Welcome to this week’s edition of The Forward Press, covering a late-materializing 2-1 win against Forge FC and coach Diego Mejía’s last home match in charge of Atlético Ottawa. Depending on how his possible suspension shakes out, it could turn out to be his last match on the sidelines, so naturally, much of the time in front of the mics was spent on the subject. This edition will also be longer than normal, with Mejía’s answers presented in full and almost entirely unedited, which, given the circumstances, I think is fitting. He deserves to say his piece(s). Buckle up! 

Let’s start, however, with the handful of questions NOT pertaining to Mejía’s impending departure, and Noah Abatneh fielded all of them. He was first asked about the team’s ability to bounce back late in games:  

“It was a question of really wanting it, and we really wanted to win. Just because someone scores a goal on you doesn’t mean the game [is over]. We still had ten minutes left to get something back, so we tried our best, we put guys forward and we got our goal.”

The season didn’t start out with sunshine and rainbows, however, with six losses in the first eight games as a testament to that. That said, the club has recently turned it around with three straight wins, and Gord Smith asked Abatneh about what changed. The defender cited the time it took to gel as a squad with so many new faces, and explained that the win against TFC really sparked something. 

Smith asked his follow-up on the subject of playing with so many young guns, especially in the back line:  

“I think that even the young guys . . . they’re very mature and they’re capable of doing the same thing [as the veterans], like we saw that last year, so I think it’s not really a case of experience . . . every player, every centre back, every defender on this team is capable of putting in a shift, no matter how young they are.”

Abatneh was also asked about the pressure of playing as defending champions: 

“I wouldn’t necessarily say pressure, but we do realize that teams play against us differently this year. They sit back more because last year, when teams would press us, we would play through them, so they don’t do that anymore. We have had to adapt to that . . . but we’re on the right path.” 

Part of the reason Ottawa have righted the ship is that they have finally been allowed to play matches at home this season, with only one of their first eight matches being played in the nation’s capital. Stretching back to last season, this edition of the squad is unbeaten at TD Place, and Abatneh acknowledged in a separate question that the atmosphere created by the fans is a big reason why they have continued the unbeaten run for so long, and is no doubt why they’ve seemingly turned a corner. Proving the point, their first win of the campaign, and the one win in the aforementioned eight games, was played in front of a record-setting away crowd, further emphazising the importance of playing in front of fans.

Enough with the boring stuff! Now onto the subject everyone wants to talk about: what the match meant to Diego Mejía in his last home game as head honcho. Since Abatneh was first up, he inevitably had to field some questions on the matter. His first question was what leaving Ottawa with a win meant for the players and himself personally, with regards to Diego:

“It was very important, because we feel like we have to give back to him after everything that he’s done for us as players, and for this club. For me personally he’s helped me so much, I feel like I’ve developed so much, not just as a player but as a person with him. He’s taught me a lot, and I’m just grateful for everything, and I hope that he has a great rest of his career, and a great next step at [Atlético] San Luis.”

Mejía made it a point to play young players as much as possible, which resulted in the league's highest U21 minutes by a country mile last season, and Ottawa are leading the charge once again this campaign. Notably, up until 2025, accruing the most minutes usually correlated with poorer results and bottom-of-the-table finishes, but that wasn’t the case last year, with a second-place finish and a North Star Cup to go with the U21 crown. Mitchell Tierney of CanPL.ca asked Abatneh if there was a sense of poetry to him and Joaquim Coulanges, two young stars on this roster, scoring to seal Mejía’s last win at home:

“It definitely makes sense, Diego always pushes us young players to be the best that we can be . . . ever since he came here he really believed in us, in the talent that we have, and trying to improve us every single training [session]. Every single game he’s put so much faith in us, so for me and Joaquim (Coulanges) to pay him back with goals . . . I’m happy we could do that.”

The last question Abatneh was asked pertained to what legacy Mejía will leave in Ottawa, once again by Tierney: 

“[He will leave] as a winner. He won the league, he’s constantly beaten teams that have historically been good in the league, he’s beaten MLS teams, so just as a winner, [and] as someone who has changed soccer in the CPL. Nobody has ever really seen soccer played the way that he plays in Canada, so I think that’s the legacy he leaves.”

Touching words from the defender, and the last he spoke on the day. Next up was the man of the hour, Diego Mejía, for possibly his last time in front of the mics and, as you can imagine, he took whatever direction he wanted to in responding to questions (rather forgivable, I must say). Nothing more case in point than the first question he fielded from AJ Jakubec, which was ostensibly about what the win meant for him, given the circumstances:

“First of all, I just want to say thank you very much, for all the good things . . . you were really kind to me, I always [felt] the freedom to be myself in the conferences. Thank you very much for that. I will [always] have Ottawa in my heart, because you have an amazing city . . . it’s actually the best city I’ve ever lived [in] before, so [myself] and my family want to say thank you to this incredible city, incredible country, this incredible league. This league helped me to prove myself, to grow, to find myself again, and gave me [an] opportunity to show myself that I am capable [of doing] amazing things with capable players. 

He continued:

“Thank you Manolo (Juan Miguel Vega, CEO), thank you J.D. (Ulanowski, GM), thank you to all the members of the staff of Atlético Ottawa. It’s more than a club, it’s a family here . . .  you don’t need two or three or six trophies to be a big team. You need to create these incredible things, you need to have the set of values that this team has, to be a big team. I am very happy to win, and we showed that we are the best team in this league, [this] last season. So now the leader of this league, in points, they just arrived and defended here, in a low block, and I just watched one team on the pitch, and that team was Atlético Ottawa.”

Fadeaway shots at Forge FC? Nothing could ever be more Diego Mejía than that. Gord Smith then jumped in with a question about what Mejía thought his legacy was going to be, and after some reflection, he eventually worked his way towards the answer:

“I felt that freedom to be myself, because [the brass] gave me the freedom to try to . . . manage the team, and in my way. When you put your heart and you put your values in a team, it is impossible to not build something special. I am just part of the plan, I am not the final plan. Atlético Ottawa is bigger than me, so . . . I think that I helped the team to [set] the basis, because I know that this team will grow a lot, it will be bigger, and I feel pretty happy to do that.” 

What then followed was an attempt to ask Mejía what he thought fans should remember him by, but the gaffer took the opportunity instead to reminisce on his time here: 

“I think that when you are [being] yourself, it’s impossible to not receive love and respect, when you put [in] all your effort and time, when you try to be honest, do your job, and then you get some results, and . . .  play a funny model, just score a lot of goals and win trophies, it’s incredible. I think that this is something that the fans deserve, to see a protagonist team to fight against everyone, doesn’t matter the name of the team, to respect the identity . . . I will remember all my life the matchdays when I leave my home, and start to walk to TD place, or take my bicycle and ride to TD place, I will bring [it] with me all the time, so thank you for the fans, they are the best crowd in this league.” 

The chaser on the previous question was a call-back to when Mejía mentioned last year that he wanted his players (and presumably himself) to be small fish in a large ocean, as opposed to sharks in a glass of water. Mejía has become said shark in the meantime, and will be moving on up to once again be a small fish in Liga MX. The coach then reflected on glasses of water:

“I think in this league and this country . . . you have a lot of potential. But that potential will come when the people around the league take some risks in the way that they play . . . I am that kind of guy. I know that it’s a big opportunity for me, [and] I feel capable [of taking] this step. I think that this league deserves to bring more coaches to try to improve the players. The profiles are here in Canada, you have amazing players, so I think that it’s a good opportunity for the league to [make] good decisions . . . there’s a lot of good coaches here . . . and maybe it’s good that they will try to prove something different, and give the space for the new ones to bring more tactics in this environment.” 

Mejía has time and again expounded on the high opinion he has of the CPL, its players, and its coaches, and he did the same again in a more backwards-looking sense when asked what he was most proud of during his time here: 

“A lot of things. I am really proud of my players . . .  the Canadian players are coachable, they always try to improve, they always try to learn, so they are really professional. I am really proud even of the league;I think that the league improved a lot from the last season to this season. I grew a lot as a coach, I [learned] a lot of new tactics, a lot of good things from the other coaches. I feel pretty happy because all the time that I lived here in Canada I [felt a] part of the community, part of the soccer industry. All my life, I will say that I lived in Canada, that I managed in the CPL. This league, this country, this city, will be in my heart all the time.” 

Penultimately, a question that was originally posed on the openness of the CPL to Latino passion, especially with regards to the refereeing and Mejía’s yellow card habit. In fact, the reporter implied that the CPL was not “ready” for it. Thankfully, Mejía steered his answer into a commentary on the inherent diversity of the CPL, and room for growth:  

“I think that this country [is] built with a lot of cultures . . . you have that good thing as a country to open the doors to [allow] people to be a part of this amazing country. I see in the community that everyone can be [themselves], and it’s a free country, so I see in the community a lot of flexibility to accept everyone. The only thing that I try to do on the pitch is just to put my passion there, because I feel the game in that way. I never tried to be disrespectful, not with anyone, not with the referees . . .  so I feel a bit upset because I watch the other coaches do the same thing, and [what happened to me never happened with them]. This league has a lot of good opportunities to grow, but I think that the product, the league, the level, is incredible, the coaches are incredible . . . if you guys start to work together . . . you could have an amazing product. It’s not just Canada for Canadians; it can be Canada for the world, because you have a lot of good things.” 

Finally, Mejía had a word for the Ottawa fans on his replacement, to assuage any trepidation:

“This team has a master plan, it’s not just me. We have very capable people that make the decisions, and I am very [confident] that they will find the correct profile [of players] to bring, because right now I think that we know as a team who we are, so it’s going to be fun for the next [coach] . . .  I think that the only thing that I can ask you guys is to try to support him, try to respect him, to believe [in] him . . . don’t try to compare him to me, everyone is different.” 

And with that, we wrap up what was presumably Mejía’s last foray into a CPL press conference. I hope this edition wasn’t too long, or too boring without any segues or commentary, but as stated above I felt like this was the right way to treat a parting media session. Ottawa take on Pacific FC away from home on Saturday, May 30th, at 6pm EDT, a match for which Mejía will presumably have to watch from the stands as Diego Campos takes over touchline duties. They follow that up with another match in BC against Vancouver FC before returning home in early June for a tilt against Supra. By then, we should know who the next manager of Atlético Ottawa will be. Listen to the man and do not panic. VAMOS!

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school), Alexander is managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a BlueSky account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL and NSL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

To honour Diego Mejía, and in lieu of a conventional farewell article for a decidedly unconventional manager, CCSG has decided to compile six tributes from various past and present contributors to The Forward Press. Without further ado, here they are!  

Patrick Gibson - What Ottawa Was Missing

Professional sporting success in the city of Ottawa has been fleeting at best. Bar the successes of the Senators pre-Original Six, and the Rough Riders of the late 60s to mid 70s, Canada’s capital has been bereft of ultimate, professional, glory. This context is what elevates the meaning of the 2025 CPL Championship for those of us who grew up in this city over the last 30 or so years. We’ve seen team after team, barring the 2016 Grey Cup victory, fall just short of the finish line. But unlike that miracle run, last year’s Atlético Ottawa side was the culmination of a dominant season: one in which they went undefeated at home, reached the semi-final of the Voyageur’s Cup, crushed club goal-scoring records at both individual and team level, and ultimately won the most iconic game in league history to bring home a championship.

The responsibility for this lies at the feet of Diego Mejía, a manager who completely flipped the script on what it meant to play for Atlético Ottawa in terms of style and attitude. A manager who motivated and had confidence in young players to carry the bulk of the minutes across the back line. A manager who showed that confidence in every moment on the touchline, with the media, and in public. His confidence allowed our players to be confident and play confident even when we’d concede early in games. It allowed us to be confident in the stands after a few seasons of uncertainty and late-game collapses, and allowed us to believe that this would be different. And it was.

That we were able to keep Diego through the off-season after rumours swirled regarding interest from his hometown club Quéretaro in LigaMX seemed too good to be true. Even in and amongst the turmoil of roster turnover and poor results to begin the 2026 season, there was still confidence emanating from our manager, and hope amongst supporters that it would turn around, even if the ghosts of old still lingered in our minds. Off the back of a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to Inter Toronto, Diego conjured up some magic and led us to a thrilling 3-1 victory against Toronto FC to mark our first-ever win against an MLS opponent, in our first-ever attempt. It is, by my account, the second-biggest victory in club history, and, regardless of how these last few games go, emblematic of the success Diego has brought us.

Success at this level generally means great things for those who achieve it, but for the fans, it means saying goodbye far too soon to those who brought us glory. For Diego, it means a return to Mexico with our sister club Atlético San Luis. For us, it ends an era early, but it gives us the grace of seeing our manager triumphant and leaving on a high, and it is in that way that Diego Mejía’s tenure fits well into the fabric of Ottawa sports history, while still standing out in its brilliance. A brief moment forever heralded by those who were there to experience it. Buena suerte, Diego.

Alina Kassam - His Legacy Remains

From the first whistle of the season to the final chant, Diego Mejía created a special bond with the supporters that will not be forgotten anytime soon. As Chief Capo for the supporters, you always hope for a coach who understands what the badge means not only to the players, but to the people chanting for 90 minutes every matchday. Diego brought passion, belief, and identity to this club. He gave supporters something to rally behind — a team that fought for every ball, played with confidence, and represented the city with pride. Whether it was celebrating after a massive result or standing together during difficult moments, he always showed appreciation to the supporters and the community that backs this club week in and week out.

On behalf of the supporters’ section, thank you, Diego, for helping build unforgettable memories at Atlético Ottawa. Thank you for your help in growing this club in this city and for understanding the importance of the energy that the supporters bring to every match. Coaches come and go in football, but the ones who truly embrace the club leave a lasting mark. Your time in Ottawa gave fans moments of belief, noise, and unity that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. You are, and will always be, a part of our family.

Gracias, Diego.

C.D. Girard - The Leader We Needed

“Now all the teams around the league accept we are better than them.” Diego Mejía spoke these words at a recent press conference, a bold statement he had earned the right to make. I think back to the gaffer’s first meeting with the media after his appointment, his promise to develop young players and bring attacking, possession-based football to the club. Many fans were sceptical after enduring years of defensive football and painfully late collapses that had come to define the team under the previous regime, but Mejía proved to be a man of his word, and both the players and we the fans reaped the rewards.  

Under his leadership, Atlético Ottawa shattered expectations and delivered the greatest season in club history. In one year under Mejía’s lead, the team set over 20 club and league records, hoisted the North Star Cup in a viral football final, and secured its first continental berth. He also recently led the team to its first win against an MLS side. Mejía brought consistency, not just in performances, but in identity and results, and it may be a long time before Ottawa witnesses a season quite like this again.

True to his word, Mejía created an environment where young talent could grow and chase bigger ambitions. We’ve seen players under his leadership earn national team appearances, and others move to higher leagues. Now it’s his turn to move on to bigger opportunities and new challenges.

I think back to my first impression of him walking into a packed pub with an infant strapped to his chest. He wasn’t the loudest person there, nor the one demanding attention, yet his presence was undeniable. You could sense the confidence, the drive, and the quiet belief of someone who already knew what was possible. I had the opportunity to speak with the gaffer on a handful of occasions, and every conversation revealed his passion for the sport was undeniable, as was his belief in each of his players. (He also couldn’t keep roster updates a secret if you asked him directly, but I didn’t mind). More than anything, what stood out was the genuine care and love he expressed for the city, the team, the players, and the fans. The gratitude supporters feel towards him, for his passion, his leadership, and his brilliance, goes beyond words. Diego Mejía leaves behind big cleats to fill, and we wish him nothing but success.

Joseph Huneault - Happy, Privileged, and Honoured

Atlético Ottawa has experienced a gamut of coaches and emotions in their less-than-a-decade-long life, but none have been more powerful or more impactful than the era of Diego Mejía. Mejía’s footballing journey thus far has been one marked by second lives. He turned a below-average playing career into a young, upstart coaching portfolio that would make any silverware-minded club owner’s mouth water. 

Our club has always had a penchant for green coaches, and on paper Diego was no exception. In practice, he was unlike anything Ottawa, or the CPL as a whole, had ever encountered. Like his predecessors, Mista and CarGo, Mejía sought to forge a team he had limited control in assembling into a style of football that fit his own philosophy. Unlike the previous duo, however, Mejía paired his efforts with an unbridled enthusiasm and determination. A constant complaint of the past, particularly of his immediate predecessor, was the lack of man management. It took very little time for us fans to forget those problems of old under the guiding hand of our new gaffer. 

Something else Mejía brought, and something I personally fear will be harder to replace, was a real personality that positively impacted everything and everyone around him. He built a team so responsive to his persona that we became excited to be a second-half team, and press conferences became something to look forward to. At a time when the Canadian Prem is beginning to reach more screens across the country and the world, Mejía has been able to provide Canada with a media-friendly and focused club that can balance virality and success. His delicate tightrope walk of snappy quotes and provable success is something difficult to achieve, and while he may not have perfected his talents yet, he's still many steps above his peers in the league.

It takes a particular fortitude to create a goal for oneself and then to never waver. I have no doubt, nor should any of us, that Mejía is one of those special, once-in-a-generation types of people who will never step off the pathway to his dream. While his time with us may likely end up just an early footnote in a monumental career, I couldn't have been more happy, privileged, or honoured, than to have gotten to experience the early rise of Diego Mejía. 

Alexander Brazier Rymek - Thank You

We, as supporters, are obliged to remain loyal to our teams no matter what. Whether we were born into them, chose them later in life, or if they magically appeared out of the blue in the winter of 2019, like a marriage, we are required to stand steadfast behind our clubs in sickness and in health–until death do us part. However, I think I speak for us all that, until that one snowy night in November, before David Rodríguez changed our lives and led us to our first-ever North Star Cup, it had been difficult to be a fan of Atlético Ottawa. Aside from a standout season in 2022, it was mostly disappointment and unfulfilled promise. Seventh. Eighth. A title in ‘22, then sixth following a late-season collapse, and then third after leading the league for months and disaster in the playoffs. Until Rodríguez. Until Mejía.

I’ll admit, I was just as sceptical as the next guy when Diego Mejía was announced as Atlético Ottawa’s newest gaffer in January of 2025. A manager with only two seasons under his belt, and two fairly mediocre ones at that? Here we go again, I thought. But then 2025 happened. We won the league despite leading the division in U21 minutes. We won the league despite rarely ever leading at the half. We won the league despite playing the final in a snowstorm that would have precluded any other sane league from kicking off. Or, maybe it was because of those things that we won the league. Because we led the league in U21 minutes, and let our young stars tear apart an unprepared league. Because we rarely led at halftime, controlling the game and then breaking it open by exploiting the littlest advantage gained from our relentless pressure. Because we showed more grit, determination, and courage than any other league, than any other team, in the world. We won the league because of Mejía. And for that, we believed again. For that, we thank you. 

C.J. Steele - Puzzlemaster

Atlético Ottawa had long seemed to be a case of the parts being more than the sum. We've been blessed with a plethora of individual talents and some key depth cogs, and the squad assembled the year before Mejía’s arrival was even branded “Galacticos” by the league's Buzzfeed-style media outlet, which declared that anything less than a title was a failure. When that side failed to meet its lofty expectations and lost a few of its stars, it felt like the North Star Cup was out of reach as the club faced yet another off-season of turnover on the pitch and on the touchline. 

Diego Mejía was the man chosen to try and finally deliver on the promise that had been untapped since the league title in 2022, and deliver, he did. The man from Quaretaro did just that. He brought a battler's mentality to a side that had let numerous leads slip the year prior, and this fortitude saw career years from a number of veterans from the ill-fated “superteam”, finally getting the best out of so many of the men in red and white. This strong mentality, and the fiery personality of the man in charge, allowed him to absorb criticisms and shield the players when the season seemed to have stalled, and he regularly espoused his firm belief in the players and his desire to have them play with expressive freedom and the ability to make mistakes without being stapled to the bench. 

While he was blessed with one of the greatest talents this league has ever seen in CPL Final brace-scorer David Rodriguez, a coming-out party for elite goalscorer Sam Salter, and a solid team all around, we’ve seen players of similar stature wear the badge before and still fall short. I will be forever grateful to Diego Mejía for instilling a structure, a tenacious spirit, and a fighter's mentality that allowed the players under his watch to unlock their full potential, and to finally put all the pieces together to allow Ottawa to lift the ultimate prize in that famous blizzard. Not to mention, showing Toronto FC who the real Kings of Ontario are. Vamos Diego!

For all of us at The Forward Press, CCSG, and of course, on behalf of all Atleti fans, we thank you, Diego Mejía, and wish you nothing but the best! 

Welcome to the Matchday 6 edition of The Forward Press! Fresh off a massive and historic 3-1 victory over MLS side Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship, Atlético Ottawa carried that momentum into their first meeting of the season against the HFX Wanderers, grinding out a gritty 1-0 win to secure all three points for the second time this campaign, with the result pushing ATO into fourth place in the table! With gaffer Diego Mejía suspended due to yellow card accumulation, assistant coach Diego Campos stepped in to lead the team and handle post-match media duties alongside goal scorer Jonantàn Villal, who netted his first goal in red-and-white stripes.

There were certainly positives to take away from Sunday’s match―Atlético Ottawa spent more time in the final third and recorded nine shots with two on target, a noticeable improvement from earlier matches this season. Defensively, the side also held firm, with Tristan Crampton recording his first clean sheet for the club. Villal praised the young goalkeeper in front of media, highlighting the hard work Crampton has put in and the way he has embraced his opportunity:

“Tristan’s been working very hard,” Villal said. “He got his opportunity and he’s been taking advantage of it. He’s been great.”

The victory continued a noticeable shift in momentum for Ottawa after a difficult opening stretch to the CPL campaign—Villal acknowledged the team’s growing confidence, calling the recent run of results a potential turning point:

“The results are coming in now, and I feel like this is the turning point for the season. We’re only going up from here”.

One undeniable bright spot from the afternoon―and a focus of Villal’s post-match conference―was his first goal for Atlético Ottawa. Speaking about the play, the midfielder credited Many Aparicio for the buildup. Villal saw space open up as Aparicio carried the ball forward. After taking a touch, Villal said he simply tried to “hit it as quickly as [he] could,” firing home his first in Ottawa colours.

He used this moment as leverage to encourage the team to aim for that second goal:

“I was talking to the team and I was like; we got to come on and get the second goal because we know how these types of teams can get. It could be tough in the second half”.

Campos also praised Villal’s overall performance, stating that “today was one of his best matches since he’s [been] here. But we know he can give us more and we trust that he’s going to do it again”.

Villal also took a moment to speak about his experience joining Altético Ottawa, sharing nothing but positive sentiments about his first season in the capital. “It’s been great,” he said. “All my teammates are very great and it’s been very fun”. In a later response, he added, “I feel like they’ve been helping me mature more in my game and in life in general as a person,” highlighting the positive environment surrounding the squad. Villal also spoke about embracing more of a leadership role on the field and admitted that while “it’s been different,” he is fully “up for the challenge”.

While these last two matches showed encouraging signs, it may be too early to declare that ATO has fully turned a corner. Halifax can be characterized as a historically weaker opponent than most top CPL teams, and despite creating chances, Ottawa still managed to net only a single goal. They also accrued a lower xG than Halifax despite out-passing their opponents almost two-to-one, and gave up almost as many shot attempts as they created. Let’s not forget a key clearance by Mbomio in the 86th minute and the post coming in clutch to prevent a Halifax equalizer in added time. ATO’s inability to create or bury multiple opportunities with more possession and consistently test the keeper doesn’t inspire full confidence quite yet, at least not from this author’s perspective. 

A potential explanation for this continued struggle could be the ongoing wave of injuries that continue to plague the squad, perhaps limiting the team’s ability to fully live up to Mejía’s previous media comments about being the best side in the league. Even Villal admitted that the Wanderers made life difficult for Ottawa throughout the afternoon stating, “It was a very tough game for us, but I’m glad we got the win. It was very hard.”

These injuries have forced players out of their comfortable positions and led to some experimenting higher up the pitch. Diego Campos acknowledged Emiliano García’s recent performance and flexibility playing as a number nine. Campos explained that the coaching staff knew García could operate in multiple positions when they signed him, having previously seen him play as a forward at a younger age. He elaborated:

“We knew that [he could play as a nine] when we brought him here and right now we need him there . . . We know he can play there. He’s doing an excellent job. All the sacrifice of pressing, of holding the ball or of playing simple, attacking in the box, maybe he’s not the one who finishes the plays [but] he’s doing [the] job and we are very happy with him.”

These formation changes take time to adjust to and may require system changes. Erling Myklebust has just returned from injury, and on top of Richie Ennin’s season-ending ACL injury and Santiago Lopez’s continued absence, Sergei Kozlovskiy and Tyr Duhaney-Walker have also recently been added to the names on the medical table, which meant Daniel Aguilar also played out of position at CB against Halifax. However, ATO continues to commit to the specific identity and system so often referenced by the coach and echoed by Campos this presser.

“I think we have our identity,” Campos said. “Our identity is to play, have the ball, try to create chances, but some matches you can do it more than others.” He emphasized that Ottawa’s priority remains finding a second goal to pad their leads, and continuing to create opportunities rather than sitting back defensively.

Yet, with injuries mounting and results remaining inconsistent, it's fair to question whether this system is truly working in its current form or whether adjustments are needed to better suit the players currently available. These difficulties become apparent as the match wears on; Ottawa continued to struggle in the second half, especially when Halifax began pushing for an equalizer, a point acknowledged by Campos.

“We played a very good first half . . . in the second half, at the end this league is very competitive and the other team pushes because they are losing and they start creating some chances as well, but we [also] had our chances . . . We couldn’t score, so at the end the match starts feeling like it’s there on the edge and we end up winning.”

Campos later admitted that it “wasn’t our best performance,” adding that the squad still has improvements to make “in every phase of the game.” However, he believed the game plan in the opening half was executed well from his perspective. He also acknowledged that integrating several new players into Ottawa’s system will take time, and stressed that the team must improve in the finer details, particularly when it comes to capitalizing on scoring chances. 

Luckily, it’s still early in the season, and there are plenty of opportunities for the team to build the necessary chemistry, refine the style of play, and turn these lessons into results. We also have the transfer window to look forward to, which should address some of the much-needed depth and deal with the growing list of injuries.

Finally, the afternoon also featured the club’s annual wiener dog race―congratulations to Turbo Tucker for taking home the crown―along with fan-favourite toonie hot dogs, which naturally led to the final and arguably most important question of the presser: “How many hot dogs do you think Diego [Mejía] ate?” Campos was tactical with his response, confidently stating “just two, but he wished he would have had more . . . but he respects the match . . .  so maybe one each half”.

Riding the momentum of this win, Atlético Ottawa now turn their attention to the next challenge as Forge FC comes to TD Place on May 24^th for a 2 PM kickoff. After falling 2-0 against Hamilton in the opening match of the season, ATO will be looking for a statement performance on home turf. With confidence steadily building and the crowd behind them, this is our chance to bring the energy, pack the Dub, and remind Forge that the Glebe is our house. Vamos Atléti!

About the author:

C.D. Girard (she/her/elle) discovered Atlético Ottawa during their 2023 season and has been a loyal fan ever since. A long-time admirer of the sport, she first began playing football at the age of seven and most looks forward to international competitions, supporting both Canada and the Netherlands.

Welcome to this week's edition of the Forward Press, for Matchweek 5 of the CPL, in which Atlético Ottawa faced off against Inter Toronto (formerly York United, formerly York 9) on Friday evening. Ottawa played a stalwart first half, but the wheels came off in the second 45, shipping four within 13 minutes of the restart. Timoteo scored late, but like Chris Paul hitting a huge three, it amounted to basically nothing, and the team slumped to a third loss in five games. Noah Abatneh and Coach Diego Mejia joined the media following the match, and Abatneh's first question pertained to the events of the second half:

“I think in the first half we were really good, I thought that we came out with a new shape and they struggled to deal with that…I think in the second half it was simple, we made individual errors…in football that costs you. It is what it is.”

The individual errors in question were a slip from the selfsame Centre Back in the 6-yard box, gifting it to the oncoming Skublak who proceeded to calmly slot it home, and an awkward rebound from ‘keeper Garrisonne Innocent that clanged off the inside of Loic Cloutier’s boot and into the net from close range. Neither was a result of overwhelming pressure.

Mejia’s first question also touched upon that disastrous second half, and he had a little more to say about it:

“I think that we created a good game plan, I think that the first half was one of the best performance[s] of the season … we created the chances, we [failed to convert] those chances, [and] we are suffering a lot in the final third. In the second half we committed [some] very very bad mistakes, in the transitions, the long balls… but we need to improve in the small details. This game is my fault … I want my players to play in this way. We need to [get through] these bad times, put the mindset in the future, and work to get better things.”

Our own Jon Hopkins had a question pertaining to Mejia’s third yellow card in five matches, resulting from his fiery sideline behaviour. He started out his defence citing multiple examples of more egregious behaviour from other coaches not resulting in reprimands, seemingly identifying a double standard in CPL referees, and then had this to say: 

“... I’m not going to change my behaviour, because five meters for a throw-in is important … but for referees, five meters aren't important. I don't worry about referees.” 

He also had to defend his comments from last week, in which he was quoted as saying that his team has forced all the teams in the CPL to rest in defence and defend in a low block. Mejia stated that he never intended to provoke any other teams in the league with his comments, and he tries his best to only tell the truth. He also places full responsibility for results solely on his team’s success and failures, and not on the other team’s performance. For someone who used the word “protagonist” to describe his club last year, this tracks; however, whether that mentality is a little derivative or not can be subjective. 

Pivoting to the midweek fixture against Toronto FC in the Voyageurs Cup, Abatneh was asked his second and last question on the subject of the team's game plan:

“We’re just going to be thinking about how we always play. We always have the same style, the same identity, the same structure, so I don’t think that has to change just because it's TFC.”

Mejia was also asked essentially the same question: 

“With the performance that we showed today, we cannot compete even with the teams in CPL. [However], this team never changes our identity. We will play the same game against Real Madrid, against Chelsea, against Toronto, against everyone. If we need to lose a match 10-0, we will lose a match 10-0 … we will come back in a few days, and try to win the game, and to create chances, and then we will see.”

I would first like to state that this is an admirable position to take, even if it is simply media-facing posturing. The best teams shouldn’t change their mentality based on their opponent, and should always play their game with the goal of crushing and suffocating their opponents with possession-based football. I, Alex Rymek, agree with this sentiment, IN PRINCIPLE. However, with recent results in mind, one must question whether Ottawa is one of the best teams in the league any more, and whether we can afford such stubbornness. Last year was one thing, with two of the best players in the league at the helm, and many other players having career seasons (Aparicio, Antinoro, etc), who had talent to weather the storm of a few bad results and bounce back, but with such tremendous turnover from last season (13 departures with the same number of new faces incoming), do we have the personnel to play this way again? Personally, I don’t want to lose every match 10-0, even if I feel good morally about the way in which we are playing.

I understand the argument that with new faces, and only seven games played (including the Champions League), things will take time to jell, and results may come. Only time will tell, of course, but I counter with the fact that five games into the league last season, Ottawa was 4-1-0, having scored 15 goals, and were sitting top of the league. In 2026, we are 1-1-3, having scored four goals (none of them before the 84’ of any match), and we are in 6th. This despite handily outpossessing opponents in every match. We sport the worst goal differential in the league, and could easily be pointless, if it weren't for late heroics and one outstanding game from Innocent in Laval. 

There is clearly something not working on the field. Maybe it is chemistry. Maybe it is personnel. Maybe it's even injuries. The team does not look the same as last season, playing ostensibly the same football. One could argue that with the returning players, they are even playing an evolved, higher-level version of the same system, which should, in theory, be achieving better results. Maybe it's time to acknowledge that this team is not last year’s, and that a change to the system might be in order, even if it is slight, to compensate for what are, in my view, structural weaknesses. I harken back to 2023, when Carlos Gonzalez tried playing the same system as in the title-winning 2022 campaign, with an even more radically altered roster, and failed miserably. The definition of insanity is oft-quoted for a reason.

Ottawa’s next test comes against MLS side Toronto FC on Tuesday, May 5th, in the Voyageurs Cup, and they return to the capital on May 17th for a dance with HFX. I bid my leave with a quote from Mejia about his team's mentality, which hopefully will leave you in better spirits: 

“As a young player, it is easy to gain confidence when you win and win and win, like last season. This is the real challenge … for our young guys. They need to put their heads up, and they need to start to try to work… in the bad situations is when you really grow, so the guys have my confidence and I will support them … all the bad results are always my responsibility. So it's a good opportunity for them to grow, to develop their mindset, so I think we will be good.”

VAMOS!

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school), Alexander is managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a BlueSky account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL and NSL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

Welcome to the Matchday 4 edition of the Forward Press! Saturday saw your 2025 Canadian Premier League champs make their long-awaited return to their Capital home, and the first opportunity for the majority of the Ottleti faithful to see their North Star Cup holders, and a host of new faces, in friendly confines. Diego Mejía’s starting XI featured five new faces from the XI that vanquished Calgary in the snow, with another three home debutants emerging from the bench throughout the second half.

Ottawa struggled mightily in the opening two-thirds of the match, culminating in Santiago López having his chance to put Atlético in front from the penalty spot, following Mejía’s Successful FVS Challenge, and Vancouver punishing this profligacy by burying their first chance on the counter in the immediate aftermath. The introduction of Emiliano Garcia in the 64th minute marked a turning point in the match, as Ottawa took the match to the visitors, and with just under four minutes left of a welcome ten minutes of added time, the young former Mexico U20 international got on the end of a flick from Kamron Habibullah to secure a deserved point. Three points didn’t seem at all off the table as the side pressed for the remaining minutes, but they couldn’t find their way through to a winner. The result ensured that Ottawa’s unbeaten home streak reached twenty-four games in all competitions, and Manny Aparicio was the first to face the press: 

“It’s something we take a lot of pride in. We try to make these games exciting and try to get wins in front of our fans because at the end of the day it’s what brings people into the stadium, it’s a show for them. Making this a fortress, making playing at home a tough place to play for the away teams is huge”.  

Long may it continue. 

The press conference kicked off with reporters looking for Manny’s thoughts on the match. Aparicio was understandably frustrated with the saved penalty and the defensive lapse that followed: “… we still have to be cleaner on the counters, I think we’re a bit weak on that.” 

He was nonetheless able to look at a number of positives from the remainder of the match, including chance creation and a “fightback mentality”.  The captain also singled out the impact of his side’s six subs, with Ottawa being allowed an extra replacement with Noah Abatneh being withdrawn for a head injury: 

“A lot of the subs came in with a lot of energy and a lot of drive to get something for us, so I'm super proud of that, just slowly trying to put the pieces together and get a full 90 minutes.”

Asked about the pressure Vancouver would’ve felt to hold on to their slim lead when the fourth official signalled ten added minutes, and the impact of the home support on a team in the ascendancy with strong possession, Aparicio paid tribute to the home faithful: 

“Yeah, we know this is a tough place to come play, I’ve been on the other end and when the minutes keep on dragging on, it’s a big pitch, it’s hot, it was hot today, so I think we use that to our advantage… it’s huge, I mean we have some of the best fans in the league, if not the best… and yeah obviously when they add 10 minutes and they're singing, yelling, and giving us that energy and that push to keep on going it’s huge… last year we made a great run at home and that’s the goal here this year again, make it a tough place to play and to play until whatever minute we have to”

When asked about the high player turnover in the off-season and whether or not it has had an impact on Ottleti’s slow start to the season, he admitted this was the case: “For sure…chemistry takes time, it takes games, repetition and making mistakes to learn from.”_, but he also spoke of the positives of the group growing together: 

“I think some of these things we’re doing, the positives, we take it. The negatives as well, what to fix and what to work on, every week we have something to learn from… you see a bit of progression from game to game, how we’re going, how we’re finding the way we want to play through games. That’s what it’s gonna take, repetition, repetition. Failing, getting back up and doing it again. If that penalty goes in, it’s a completely different game, I think. So yeah, a lot of positives to take and a lot to learn from as well”.

Rounding out his press conference, Aparicio paid tribute to the TD Place grounds crew for getting the turf in place in a matter of days as work continues on the Lansdowne 2.0 project, but when asked about the quality of the field, he was honest about the challenges that the surface and the work had on the players and noted that one quarter of the pitch was entirely different to the other three: 

“I mean, it’s not the greatest on the far side… yeah it’s just very different to the other three-quarters of the pitch. It’s not the worst, like it’s still turf, it’s not the greatest to play on, but it is quite different…it’s not the same as the rest of the field.” When pressed on the differences, Aparicio noted: “Just a lot of rubber, it’s heavier on the legs, it’s a bit off, I don't know if under the cement got touched, I don't know what, but it’s got divots, it’s not flat. It’s a bit different.” 

It’s an interesting insight into a challenge not immediately obvious to the fans, but it's also another reminder of the cost of being a tenant in your own home, at the whims of forces outside your control.

With the captain off to regroup following the match, Boss Diego Mejía took his place in the media room chair to offer his thoughts on the home opener. When asked how it felt to be back at home after a number of matches on the road since the final, and how it felt to have the raucous crowd back the squad again, he offered the following thoughts: 

“It’s amazing, the last time that we played here was five months ago, we played our previous matches away ... I’m very happy to be back and watch all of the fans here with us, over 5,000 people. I think it’s incredible, we need to understand that our fans, for us, are everything. As I said before, we need to take care of our standards, because all of the fans that came here to watch us Today, they need to have that feeling that their team is pushing to win all of the time. I am very happy to be back.”

After reflecting on the positives, the Manager was quick to point out his displeasure with the early course of the match: “I think the first sixty minutes were terrible, our performance. The intensity we played with was really bad. We need to try to maintain our standards, you know, during the ninety minutes. I think that this was one of the values that we won last season, the intensity, that this team usually has to play the matches, on the ball and off the ball.” If the first hour was not up to standards. Mejía was noticeably happier with the final half hour and change, noting the intensity and aggression to get back into the match.

Refuting a question about his squads style of play, Mejía bemoaned the state of the tactical styles of the league’s other sides, top to bottom: “We need to understand something, the league improved for us last season, we played in a very good way, now you see all the behaviours of all the teams in this league, they rest in defence, they defend all the time in a low block, they don’t try to press us, even Forge at their home, so for sure it’s going to be hard to try to open those lines, but we are working on that…it’s a good challenge for us.” 

Finishing up his thoughts on the match itself, Mejía was quick to praise newcomer Emiliano Garcia and his impact on the match, finding his first ATO goal as well as his attitude in training:

“I think that Emi is a good example of a player that is coachable, a player that played in Europe, he played in the Champions League… he played in the first division in Mexico. He arrived here with a lot of humility, with a lot of energy to improve. At the beginning, he struggled for a little bit with the rhythm that this league has and for the model, but I think he’s a coachable guy… if someone deserved to score, it was Emi. I am pretty happy for him.”

Asked whether this meant he was in line for a start against Inter Toronto on Friday Mejía kept his cards close to his chest: “I need to see the rival, I need to analyze and then I need to choose the profile that is going to give us the opportunity to win. I manage my team all the time in that way, so if Emiliano fits in the game plan, then for sure in the next game he will play.” 

Mejía offered a quick update on the status of Santiago López, who exited the match in the latter half of the second: “I think he has some problem with the ankle, but I think that he will be ok.” A bit of hopeful injury news in the wake of Richie Ennin being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

Mejía's full comments can be viewed here:

Incredible Home Opener support “means everything” to Diego

Every word as Head Coach Diego Mejía spoke post 2026 Home Opener

Atlético OttawaAtlético Ottawa

The boys in stripes next take the pitch on Friday the 1st of May against Inter Toronto in the league, and will remain in the lesser capital for a midweek Voyageurs Cup meeting with Toronto FC on the 5th, before finally returning to the national Capital on Sunday,, May the 17th. VAMOS! 

Author: C.J Steele

Welcome to The Forward Press for Matchday 3, where Ottawa came away with a last-gasp winner to snatch three points from Supra, and almost 90 Atleti faithful represented CCSG, singing loud and proud all game long!

Coach Diego Mejía and first-time goalscorer Tyr Duhaney-Walker joined the media post-match to discuss our inaugural match (and win!) versus the Quebec-based outfit. For this, and all subsequent Supra matches, CCSG will be publishing a combined French and English edition of The Forward Press!

(French version follows, la version française suit)

The translation for this article was made possible by C.D. Girard, with editing by Antony Da Silva-Casimiro.

Mejía’s comments can be viewed in full here: https://www.cplsoccer.com/atleticoottawa/news/atleti-win-inaugural-clash-with-fc-supra-du-quebec

He opened the session with a touching message to longtime Forge FC player Kyle Bekker, who recently announced he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and had undergone successful surgery:

“On behalf of Atlético Ottawa, I want to send our full support to Kyle Bekker. He's one of the best players in the history of this league. This is a hard moment, and beyond any rivalry, there are things that are bigger than football. We wish him a full and speedy recovery, and today I think that we are all on the same side.”

CCSG would also like to send our thoughts to Kyle Bekker and his family during this time, and we look forward to facing him on the field once again following his recovery.

Mejía then was asked about the atmosphere at Supra’s first-ever home match: “The environment is incredible, the team is incredible, the brand is incredible, the stadium―we are in CPL―and it's incredible . . . Talking just about the pitch and the stands, it's fantastic. I want to come back and play more games in this environment.”

He wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however, as he described an invasion of small children in the dressing room before kickoff, and understandably looks forward to Supra ironing out the kinks of starting a new franchise from scratch.

As for the game itself, it generally followed the trend of this season, with Ottawa dominating possession but finding little joy when trying to break Supra’s defense, and getting hit hard on the counter. For the first time at length this season, Mejía acknowledged his opposition's talent defending the ball and admitted that his team made “some bad decisions,” which led to quick counters the other way. That said, he again stated that this is how he wants to play, showing what he is willing to give up in order to control the flow of the match. He also gave credit to starter and Man of the Match Garissone Innocent, who made 9 saves en route to his first clean sheet of the year and kept his side in it until Ottawa’s late winner. 

The scorer of that winning goal was Centre Back Tyr Duhaney-Walker, who made his 50th professional appearance on the day, and whose last-gasp, points-stealing goal was his first time finding the back of the net. He followed Mejía in front of the microphones (https://www.cplsoccer.com/atleticoottawa/news/local-defender-duhaney-walker-scores-first-goal-on-50th-appearance):

His first couple of questions pertained to his feelings on the match:

“It's an amazing feeling to get our first win of the season. The atmosphere here was nice, it's close to Ottawa, so we've got a good rivalry with the fans, and I'm happy to get the win . . . we didn't start the season off in the way we wanted. This is a good way to boost morale for the team, show what we want to do for the rest of the season, and move forward positively from here.”

Many have foreseen a possible rivalry between FC Supra and Atlético Ottawa developing, given their proximity to each other for travelling fans and the general Ottawa-Québec rivalry in other sports. Of course, this will take time to develop and blossom, but that doesn’t stop the league and its media from pushing the narrative as much as possible. As such, Duhaney-Walker’s last two questions pertained to the clubs and their feelings towards each other: “It's going to be a good rivalry, especially since we have a lot of players from the province as well. Just the fact that people here know each other, it adds a little bit of fight into every duel and challenge…now we have [bragging rights].”

This match also marked CCSG’s first road trip of the season, which saw record attendance for such a trip! Mejía ended his press conference with a reference to the travelling support and the upcoming home opener: “We miss our fans, we miss our stadium, we miss the sun! We need to play one match with the sun, please. I hope that next Sunday we are going to play in the best environment in this league.”

You can contribute to that environment by showing up to TD Place in full voice this Sunday, April 26th, at 1 PM when Atleti takes on Vancouver FC! VAMOS!

The Forward Press: Supporters en déplacement, erreurs et rivalités potentielles

Bienvenue à The Forward Press pour la 3e journée, où l'Atlético Ottawa a arraché la victoire 1 à 0 dans les derniers instants pour soutirer trois points au Supra, tandis que près de 90 fidèles partisans de l’Atléti représentant le CCSG, ont chanté fort et fièrement tout au long du match !

L’entraîneur Diego Mejia et l’auteur du but gagnant Tyr Duhaney‑Walker se sont adressés aux médias après la rencontre pour discuter de notre match inaugural (et de notre victoire !) contre l’équipe québécoise.

Meija a ouvert la séance de questions avec un message touchant adressé au joueur de longue date de Forge FC, Kyle Bekker, qui a récemment annoncé avoir été diagnostiqué d’un cancer des testicules et avoir subi une opération réussie :

« Au nom de l’Atlético Ottawa, je tiens à envoyer tout notre soutien à Kyle Bekker. C’est l’un des meilleurs joueurs de l’histoire de cette ligue. C’est un moment difficile, et au‑delà de toute rivalité, il y a des choses plus importantes que le soccer. Nous lui souhaitons un rétablissement complet et rapide, et aujourd’hui, je pense que nous sommes tous du même côté. »

Le CCSG souhaite également transmettre ses pensées à Kyle Bekker et à sa famille face à cette épreuve, et nous avons hâte de l’affronter sur le terrain une fois son rétablissement complété.

Mejia a ensuite été interrogé sur l’ambiance lors du tout premier match à domicile du Supra :

«L’ambiance est incroyable, l’équipe est incroyable, le modèle est incroyable, le stade — nous sommes en PLC  — et tout est incroyable… En parlant uniquement du terrain et des tribunes, c’est fantastique. Je veux revenir et jouer davantage de matchs dans cet environnement.  »

Cependant, tout n’était pas rose, puisqu’il a décrit une invasion de jeunes enfants dans le vestiaire avant le coup d’envoi et, de manière compréhensible, il espère que Supra parviendra à peaufiner les petits défis liés au lancement d’une nouvelle franchise.

Sur le déroulement du match, la rencontre a suivi la tendance observée depuis le début de la saison : Ottawa a dominé la possession, mais a eu de la difficulté à percer la défense adverse, tout en se faisant souvent surprendre en contre-attaque. Pour la première fois de façon marquée cette saison, Mejia a reconnu la qualité technique de l’adversaire et a admis que son équipe avait pris « quelques mauvaises décisions », menant à des contre-attaques rapides de l’autre côté. Il a toutefois réitéré qu’il assumait pleinement cette approche de jeu, expliquant ce qu’il est prêt à concéder pour garder le contrôle du match.

Quant au match lui-même, il a globalement suivi la tendance de cette saison, Ottawa dominant la possession, mais peinant à se montrer dangereux face au bloc défensif du Supra, tout en étant puni sur des contre-attaques rapides. Pour la première fois de la saison, Mejía a reconnu la qualité de l’adversaire dans la gestion du ballon et a admis que son équipe avait pris « de mauvaises décisions », ce qui a mené à des transitions rapides de l’autre côté. Cela dit, il a réaffirmé que c’est ainsi qu’il souhaite jouer, montrant ce qu’il est prêt à sacrifier pour contrôler le rythme du match.

L’entraîneur des Rojiblancos a également tenu à souligner la performance du gardien de but titulaire et l’Homme du match, Garissone Innocent. Auteur de 10 arrêts, il a ainsi obtenu son premier blanchissage de l’année, maintenant son équipe dans le match jusqu’au but vainqueur d’Ottawa en fin de rencontre.

Ce but décisif a été inscrit par le défenseur central Tyr Duhaney‑Walker , qui disputait ce jour-là son 50^e match professionnel. Son but en toute fin de rencontre, celui qui a permis d’arracher les trois points, était aussi le premier de sa carrière. Il a rejoint Mejia devant les médias par la suite.

Ses premières questions portaient sur ses impressions du match :

« C’est un sentiment incroyable de remporter notre première victoire de la saison. L’ambiance ici était bonne, c’est près d’Ottawa, donc on a une belle rivalité avec les supporters, et je suis heureux d’avoir obtenu la victoire... On n’a pas commencé la saison comme on l’espérait. C’est une bonne manière de remonter le moral de l’équipe, de montrer nos ambitions pour le reste de la saison et d’avancer positivement à partir de maintenant. »

Plusieurs observateurs estiment qu’une rivalité entre le FC Supra et l’Atlético Ottawa pourrait émerger, en raison de leur proximité géographique pour les supporteurs en déplacement ainsi que de la rivalité générale entre Ottawa et le Québec dans d’autres sports. Bien entendu, cela prendra du temps à se développer et à s’installer, mais cela n’empêche pas la ligue et les médias de pousser ce récit autant que possible. Dans ce contexte, les deux dernières questions adressées à Duhaney-Walker portaient sur la relation entre les deux clubs et leurs sentiments l’un envers l’autre.

« Ça va être une bonne rivalité, surtout parce que nous avons beaucoup de joueurs originaires de la province également. Le simple fait que les gens ici se connaissent ajoute un peu plus d’intensité dans chaque duel et chaque défi… maintenant, nous avons les [droits de vantardise]. »

Ce match a également marqué la première sortie de la saison pour le CCSG qui a enregistré une affluence record pour un tel voyage ! Mejía a conclu son point de presse en faisant référence au soutien des supporteurs en déplacement et au prochain match d’ouverture à domicile.

« Nos supporteurs nous manquent, notre stade nous manque, le soleil nous manque ! Nous avons besoin de jouer un match au soleil, s’il vous plaît. J’espère que dimanche prochain, nous jouerons dans les meilleures conditions de toute la ligue. »

Vous pouvez contribuer à créer cette ambiance en venant à la Place TD ce dimanche 26 avril à 13h, alors que l’Atléti affrontera le Vancouver FC. VAMOS !

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school), Alexander is managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a BlueSky account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL and NSL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Forward Press, covering the press conferences bracketing Ottawa’s 3-1 loss away to Cavalry on April 12th! Before we begin, a quick state of the union: Starting last week, the club has begun publishing the quotes from each press conference on their website, which should be hailed as a victory for the free press. It certainly makes our jobs a lot easier over here at CCSG, but does pose a fundamental dilemma for the future of The Forward Press. This project began as almost the sole bulk publisher of the remarks from the press conferences, but now with the club putting the record out in full, it has seemingly become redundant. 

However, I hope to keep The Forward Press working as an independent fan source in the media sphere, combining the quotes with an overview of the match that occurred during the week to provide context to the sound bites (text bites?), similar to the format last season. This will allow us to remain a voice in the press conferences to ask questions the fans want to know answers to and ensure that we make the most of the clubs shift in publications. The quotes pulled from the conferences will be choosier, and the entire transcript will be linked for your own perusal. 

That being said, Mejia joined the media late last week to discuss what was a flat loss to Forge on opening weekend, ahead of their trip to Calgary (the full quotes can be found here): https://www.cplsoccer.com/atleticoottawa/news/every-word-from-diego-s-pre-cavalry-press-conference.

Mejia began with fielding a question about the need to improve following their 2-0 loss to Forge: 

“It was a weird match, and I am pretty happy with the performance. We need to be more aggressive. We are creating new patterns for our players…we are on a good pathway right now. We need a little bit more time, but we are going to create something special for this year.”

An understandable position, given it was their first match of the season, following a topsy-turvy pre-season new to players and staff alike, with two brief training windows sandwiching a pair of games against Nashville which basically amounted to a trial by fire. 

He also touched upon what was the biggest talking point following the loss, the complete lack of shot attempts, dismissing it with the statistic that Forge only generated one shot attempt from open play, and the remaining nine coming from set pieces. While true, and bound to improve, their first shot on target against Cavalry only came after seventy-odd minutes of play, even with the lion's share of possession (Atleti was once again outshot on the whole). They did manage to score one however, an improvement from the blank last week, and we will see how Ottawa plays against teams that aren’t such tough outs as Cavalry and Forge. 

Another question broached the subject of Football Video Support (FVS), another hot topic following what has been a generally lackluster debut for the technology, with long delays, select angles for review, and opaque rationales for decisions. Mejia was clear that he doesn’t want to use the cards because they take a lot of time, and that the players should be able to play with fewer stoppages that interrupt momentum. However, he will intervene when necessary when he believes the calls are incorrect. 

As for injuries, Mejia had this to say: “We recovered some players. The only player that isn't available is Ralph Khoury; he suffered [discomfort] in his abductor, but I have all the other players available to play.”, as well as the fact that Innocent is also back in training, but starting on the bench for the time being (whether he is still nursing a knock is unclear). The ongoing injuries to Loic Cloutier and Richie Ennin were not mentioned, neither was the fact that Roni Mbomio is still unavailable due to his visa issues (likely a standing absence until we hear news otherwise). 

The game itself was played on hard, cold turf, in often blowing snow, as Mejia selected an almost unchanged XI from last week, with the exception of Timoteo slotting in for Aguilar and drawing into Left Wing as Antinoro moved to CAM. Cavalry struck twice within twenty minutes through Klomp and Paton, and then again in the 67th from Ntignee. Ottawa was stifled offensively until late, when Habibullah came off the bench and scored a consolation with two minutes to go in normal time. Like last week, they dominated possession but were restricted to zero shots until almost three-quarters of the game had gone, showing a general lack of offensive chemistry going forward, not to mention a frailty at the back. Meijia opened his post-match press conference by defending his team (the full quotes are here - https://www.cplsoccer.com/atleticoottawa/news/antinoro-and-atleti-don-t-care-abot-the-noise-post-cavalry):

“Possession is the way that I choose to play, but it's not possession for the sake of possession. It's the way I choose to create opportunities…it's the way I feel the game…It's normal to start like this. We changed half the roster, so it's normal. I'm happy with the way my team competes. We need to work more and have more time with the new players to create something special.” 

Putting aside the understandable frustration at an impotent attack, Mejia raises a good point – Ottawa had to rebuild their roster almost entirely after their success last season. By my count, they signed 12 new players for this season, accounting for two of the starters this week and four substitutes, and lost 13 through retirement, the expiry of loans, or releases. This is a staggering turnover, certainly more than Cavalry or Forge, two teams that can expect roster continuity year over year (although no other team seems to enjoy this luxury). While one obviously hopes chemistry will improve, and sooner rather than later, possession-based approaches take time to implement with new players, and certainly paid dividends last season, so we will have to wait and see whether it can work again without some of our premier goal-scorers from 2025.

Anitnoro joined his manager in facing the media, and was asked about the frustration of the opening two games: 

“It's obviously frustrating because we're used to winning and we always want to win. The most important thing for us is how we play. Half the roster has changed, and it takes a while to understand and get into the groove of how we played last year...

We know the areas we need to improve…We know what we have to do. We have the belief in the system and believe in each other. It's two games into the season, and there are 26 games left. We know we're going to figure it out, we know we have to improve, and we'll be ready for next Sunday.”

In a follow-up: “Offensively, we need to create more. We have to make fewer mistakes. We have to play simple. It all comes from believing in the system and from everyone being on the same page. Once that starts, we are all going to be playing better, and the results will start to come.”

There were also some echoes of last season, of their us-versus-them mentality:

“People on the outside don't think we are going to do the same thing as last year, but we really don't care about the outside. As long as the people who are in the Family, who are together, believe in this process, we know we're going to be okay.”

Admirable fighting words, and one hopes they portend well for the future. Up next, Ottawa travels to La Belle Province for their first tilt against Supra, at 2PM, Sunday April 19th, and CCSG will be right along with them for our first road-trip of the season! VAMOS!

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school), Alexander is managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a BlueSky account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL and NSL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

The wait is over. A new Canadian Premier League season has officially kicked off with a marquee clash between the two 2025 champions: Atlético Ottawa (North Star Cup) and Forge FC (CPL Shield). ATO began their campaign on the road by travelling to Hamilton, but were defeated 2-0 as Forge capitalized on two set pieces to secure all three points in the league’s opening game of the year.

Head coach Diego Mejía opted for a largely familiar starting XI, maintaining as much continuity as possible from last season. With four players sidelined through injury (Loic Cloutier, Garrisone Innocent, Richie Ennin and Ralph Khoury) and Roni Mbomio still unavailable due to a visa issue, Ottawa fielded a lineup closely resembling last year’s core. Only three new faces broke into the starting eleven for the first time in the CPL: Daniel Aguilar, Erling Myklebust, and Tristan Crampton. Notably, Crampton made his professional debut in this match, and later joined Mejía in the post-match press conference.

Crampton didn’t offer much reflection on his debut between the sticks for Atlético Ottawa, but the young goalkeeper was candid in assessing his performance. While he acknowledged the value of learning from Nathan Ingham last season (who has since moved on to Cavalry FC), his focus remained on the positives of his play. He highlighted a handful of saves and his passing as strong points in his game. He also spoke to the penalty conceded, striking a similarly measured but positive tone: “We’ll learn from the situation,” he said. “It’s the first match, there [were] a lot of good things after this moment, and I don’t think that moment reflects the team’s game or my game.”

On the pitch, Atlético Ottawa controlled possession for long stretches but struggled to transition into the final third, failing to register a single shot attempt. Both Crampton and Mejía pointed out the lack of threat in the final third as an area for improvement moving forward, with Mejía likening this to players still learning his system, which they will better understand the more matches they play. Overall, the gaffer was candid about the team’s need for continued improvement, which will come with more games. Despite the result, he was not concerned, stating, “You cannot win the trophy right now and you cannot lose [it] as well,” and expressed strong confidence that his team will “win a lot of matches this year,” a familiar sentiment he asserted last season. 

Meanwhile, Forge FC capitalized on two set pieces, scoring once from the penalty spot and again via a controversial corner sequence involving a handball. Despite registering 10 shots, only four were on target, reinforcing Crampton’s assessment of his backline. He praised his defence for limiting the damage, noting that Forge “didn’t have a lot of shots on goal . . . most of the shots they got were off target . . . we did well to limit the damage . . . [and] we nullified most of it.” Though he did mention the need to work on defending set pieces.

Finally, the match also introduced two significant rule changes: the daylight offside rule and the implementation of Football Video Support (FVS) challenges. Both added an extra layer of intrigue and complexity to the game and became a focal point in the press conference.

Neither Crampton nor Mejía felt the new offside rule affected the team’s performance or playing style. Crampton offered his perspective, stating that he “...didn’t see a huge difference” on the pitch, but added that they might see more on the video. Mejía echoed the sentiment, explaining that the offside rule doesn’t affect ATO as he plays his centre backs high on the pitch. He did go on to add an afterthought that “...maybe in the set pieces you need to defend a little bit different.”  

With Forge scoring both goals from set pieces, it was evident that the new offside rule may require some strategic defensive adjustments from the red-and-white stripes. The team struggled when challenged close to their net, though those difficulties may also be partly explained by the controversial FVS reviews that occurred in the lead-up to both goals.

Crampton was first to address the introduction of FVS, offering little on the subject and making it clear that such decisions fall outside a player’s immediate focus. He emphasized that anything relating to video review is left to the coaching staff. Instead, players are concentrating on their roles within the match: “...you’re focused on playing your system, playing well, and performing”. However, the ATO gaffer was much less reserved when providing his perspective on the new system.

It’s well known in the CPL that there has been disappointment regarding inconsistent refereeing in past seasons, so Mejía was quick to clarify that FVS allows coaches the opportunity to challenge the game, not the referees’ decisions. He went on to explain that both his challenges came down to rule interpretation. In one case, a dangerous high kick occurred next to a player’s face, which should still result in an indirect free kick even without contact; in the second, a goal following any handball―intentional or not―should be disallowed.

Unfortunately for ATO, neither of these rules were applied, which resulted in both goals against them. Mejía finished his point adding, “The problem is not about the challenge, the problem is the rules. We need to know the rules.” This was a pointed statement underscoring the need for consistent officiating in the league, and we can only hope that with the introduction of the FVS, more consistent calls will follow, or at the very least, that officials will be held more accountable for how rules are interpreted and applied.

Overall, Mejía showed support for both changes and offered a positive perspective, adding, “I am not the guy who choose[s] the rules, I am the guy that needs to adapt the rules . . . I see this like [an] opportunity to grow as a coach, [and] it’s going to give me more tools for the future.”

Overall, Diego Mejía and Tristan Crampton remained optimistic despite the result, expressing confidence that the squad has the quality to succeed this season as they adapt to the new group dynamic. Crampton offered his perspective on what needed work ahead of the next game stating in French: “Offensively, we definitely want to create more chances, and that’s something we’re going to work on in training. We’ll try to generate more shots on goal. Defensively, we’ll also work on our set pieces – that’s something we learned today and will keep pushing to improve.”

On the other hand, Mejía spoke of his trust in his players and how he is working on developing a model of play based on his players’ skills. Much like last season, he has confidence in his team and believes they will do well this season―well enough for him to boldly state the team will “score one more goal than the rivals [for] the rest of the season”. With such a confident prediction, only time will tell if the gaffer is able to keep his word. Luckily, we won’t have long to wait as Atlético Ottawa look to respond and improve on this first result during their next match away at ATCO Stadium on April 12^th against Cavalry FC. 

About the author:

C.D. Girard (she/her/elle) discovered Atlético Ottawa during their 2023 season and has been a loyal fan ever since. A long-time admirer of the sport, she first began playing football at the age of seven and most looks forward to international competitions, supporting both Canada and the Netherlands. 

The final five players of this roster breakdown are here! As a refresher, this series covers the statistical impact of each Atlético Ottawa player, going over their strengths and weaknesses based on their underlying numbers, their overall grade (based on my analytics model, a summary of which is available here), a few of my thoughts, and their contract situation next year. For those who missed the previous instalments, they can be viewed here (Part 1), here (Part 2), here (Part 3), and here (Part 4). At the end of the piece is the overall ranking table. Enjoy!

#5 - Ballou Tabla (CAM, 72.4 WPA)

This was a tremendous bounce-back season for Ballou Tabla, playing a role akin to a second striker or a CAM rather than his typical winger. This allowed him a lot more freedom to select his route of attack, and of course bouncing off of the most talented player in league history, David Rodríguez, did not hurt his impact either. His goals mostly came from the penalty spot, including one muffed attempt that he bundled in after the goalie saved it, but he did contribute during open play with his assists. He drew a lot of fouls, was a more consistent dribbler than last year, and, as usual, did not contribute much on the defensive side of the ball. While perhaps not at his scintillating 2022 form, Tabla was certainly a force up top and was an ever-present starter for Ottawa this season. 

Contract Status for 2026: Under Contract, through 2026

With his brilliant form and coming off a title win, it is no surprise that Tabla is generating some transfer buzz, though more from teams at level rather than a step up—Supra anyone? Any team would have to pay a fee, so perhaps that dims the interest slightly, given his age and inconsistent form, but only time will tell. If he can produce at the same pace as last season in 2026, with both his front-three partners gone, he will be an extremely valuable asset, but that is not guaranteed, given his history.

#4: Monty Patterson (ST, 75.4 WPA)

Sample sizes can make one goal and one assist in fewer than 200 minutes look like prime R9, so pardon the high ranking here. I think most ATO fans expected Patterson to play a slightly larger role this season, but with Sam Salter’s form, frankly, there was no room for him. He played his part as a spark plug off the bench for the most part, but is clearly on the hunt for a different fit and more play time, given the recent news that his contract had been terminated by mutual agreement. I enjoyed having him as a closer option off the bench, and we wish him well in his future endeavours. 

#3 - Juan ‘Coque’ Castro (CM, 77.6 WPA)

Up until this past season, Ottleti had never had a truly competent midfield—it was the history of the Ottawa. That started to change with the addition of Alberto Zapater, and then again Manny Aparicio, and then absolutely with Coque’s signing in the winter. While Aparicio was decent last season, he was a bit all over the place without a reliable partner, and the Mexican Maestro changed that. While his statistical impact wasn’t all that sexy, with his best stats being his distribution and nothing else too high up, it was the reliability behind Aparicio and his leadership that really transformed our midfield pivot into by far the best in the league, and possibly in the history of the Canadian top flight. 

Contract Status for 2026: Under Contract, through 2026

I think it was a no-brainer to activate his option, and I’m happy to see the club has done so. Ottawa would have been remiss not to make sure he returns for what will be another stellar season in the nation’s capital, and even Champions League action in February!

#2: Manny Aparicio (CM, 81.2 WPA)

As the second in our pivot this season (and heavily alluded to in the previous section) at number two is the heartbeat of the Ottawa midfield, the bulldog Manny Aparicio—he was everywhere on the pitch for ATO this season and contributed positively in basically every aspect of play. Nothing particularly stands out in his statistical profile, but that’s because almost every statistic is a positive when accounting for both volume and rate, something he had struggled with previously. His one glaring negative trait was his tendency to give away more fouls than he drew, but as an enthusiastic tackler on a team that fouled mainly to stop counters—as most top teams do—I would not count that against him. 

Contract Status for 2026: Option

Like for Castro before him, I think not activating his option would be a fireable offence for whoever makes that decision. Aparicio showed tremendous growth in a system that relied on consistent and energetic midfield play, and given that Mejía is back for another year, it is safe to assume he will replicate a similar season next year.

#1 - David Rodríguez (CAM, 81.3 WPA)

Moses, DR7, DRod. The fact that Rodríguez accumulated at least three sobriquets this season is a testament to the transcendent talent that he is and the heroic impact he had on the field for Ottawa this season. Frankly, it is a waste of words to describe him, as any fan who watched even a single game of his knows what a monster he was for us. It is even less worthwhile to dwell on the minutiae of his statistical impact, because frankly, it trivializes his generational season, one that will almost certainly go down as one of the best in league history, from a player who is undoubtedly one of the most talented ever to wear a jersey with a CPL logo.  

Within a day of the final, Rodríguez was jet-setting off to talk to MLS teams, given that his contract is up with not just Ottawa, but also Atlético San Luis, his parent club. It is safe to say he will not be returning to the nation’s capital next season, but he might make an appearance AGAINST us if he signs with the team that we get drawn against in the Champions League. Wouldn’t that be a treat, eh?

And that wraps up the list, highlighting some of the best single-season performances in ATO history! The final rankings are listed below, and aside from a few surprises, I do think it is a fair reflection of most players’ individual seasons this year. I would also like to extend a big shoutout to my editor, who put up with my misuse of em-dashes and lack of accents! Until next time!

In this fourth and penultimate installment of the 2025 ATO roster breakdown, players #10 through #6 will be ranked! As a refresher, this series covers the statistical impact of each member of the Atlético Ottawa roster, going over their strengths and weaknesses based on their underlying numbers, their overall grade (based on my analytics model, a summary of which is available here), a few of my thoughts, and their contract situation next year. For those who missed the previous installments, they can be viewed here (Part 1), here (Part 2), and here (Part 3). At the end of the piece is the overall ranking table. Enjoy!

#10 - Tyr Duhaney-Walker (CB, 67.9 WPA)

Of the four youngsters who vied for starting spots on the backline (five with Mbomio), Duhaney-Walker was the one who graded out the best, but who most often sat on the pine. It is possible that these rankings are a product of the small sample size, but even last year, when he had a larger role, he scored just as well. I am sure I was not the only one who might have appreciated him getting some more looks. His dueling was only slightly above average, but he graded out well everywhere else and distributed the ball extremely well. 

Contract Status in 2026: Out of Contract

Personally, I would love to have him back next season, especially with all the transfer rumours swirling about pretty much every other member of our young defensive core. With enough game time, I think the sky is the limit for this kid, so having him back on a long-term contract and then profiting off a future sale should definitely be the plan.

#9 - Kevin dos Santos (WM, 70.0 WPA)

While there is nothing particularly flashy about dos Santos’ statistical spread, he performed well all around, as expected from a consistent starter in a hybrid winger/full-back role. His best ranks came from his crossing and chance creation, but he also rated well in tackling and dribbling. He wasn’t the largest contributor behind the ball or in duelling, but made up for it going forward. Dos Santos preferred to attack the goal with his dribbling or with a cross, which is a trait he's had since his Inter York 9 days, so his through-pass ranks were pretty mediocre for a winger, but he still showed up offensively. 

Contract Status in 2026: Out of  Contract

Another year of dos Santos will definitely not go amiss. Still relatively young, this was his first full season back from a late-season return from injury in 2024, so now with his feet under him and proven comfortable in Mejía’s system, 2026 would surely prove a good one for him.

#8: Aboubacar Sissoko (CM, 71.0 WPA)

The odd man out from last year’s midfield with the addition of Castro, Sissoko served more of a utility/swiss-army-knife type role under Mejía in 2025. With limited minutes—almost exclusively off the bench—he played as a midfielder (both defensive and offensive), a wingback, and even once as a centre-back. Statistically, his numbers reflect that small sample size; however, he did rank well in drawing fouls, but the rest shows the ups and downs of someone who only played a handful of minutes each game and in multiple positions. That being said, he was responsible for that goal-line clearance in the Final, so no matter what he has bought himself free drinks for life in Ottawa.

Contract Status in 2026: Out of Contract

Like Duhaney-Walker, I would love to have Sissoko back for next year. I thought he played his part admirably off the bench, but the question remains whether he wants another season like that. He has never really had a concrete starting role during his time in Ottawa, and frankly not during most of his time in the CPL outside of one season with Forge, so he might look for greener grass somewhere else–Supra, anyone?

#7: Alberto Zapater (CDM, 71.3 WPA)

El Toro started his career with a trophy in sunny Spain and ended it with a trophy in snowy Ottawa. This season didn’t reach the highs of his previous two seasons in the capital, with him mostly coming off the bench to close out crucial games, but like Sissoko he played his role to perfection. His higher ranking comes mostly from his small-sample-inflated scores in ball distribution, something he has always performed well in, and like Sissoko, he shows a lot of ups and downs in his other ranks. A Zaragoza legend retiring in Ottawa is something odes will be written about, and we are eternally grateful he chose us to perform his swan song with. 

#6: Samuel Salter (ST, 72.0 WPA)

Before my house gets burned down in retaliation, Sam Salter was absolutely the best striker in the CPL this season, and can be argued as the best goal-scorer in league history—period. My model ranks performances on a rate basis, so someone playing slightly better in fewer minutes will get boosted above someone who appeared in almost every minute possible this season, even if the latter did put up monster counting stats and broke every scoring record possible. I think the biggest thing to take away from this profile is not the scoring metrics, which we know to be slightly deflated, but the general outline of his game—he was used more like an out-an-out striker this season in Mejía’s system and had to do less build-up work himself. However, when he was called upon to do so, he improved his distribution success rates from last year, and, even if the stats don’t suggest marked improvement in his duelling, I thought he excelled at bringing the ball down with his back to goal and laying it off for an onrushing Ballou Tabla or David Rodríguez, something he didn’t attempt as much as I would have liked in previous seasons, nor something he was good at when he did.

His monster season earned him a pre-contract agreement with GAIS in the Swedish first tier, where he will be plying his trade alongside Matteo de Brienne in European continental competition no less! For the first time in Ottawa history, we had an explosive striker capable of linking up with his peers, and it very tangibly paid off, both for him and us fans. All hail the Salt Bae, we thank you for your service and wish you the best of luck!

And with those last two soldiers leaving us in 2026, that wraps up Part 4 of this roster breakdown. The last article should be coming out next week, and while you may know who is included, the final order will be revealed then! Toodles!

Welcome to part three of a five-part series breaking down the 2025 Atlético Ottawa roster! In parts one and two, the first eight players were ranked in descending order based on their WPA, an all-encompassing metric designed to quantify a player’s on-field impact. The methodology for that is broken down here, and if you missed the previous two articles, part one is here, and part two is here. As usual, each player is accompanied by a small blurb detailing how their season went, both statistically and aesthetically, their contract status for 2026, and, if their contract is up in the air, a little recommendation.  The final rankings are put in a table at the end of the article for easy digestion. With that out of the way, vamos!

#15: Noah Abatneh - CB (60.1 WPA)

Like Sergei Kozlovskiy before him, and Loïc Cloutier after him, Abatneh is partially carried by his admittedly great passing numbers. However, one must take into consideration that a lot of those were sideways and backwards, evidenced by his good-but-not-great through-ball stats. He ranked fairly well in defensive “desperation” actions—blocks and clearances—but only ok everywhere else. Of course, a lot should be said for putting up these types of numbers at such a young age, something that applies to all of his compatriots on the back line, and he has improved since last year when he suited up for York9—I mean York United—I mean Inter Toronto. 

Contract Status in 2026: Option, presumably a club option

Like seemingly every single other youngster on the roster, Abatneh is attracting interest from larger clubs—in this case, CF Montréal and Atlanta United of the MLS. If either of these manifests, Ottawa will not receive any transfer money. But if they don’t, Atleti will almost certainly activate his option and bring him back for one more year, where if he keeps improving all aspects of his game, he will be a force to be reckoned with. 

#14: Loïc Cloutier - CB (60.5 WPA)

Cloutier presented almost the exact same profile as Abatneh, with good passing and alright defensive stats, but he was a better tackler, giving him the slight edge. He was a little more defensively minded than Abatneh, but offered a little less going forward, so overall he graded out about the same, which again is a credit to him, given his age. 

Contract Status in 2026: Under contract, with an option for 2027

Cloutier has been marked for transfer speculation, but as of yet has had no concrete rumours on a destination. Thankfully, he would rank as one of the few to give Ottawa a fee; if not, he will still grow tremendously with another year at this level.

#13: Gabriel Antinoro - WM (62.1)

Like with Coulanges, the wingers in Mejía’s system graded fairly strangely, so pardon the metrics and score being so mediocre given a season many would class as tremendous. Antinoro was everywhere in 2025, although as demonstrated by the distribution of statistics, mostly focused on the offensive side of the game. He didn’t show many weaknesses, aside from his duelling (a given with his stature) and long ball metrics, and he ranked above average in basically every other category. Antinoro did not grade out well last season, and it shows that Mejía has really rounded out his game on both sides of the ball.

Contract Status in 2026: Under contract through 2027

If you took a drink every time an Ottawa U21 player gained transfer looks you’d be in the hospital for alcohol poisoning, and Antinoro would have contributed to that. It has been reported that he has drawn interest from Toronto FC in the MLS, which like all of his compatriots, would be a huge career move for him. I don’t know what his future holds, but of course selfishly I would love to have him back next year patrolling the flanks in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and in our title defence.

#12: Roni Mbomio - CB (62.2 WPA)

In the words of Kanye West, a figure totally devoid of controversy I am sure (and just imagine I am singing this with perfect tune), “He’s done miracles on me.” Mbomio came in on what was effectively an emergency loan from Atlético Madrid and saved our season when we had no other CB options, slotting immediately into the back line only a few days after he arrived in Canada. His passing and ball progression were excellent, he duelled well when called upon, recovered the ball, and chipped in defensively as well. If he had played the entire season he might have even replaced Espejo in the shrine I have set up for ATM CB loanees. 

Contract Status in 2026: Loan presumably will expire

They tell you not to fall in love with loanees, but here we are again. It has emerged recently that Mbomio is training with the Atleti first team, a massive step for the kid. After his international debut with Equatorial Guinea, I look forward to tracking his career progression after what was a gift from God sending him here to win a title.

#11: Brett Levis - LB/CB (67.2 WPA)

Brett Levis was so much more than he needed to be for Ottawa’s back line this season. Levis was one of the best LBs in the history of the league when he left Valour for better things, but came back after a bit of career stagnation in the USL to be a veteran depth option at the position. Unfortunately, Mejía’s system precluded the use of conventional full-backs, and since Levis was not necessarily up for a winger role, he slotted in at CB instead—and performed tremendously when called upon when no other options were available after not being in the squad for a stretch. He was involved in every defensive action, and his rate stats are excellent across the board, in an admittedly small sample. He was also tremendous at moving the ball forward, something I’m sure was highly valued by the coaching staff. While not exactly the role most envisioned him in, he proved a key cog in the Ottleti title-winning machine.

Contract Status in 2026: Under contract

I’m not sure what next year will have in store for him. Given rumours that our backline might be decimated by transfers, perhaps he will have a bigger role as a full-time CB, but he might also play a depth role again once some replacements are brought in. Time will tell, but I have every confidence in him to fulfill any task he’s given.

That’s it for what was a defensive-heavy article—most would agree our defence was largely average this season, and the model agrees. Up next are mostly midfielders and forwards, always the most exciting players to analyze (for most). Enjoy!

Welcome back to part two of the five-part series in which the 2025 ATO roster is broken down analytically! Following the first part, wherein some comically low sample sizes were analyzed (available to read here), this next edition dives into the mushy “meh” part of the roster, with a few smaller sample sizes and a few surprises. As always, if you are new to this series, or would like a refresher on the methodology, the introduction to statistics is linked here. And as a final reminder, each player will be statistically analyzed briefly, with a few comments on their eye test and a reminder of their contract situation. If they are up in the air for 2026, a recommendation will be given. Allons-y!

#20: Sergei Kozlovskiy - CB (53.7 WPA)

I think this is a fair assessment of Kozlovskiy’s season. As a high-schooler playing his first professional season, he was bound to experience bumps in the road, and he did—notably his duelling and discipline, which is to be expected for someone his age. What carried him was his passing, especially his short passing, which is a given for any ATO player working under Mejía, but also his long passing, a strength the coaching staff used early in the season to exploit the opponent over-committing on one side. These low scores are to be expected given his age and inexperience, so I was not too shocked to see them. 

2026 Contract Status: Unknown, possibly under Contract through 2026 at least.

It was recently reported that Kozlovskiy has received interest from MLS and Europe, so if he leaves Ottawa it will be for better things—it is also possible this would generate transfer revenue. However, if his suitors choose not to snap him up, both he and the club would benefit from one or two more years of development in the CPL.

#19: Noah Verhoeven - CM (54.5 WPA)

Verhoeven was, for all intents and purposes, a non-factor in this year’s team. A semi-regular starter in 2023, and on loan to Valour in 2024, even with a coaching change, his star continued to fall. He was stuck behind every other midfield option on the depth chart, a quandary not aided by the fact Mejía only ran with two options in his 3-4-3. In his very limited minutes he showed decent passing, always a strength of his, and alright tackling, but not much else of substance.

2026 Contract Status: Out of Contract

Unfortunately, while still young, I don’t think Verhoeven has shown enough to re-sign him for a fourth year. 

#18: Joaquim Coulanges - WM (55.5 WPA)

One unfortunate consequence of Mejía’s 3-5-2 is that the wide players don’t really fit into any mold I have ready for them—they contribute too much on defence to be considered true wingers, but also bomb forwards too often to be considered fullbacks. I made an executive decision and placed all our wide players as wingers this year, which had a generally negative impact on their WPA. As a result, I’d concentrate on the underlying metrics more for these players, Coulanges included, who, mind you, also had a relatively small sample size, one I might even consider too small for proper analysis. Nevertheless, his up-and-down numbers come out a little in the wash when aggregated, but he showed flashes of dynamism on the wing this season. Signed initially to be a defensive wing-back, he proved very able going forward, and he has bags of potential at only 19 years old.

2026 Contract Status: Signed through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028. 

#17: Amer Didić - CB (56.0 WPA)

Didić’s season was ruined after only four matches due to a season-ending leg injury, so he didn’t have the time to put up the monster numbers we are accustomed to seeing, on top of obviously not being able to marshall the defence made up mostly of babies. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.

2026 Contract Status: Out of Contract

It’s a no-brainer to say that Ottawa should sign him back for next year; however, with his recent injury and winning a title, one could be forgiven for wondering whether he might hang up the boots after this season. We will have to wait and see.

#17: Kevin Ortega - CDM (56.3 WPA)

Another extremely small sample size, given the locked-in XI we saw week-in-week-out under Mejía in 2025. Ortega was technically a CDM, but also saw action as a more attack-minded midfielder, so his metrics are a little all over the place. 

2026 Contract Status: Loan presumably at an end.

I think at the start of the season most fans probably thought we’d see more of Ortega this year, but with the generational midfield duo ahead of him, it was hard to break into the starting lineup. There are no guarantees, but it’s likely we’ve also seen the last of him, which is a little unfortunate, as he showed to be a reliable option off the bench, if only to close out games.

That wraps up part two of this breakdown! Probably a little less analysis than usual, there wasn’t much to say on these guys, to be honest—they played their part. This also ends the collection of players who ranked below average this season, and given there are 15 players left to rank, I think that’s pretty good! Until next time!

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school at uOttawa), Alexander is busy managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a Twitter account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

Welcome to this year’s edition of the article series that bums everyone out because their favourite player doesn’t have enough blue boxes! To be completely honest, I delayed finishing up all the stats work I had lined up because I wanted to coast on the high of the final just that little bit longer, and to keep pretending that every player who suited up for ATO this year was perfect and God’s gift to mankind, but alas I have a job to do.

As a refresher, my work can be summarized concisely thusly: it is a ranking system that looks at the statistical impact of all CPL players in a given season, comparing them to each other and their positional peers to determine who performed well or poorly, and what the dimensions of their impact were. While that description is a little esoteric, I have written an entire article breaking down the process, linked here, which goes into much more detail about what goes into the model and what the numbers represent. I highly recommend checking that piece out if you are new to my work, as all the numbers can be a little overwhelming. It also talks about the inherent biases of advanced analytics. 

Like last year, this series will present a reverse ranking of all the ATO players this year, based on their overall and adjusted WPA, or Weighted Percentile Average score. There were 25 outfield players who logged minutes this year; however, two have been excluded from this list as they had too small a sample size to effect a proper analysis–Jason Hartill (three whole minutes!) and Richie Ennin. Each article will feature five players (except the first, which will have three), to make a total of five articles. Alongside the graphs, I will include a little summary of which stats jumped out at me, a few aesthetic thoughts, and an overview of their contract situation in 2026. If a player’s status is uncertain, I’ll give my thoughts as to what the club should do. A summary of the rankings is included at the bottom of every article. With that out of the way, and a reminder that no matter how much orange there is on a player’s card, they’re still a CPL champion (!)–let’s get started!

#23 - Jean-Aniel Assi (Winger/Wing-Back, 31.2 WPA)

As with all three inclusions in this article, Assi had a comically small sample size, so these numbers don’t really mean much–few minutes leading to statistical extremes. You could maybe say he was a good dribbler, but that’s about it. You might remember he played for Ottawa in 2023, and when he did he was a decent chance creator, but woeful just about everywhere else. His crossing and general distribution had room to improve, as well as his defensive metrics when he played at Wing-Back. By the time he suits up for Atleti in 2026, it will have been two full years of growth, so we will hopefully see lots of improvement from him in a larger sample. 

2026 Contract Status: Signed through 2027, with an option for 2028.

#22 - Ralph Khoury (Forward, 32.0 WPA)

Small sample size, statistical extremes, etc., etc. but I am shocked that his duelling and tackling rank so high for a player this young–usually they score very poorly in that regard. I will say that I liked the flashes that Khoury showed in his few cameos, bringing a youthful energy and spark to the team in late-game situations. He is under contract for some time, so he has lots of runway with which to work and show his talent in more minutes.

2026 Contract Status: Signed through 2027 as an Exceptional Young Talent, with options for 2028 AND 2029.

#21 - Antonio Álvarez (CAM/WB, 32.4 WPA)

On loan from Club América, Álvarez was brought in late in the season with the intention to fill two holes in the squad–the depth options at CAM behind Ballou Tabla and David Rodríguez, and at WB behind Gabriel Antinoro and Kevin dos Santos. Unfortunately, Álvarez got injured after his third appearance and did not lace them up again, making his loan spell a disappointing one. As with Khoury, I liked his few stints, and his time with ATO will be one of unfulfilled promise. 

2026 Contract Status: Loan presumably at an end.

That does it for this article, as we got the really small samples out of the way, and prepared for the next four articles, nicely balanced at five players apiece. The next article, breaking down players #20-16, will be out in the coming days, and there will be at least one surprise! See you then!

About Alexander:

When he isn't busy playing or watching sports (or going to school at uOttawa), Alexander is managing his Atlético Ottawa database, which he started in 2020, and tracks everything you can think of about the club and its players. He also runs a BlueSky account dedicated to analyzing and rating CPL and NSL players using statistics, CPL by the Numbers.

“It’s never an upset if the so-called underdog has all along considered itself the better team.” – Woody Hayes

Call it arrogance, but we’ve earned it. No team in the CPL has achieved what Atlético Ottawa has this year, and now we’re reaping the reward – hosting the CPL final. This is what happens when a team gets everything right, and Ottawa is that team – the one that made history week after week, the one that proved youth doesn’t mean inexperience, and that records are meant to be broken.

While the pundits were fawning over Forge FC and their fabled undefeated run, Atléti were silently working to deliver the best season the club has ever seen. You may counter my claims by stating the team failed to secure a spot in the Telus Canadian Championship Final and finished second in the league. However, the team has done so much more, and the stats don’t lie. This club has broken numerous club and league records, the players have been recognized and rewarded for their skills, and fans are more involved than ever. So let me break down exactly how Ottawa has delivered this season.

Exceptional Young Talent

Every team needs a strong foundation, and leading up to the season, we expected a backline of veteran players: the club taking an option on Amer Didić, signing Brett Levis, and encouraging Jonathan Grant’s return from injury, leaving our young players sprinkled in as depth. Yet ATO was dealt a curveball when Didić suffered a season-ending injury, Levis was sidelined for a large stretch, and Grant wasn’t able to regain full match fitness.

Facing the unexpected, Ottawa now had the youngest backline in the league at an average age 19 years old, including two players marking their professional debuts in the opening matches of the season. And instead of cracking under the pressure, they thrived.

Loïc Cloutier quickly grew into a composed, intelligent presence on the pitch, reading plays like a seasoned pro. Then came Sergei Kozlovskiy, ATO’s first Exceptional Young Talent signing and Canadian Men’s National Team U17 call-up, who at 16 became the second-youngest player to start for the club, missing the record by 50 days. These two were supported by Noah Abatneh, who led the league in passes with an accuracy of 95.6%, earning Defender of the Year and Best Canadian U21 nominations.

Anchoring the defenders was veteran goalkeeper and first club centurion Nathan Ingham, who collected three Goalkeeper of the Month awards and a Golden Glove nomination. Together, the backline held firm, conceding only 28 goals – the fewest in club history — and keeping 11 clean sheets, the most for the club in a single season. Ingham, alongside teammate Manuel Aparicio, also made a record-breaking 12 Team of the Week appearances. This wasn’t just defense; it was the foundation and the launchpad that allowed our attack to hit the ground running.

It also wasn’t just ATO’s young defenders proving themselves; the spark carried forward through our wings and attack, where the energy of Gabriel Antinoro and Joaquim Coulanges turned youthful potential into pure excitement. Antinoro didn’t simply rack up minutes — he owned them, logging more U21 time on his own than the entire York United squad. His efforts didn’t go unnoticed either – Gabi capped off his breakout season with a nomination for Best Canadian U21 Player, alongside Abatneh. Coulanges, meanwhile, made his mark by scoring off the bench in his second professional game.

By season’s end, ATO had more U21 minutes than York, Forge, and Halifax combined, and averaged 150% more U21 minutes than the other clubs. That’s not luck – that’s a club living its philosophy of developing young talent while setting a new club record of 8,575 minutes and surpassing the 2,000-minute threshold in a record eight matches.

Attacking Masterclass

With such a strong back core, our attacking players had the freedom to push the limits - and they did, smashing records in a campaign that redefined what great football looks like in the CPL. Atlético didn’t just score goals; they flooded the net, setting a new CPL regular-season record of 56 goals.

At the heart of it all was Player of the Year nominee Sam Salter, rewriting the record book himself with 19 goals in regular play and 24 across all competitions, earning him the CPL Golden Boot. Helping him reach that honour was his four-goal masterclass against Valour FC, the most by a player in a single game, later matched by York FC’s Shaan Hundal. He is also, as of writing, the outright all-time CPL top goal scorer with 46 marks in five seasons, three of which came with ATO. 

However, Salter wasn’t carrying the load alone. The trio of Salter, David Rodríguez, and Ballou Tabla combined for more regular-season goals than Pacific FC, Valour FC, and Vancouver FC managed as entire teams. Player of the Year nominee Rodríguez was the creative engine, tying the CPL’s regular-season assist record with nine, while Tabla worked magic in the final third and moonlight as Atléti penalty wizard. Together, they marked 48 goals and 21 assists across all competitions.

Their skills weren’t unnoticed either; each player earned Player of the Week honours. Further, along with teammate Manu Aparicio (one goal and six assists himself), they claimed four of the league’s seven Player of the Month awards and were each nominated for Player’s Player of the Year. ATO’s attacking prowess wasn’t just prolific, it was historic.

A Club United

I’ve outlined the brilliance of the individual player performances, but now it’s time to discuss the sum of the parts. Atlético Ottawa dominated the Team of the Week, with fourteen players recognized in 64 appearances (13 more than the runner-up and another league record) and four of the top five league-wide Team of the Week features belonging to ATO players.

On the pitch, history was made as Ottawa set a club record for most wins in a season and finished with a 15W-11D-2L record, securing their earliest playoff qualification on August 31^st. With a 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and becoming the first team in league history to go undefeated at home (later matched by Forge the next week), and adding a club-record 35 goals in front of the home fans was the cherry on top.

Atléti also clutched their first appearance in the Telus Canadian Championship Semi-finals, and they finally broke the dreaded winless-at-home-September-onwards curse that had plagued the team since 2021.

Off the pitch, the team has been just as remarkable. Fans showed up. With an average home attendance of 4,707, the biggest single-game crowd at 6,087, and 568 total fans attending watch parties across the season — including a record 59 at a single away game. But it’s not just numbers; it’s heart. In partnership with Maple Lodge Farms, the club donated 30,000 meals to the Cadwell Family Centre over the past two years, supporting the community in addressing food insecurities, and there’s nothing quite like hearing kids at TD Place point out a player on the field who attended their practice the week before, eyes wide in awe that an ATO player saw them score.

We Are Massive

As the 2025 season comes to an end, I can’t help but reflect back on the club’s incredible performance. Two-time Manager of the Month and Coach of the Year nominee Diego Mejía came into his role with a vision and philosophy that he has stayed true to. This has been the most exciting, attacking football the team has ever played, and the numbers don’t lie: at least twenty club and league records were broken this year. ATO has been on the front foot, and they’ve excelled. They may not have brought home hardware yet, but they have still achieved so much despite the odds.

I hope this was enough to convince you that this is the best Atlético Ottawa team we’ve seen, and arguably the best team in the league this season. But the story isn’t over yet – the final chapter is ours to write. On Sunday, November 9^th at 5PM, TD Place will host the CPL Final. Let’s turn the stands red and white in support of the boys, break our own CPL Final attendance record, and show the league what real passion, real fans, and real football looks like. One team. One city. One last chance to make history. It’s going to be MASSIVE.

About the author

C.D. Girard (she/her/elle) discovered Atlético Ottawa during their 2023 season and has been a loyal fan ever since. A long-time admirer of the sport, she first began playing football at the age of seven and most looks forward to international competitions, supporting both Canada and the Netherlands.