawa have another big test at home next weekend when they host Forge FC at TD Place on Sunday, May 24 (2 p.m. ET).
Halifax return home to host Inter Toronto on Saturday, May 23 (3 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. AT).
For broadcast details of the 2026 CPL season, go to cplsoccer.com/watch.