Academy Clash: Atletico Ottawa Academy To Face York United U-19 Squad

While today will see the spotlights shine on a semi-final clash between Cavalry and Pacific, two Canadian Premier League-affiliated academy sides will also be going head-to-head in the afternoon.

The Atletico Development Program will host the York United U-19 Academy this Saturday afternoon, marking the first time those two side will face on another.

The match-up will take place at TD Place, though it looks like only media will be invited to see the next generation of club-affiliated talent play.

The York United Academy already faced CPL-related opposition at the Canada Youth Cup two months ago, ultimately losing out to a Halifax Wanderers side that would go on to win the national youth cup.

The Atletico Development Program will be led by assistant coach Kwesi Loney, who will be no stranger to identifying top youth talent given his his experience with a Carleton Ravens. Former Ottleti captain Drew Beckie will also lead the group, bringing plenty of professional playing experience with him.

The players representing the nation’s capital will be U-18 athletes from the Ottawa and Gatineau region who have been involved in the club’s Atletico Madrid-affiliated talent identification program, while the Nine Stripes’ affiliated high-performance academy will boast U-19 talent primarily from the GTA.

The Atletico Development Program recently squared up against the Carleton Ravens U-SPORTS side, with Atletico Madrid seeking to expand its Ottawa-based youth program come 2024.

Header Image Photo Credit: Cloud North Visuals