Your Labour Day weekend plans are locked in as the Canadian Premier League provides a three-day slate of matches, kicking off on Saturday in the nation's capital.
Saturday's double-header also includes the 905 Derby in Hamilton. Sunday sees a vital matchup in the playoff race as Vancouver FC host FC Supra du Québec, while the Halifax Wanderers host Cavalry in their annual Labour Day matinee.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Matchweek 20:
Saturday, Sept. 5 - Atlético Ottawa vs. Pacific FC
4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT — TD Place — OneSoccer, TSN
Tickets available here.
The Canadian Premier League's comeback kings host Pacific FC to begin the matchweek on Sunday, coming off their latest thrilling triumph.
This past Friday in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau scored his latest match-winner to give Atlético Ottawa a 2-1 win over rivals Inter Toronto. It was the third time in their past five CPL matches that Atleti have come from behind to win a match.
The last time they played the Tridents? It was the same story as on his CPL debut, Fleuriau Chateau scored a 90+6' winner to begin his legendary run of form.
Pacific, however, come into the match with a colossal weight off their back having finally claimed their first victory in over a year against Halifax this past Sunday.
Saturday, Sept. 5 - Forge FC vs. Inter Toronto
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT — Hamilton Stadium — OneSoccer, CBC Gem
Tickets available here.
After two matchups at York Lions Stadium this season, the 905 derby heads down the road to Hamilton Stadium on Saturday.
With three losses in their past five matches, Forge now trail Cavalry by a pair of points at the top of the CPL standings. But they have had a lot of joy against their local rivals this season, with 4-1 and 3-1 away victories earlier in the year.
Inter Toronto, meanwhile, saw a three-game unbeaten streak snapped in the 96th minute in the nation's capital this past Friday. They enter a make-or-break month of September for their season, where they will play six matches and make up the games in hand on the rest of the league.
Kicking that off by ending a 13-match winless streak against Forge would be a massive statement of intent.
Sunday, Sept. 6 - Vancouver FC vs. FC Supra du Québec
6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT — Langley Events Centre — OneSoccer, TVAS2
Tickets available here.
After soaring for most of the summer, Vancouver FC enter this weekend flying a little closer to the playoff line than they would like.
In fact, shut out in three straight losses, and winless in four, Vancouver FC find themselves just five points above the playoff line and, as fate would have it, their opposition on Sunday afternoon in Langley, FC Supra du Québec.
With a match in hand, FC Supra could narrow that gap to just two points. Vancouver FC would love to make it a far more comfortable eight.
The last time the two sides played, the Eagles won big in a 5-1 victory. But with so much on the line on Sunday, this one is likely to come down to the wire.
Monday, Sept 7 - Halifax Wanderers vs. Cavalry FC
3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT - Wanderers Grounds — OneSoccer, TSN
Tickets available here.
It's the annual Labour Day Monday match at the Wanderers Grounds, but this year's invited guest poses a challenging proposition.
Cavalry FC come to town as the CPL's top dogs, and are unbeaten in six. Halifax has always been a welcoming trip for them, as they have lost just twice in their history at the Wanderers Grounds.
The Wanderers, meanwhile, were left with their playoff hopes sputtering following a loss to Pacific FC this past Sunday,
But they have only ever lost once on the holiday Monday, and have won on Labour Day now in back-to-back seasons. With this year's edition kicking off a three-game homestand in Halifax, it's now or never for them to climb up the table.
Player to Watch:
Matisse Chrétien, FC Supra du Québec
This weekend, FC Supra play one of the biggest matches in their short history as they travel to Langley to take on Vancouver FC in a clash with significant implications for their playoff hopes. To get a huge three points, they will need another Herculean defensive performance from 22-year-old Matisse Chrétien, who has become their backline general in recent weeks. Incredibly talented on the ball, Chrétien made a stunning 16 clearances last Friday in the club's first-ever clean sheet, a 1-0 win over Forge.
