- Home
- Canadian Premier League
- Reigning CPL Champs Clinch Playoff Berth In Win Over Cavalry
Photo Credit: Michael Chisholm
Reigning CPL Champs Clinch Playoff Berth In Win Over Cavalry
By In a capital city clash for the ages against the current champions and last year’s runners-up – in the very stadium of the 2025 CPL Final, no less – it’s fitting that Atletico Ottawa locked in a playoff berth for the occasion.
TD Place witnessed drama aplenty as Atletico Ottawa and top-of-the-table Cavalry FC traded goals right to the bitter end, with a last-gasp winner from Gabriel Antinoro ten minutes into added time sealing three points and a postseason position for Ottawa.
Cavalry marched in a confident side following the club’s six-nil demolition of FC Supra, with both Harry Paton and Tobias Warschewski returning to the starting eleven after missing that match through suspension.
Atletico Ottawa head coach Gustavo Leal ran it back completely, making no changes to the starting eleven that had ended his club’s three-match winless run with a hearty victory in Halifax last weekend, with summertime signing Julian Dunn earning consecutive starts for the first time in over two years – a clean bill of health, at long last.
Yet, it was the visitors who got down to business first. Cavalry has been lethal on set pieces all season long, and the side made good once again after Musse floated in a tempting ball for Kobza to rise and head beyond the outstretched mitts of Christopher Kalongo:
While Tommy Wheeldon Jr. has a strong record with FVS challenges, a penalty shout for Cavalry went unanswered following referee review.
The second half, though, is where the game really found its pace.
As the clock neared the hour mark, a nice feint from Emiliano Garcia allowed the forward enough purchase to fire in a low shot that seemed destined for the bottom corner. Ingham did well to dive low and parry it away, only for Kamron Habibullah to immediately sent the ball right back into corner:
Buoyed by the equalizer, momentum shifted in Ottawa’s favour. Tabla had himself a go, but Ingham stopped the opportunity dead.
Then, Habibullah stepped up to take a free kick and got the better of Ingham for the second time on the night, curling in a beautiful ball that beat the veteran goalkeeper at his near post.
Cavalry was flustered, and it showed. With ten minutes to go, Goteh Ntignee was handed a yellow card – and in his protests to the fact, he inadvertently upgraded his colour to red and earned an early shower.
Now down to ten men, Cavalry did as they often do: they scored anyway. Four minutes into added time, new CF Montreal loanee Owen Graham-Roache beat his man on the wing and sent a nice ball in that German striker Tobias Warschewski happily finished to tie things up in the 94th minute.
Incredibly, that wasn’t all she wrote for a frantic clash between these two teams. In the match’s one-hundredth minute, Ottawa struck a dagger into Cavalry hearts: receiving the ball with space in front of him, Gabriel Antinoro took a quick, heavy touch and put on the jets to beat two defenders, get himself into the box, and fire an absolute stunner beyond his old teammate Nathan Ingham to seal three points and a playoff berth for Atletico Ottawa:
TD Place erupted in cheers as the home fans embraced the moment, while Cavalry players looked on in disbelief that, after all that, the top-of-the-table club would be heading back with nothing to show for their trip to the nation’s capital.
The reigning Canadian Premier League champions were always expected to qualify, but in a parity-heavy league like the CPL, nothing can be taken for granted. This marks Ottawa’s third consecutive playoff berth and fourth time in postseason overall, with the club having reached two finals, earning its first title win in an actual blizzard last year.
Cavalry, who were the first side to clinch a playoff spot earlier this month, have never missed the postseason. The loss could potentially bring Forge within three points if they beat Halifax this weekend. With four games left to go, we’re in for a photo finish between the heavyweights.
