CCSG Player Ratings: Matchday 2 @ Vancouver FC (13/4/25)
Proof of concept. Any organization, whether it's sporting or not, needs to display a proof of concept when it undergoes fundamental change. Atlético Ottawa gave us glimpses of that in the final 30 minutes of their opening match, and, in their second, showed a full 90 minutes of what Diego Mejía’s football is going to look like for the rest of the season. The returning players look rejuvenated and excited to be out on the pitch. The new players have integrated themselves well with the returnees, and, as a result, the game plan is being implemented as if the team has been working together for far longer than just a couple of months.
The expectation heading into this game was that the team would be able to handle their business against a Vancouver side that has been much maligned through the pre-season, and had the unfortunate news come through that Vasco Fry would be suspended for two games beginning with the tilt on Sunday. In the last couple of years, Atlético Ottawa have struggled in these situations. Perhaps less so away than at home, given the stellar away record that the team enjoyed under Carlos González, but still enough to frustrate supporters when coming into fixtures against teams that were demonstrably not on ATO’s level. A resounding 4-1 win on Sunday has certainly quieted those fears. More so than just being willing to continue on the front foot, the final minutes of the game were truly the “foot on the throat” mentality that winning teams have. There were certainly moments for Vancouver through the first half, but once ATO took the lead the result was never in doubt. It was a confident performance from a team that is certainly coming into its own, with a new look that is far more pleasing to the eye than the last three seasons.
The Tip of the Spear
Even in and amongst the revitalized bunch of returning performers, Sam Salter still stands out for similar reasons to his previous two seasons. With the 24-year-old featuring primarily as a winger, or at the very least, a wide forward towards the end of last season, we were unsure as to what his role would be. With significant hype placed around new signing Monty Patterson, I think it’s safe to say the expectation for Salter to start the year was that he’d have to earn back a place in the starting XI through his play as a substitute. Instead, he started the first two matches of the season, going the full 90 minutes against Halifax and coming out after 78 in this one.
What little frustration emanated from the Glebe Central Pub on Sunday was directed squarely on the shoulders of our number nine. It is impossible to ignore three big chances missed in one match, even if you were to just read it in a post-game report. It is especially difficult to justify that from a striker who didn’t otherwise manage to find the back of the net. Adding further to this angst was Salter’s replacement, Patterson, finding his first goal of the season with a true poacher’s finish on a rebound after a lovely bit of work from Abou Sissoko and Kevin dos Santos in the build-up.
I will not begrudge anyone who focuses on what I just wrote. The job of the striker is, above all, to score goals. Secondary scoring cannot be relied upon through an entire season, and if Salter continues at this level in front of goal, there should be no doubt that he should not be the one leading the line.
But it’s just one match.
More than that, every other element of Salter’s game was at the highest level I’ve seen from him in the 64 games he has played for us. His link-up play has improved tremendously now that there are two attacking-minded players behind him. His hold-up play, which I maligned him for excessively in the last two years, was impeccable and essential to the team being able to build through the middle of the park. He had an exceptional game tracking back, registering four tackles, and integrating very well with the rest of the team in these areas. Looking back at last season, much of the same criticism for missing big chances was levied against Ballou Tabla. However, there was nothing else in Tabla’s game that made up for a lack of composure in front of goal. This performance wasn’t near that level because Salter was involved in the areas that Ballou was not at his worst.
If Salter had even converted one of the three chances, we’d be talking about him in a very different light. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now – even though people might point to the past two seasons of inconsistency in front of goal – because the rest of Salter’s game is transforming. He had a lovely assist on the opening goal last week, and now, a complete performance that was missing a key ingredient to complete a spectacular recipe.
Revelations
Speaking of spectacular, it appears that we will be having a weekly paragraph dedicated to the exploits of David Rodríguez. Somehow, after braving the bitter rain that fell upon TD Place in the opening match to produce beautiful football that would warm the Grinch’s heart, Rodríguez managed to be even better against Vancouver. Yes, I think the skill level of the opponent must serve somewhat as a caveat, as Halifax went and claimed three points away to York and feel primed to return to the playoffs in 2025, while Vancouver has conceded six goals in two matches at home, with no real direction laid for the club. However, can anyone else recall one of our players dribbling from half, past two defenders, splitting two others, and then scoring from outside the box? I certainly can’t. Add in a lovely assist on the second goal of the afternoon, and David now sits with two goals and an assist in 154 minutes of play. By the end of last season, I struggled to find words to describe Amer Didić, and at this rate, I’ll have to invent new ones to properly glorify our new talisman.
Even through just two games, David Rodríguez feels like a known quantity. Before today, that was certainly not the case for Sergei Kozlovskiy, nor really should it be for any 16-year-old thrust into their first professional start. You, of course, would be forgiven for thinking he was much older had you seen him play on Sunday. Featuring as the left-sided centre-back in the back three, Sergei had the poise of a seasoned player. This was crucial to the early parts of the match, where Vancouver was hard on the press and Atléti were pinned back in their own defensive area of the pitch, needing each of the three centre-backs to make good decisions with the ball at their feet to avoid another early calamity. As the game wore on, Sergei’s technical ability was on full display, as ATO’s build-up focused on long switches from the wide centre-backs to their opposite wing-backs. In all, Sergei completed 89% of his passes and six of nine long balls in only 63 minutes of play. Last week I quoted Arsène Wenger with reference to young players, this week I’m happy to say our youngest stepped up to the task to help claim all three points.
On the other end of those long balls from Sergei was Gabi Antinoro. A player that, I would say, was unfairly pushed to the wayside last season from the beginning, and whose performances suffered as a result. So far this season, he has played exclusively as the right wing-back/midfielder, a far cry from the pure left winger/attacking midfielder we had all viewed him as since he signed in 2023. He has certainly made the most of the role, providing excellent width down a wing that has been, to put it lightly, cluttered over the past two seasons. No better example of this was the first chance for Atlético Ottawa in this game, as Gabi’s run down the right provided an option for, who else, David Rodríguez, and the power Antinoro generated on the shot was enough to get through the save of Callum Irving, but unfortunately not the far post.
The dogged determination that was his best quality even when he wasn’t performing his best over the last two years is still present in his game, but it feels more like the engine that’s driving success than the last gasp of an attempt to try and be an influence when he’s on the pitch. With Iker Moreno’s brief appearance showing me how impactful he can end up being once he hits his full stride, Gabi being able to shift back into his natural position and remain impactful there means he’s still going to get playing time, wherever that may be. More than anyone else, Gabi’s start of the season best represents a revitalization that is being felt at every level of this club, on and off the pitch.
What Was Promised
With all the success that is shared in the aftermath of a 4-1 win, there is plenty of praise to throw around. There is no one I want to give my praise to more than Kevin dos Santos. His first year in the nation’s capital was tumultuous, to say the least. Kevin was injured in his second game after only having played just under 30 minutes in two games and then was not able to play even one full half of football once he returned in September, to a team that had changed fundamentally from the beginning of the season. I myself had seen the best of him at York and thought he could be an under-the-radar contributor in the 2024 Atlético Ottawa side that had a number of true CPL superstars.
That didn’t come to fruition.
Nor did it in his first start of the season against Halifax. My criticisms were laid bare in this column last week. After Sunday, I’m glad I can gush about a player that I believe in. Moved back to his natural left side, KDS found the back of the net for the first time since a fateful October afternoon in 2023 (of which I will discuss in no further detail). His first time shot curled past the outstretched arm of Callum Irving into the side netting, giving Atlético Ottawa a 2-0 lead and serving as the game-winner. On the final goal, it was Kevin’s interception and poise on the ball that set Abou Sissoko through before Monty Patterson finished the move with a tap-in on the rebound.
On top of the offensive responsibility, Kevin had his hands full with, arguably, Vancouver’s best player, Kunle Dada-Luke, who threatened to bear down on our left flank with overlapping runs. Dada-Luke was ineffective on Sunday thanks to the contributions from the team, and KDS played no small part in achieving that. The defensive numbers might not tell the prettiest story, but anyone who watched the game will be able to tell you that his performance was night and day from last week in all aspects. Much like with everyone else, it’s one game, but it’s one more great game than we’ve seen from Kevin in red and white. That conceit is layered in circumstances beyond his control, and hopefully now he can take control of his season and be the contributor I’m certain he can be for a winning team.
This is only week two. This was against the team nearly unanimously picked to claim the wooden spoon. There are plenty of caveats to this performance, but I don’t want to be grounded in realism. Instead, we should talk about how Atlético Ottawa looks to take the game to their opponents. Even in their worst moments, this is the most dynamic team we’ve seen. A fluid, attacking playstyle that had been promised previously, but is finally being delivered. Two is a coincidence, three is a trend. If next week against York brings about the same flair and impetus going forward (predominantly through THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH of all places), we’ll know that a special season is on the horizon regardless of claiming any trophy. We’re not trying to grind out 1-0 results that leave our hearts in our stomachs for 85 minutes anymore. We’re not gritting our teeth finding ways to be excited, we’re just reveling alongside a group that is truly enjoying their football. That’s all a boy can ask for.
About Patrick
Having joined CCSG in 2022, Patrick started his footy career playing at the age of 4 and began watching the pros around the same time. While the first pro team he supported was Manchester United, as soon as Atlético Ottawa came to town, he was immediately on board. His wealth of footie knowledge has been a constant asset, along with his role as caretaker for Atléti Wikipedia pages.
