Vancouver FC Stuns Ottawa in Canadian Championship Semifinal Opener
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By Kaus Pandey
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Summary:
- Vancouver FC beat Atletico Ottawa 3-1 in the first leg of their semifinal.
- Hugo Mbongoe’s 69th-minute goal brought victory to Martin Nash’s side, while Nicolás Mezquida added a stoppage-time goal.
- Forge FC held Vancouver Whitecaps to a 2-2 draw in the other first leg of the semifinal.
Vancouver FC had an excellent Wednesday night, managing to take down high-flying Atletico Ottawa 3-1 in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal.
The home crowd at Willoughby Community Park cheered early as Michel da Silva brought in the first goal of the night in the 21st minute, giving Vancouver an advantage. As expected, Ottawa, chasing the Canadian Premier League’s top spot, clawed back right before the hour mark with help from Samuel Salter who converted in the 58th minute.
However, Vancouver, sitting at the bottom of the Canadian Premier League table with a 2-11-5 record, refused to go down without a fight.
In the 69th minute, Hugo Mbongoe calmly slotted the game past the Ottawa keeper and struck the decisive goal, restoring the lead. Any hopes of a late Ottawa rally were dashed in stoppage time, as Nicolás Mezquida added an insurance marker in the first minute of injury time.
For a team struggling in league play, this was a statement win. Ottawa, with an 11-1-6 record, will have the advantage of hosting the decisive second leg at TD Place on September 18, but they now face a real fight to keep their cup run alive.
Forge-Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 Draw
The other semifinal also saw plenty of drama earlier in the evening, as Forge FC battled the Vancouver Whitecaps to an entertaining 2-2 draw.
The CPL side got off to a dream start in the ninth minute when Nana Ampomah pounced on a poor clearance from Whitecaps defender Bjorn Utvik. Taking full advantage, Ampomah blasted the ball home for the opener.
The Whitecaps responded quickly, as Tristan Blackmon was responsible for the equalizer in the 18th minute. Brian White brought the 2-1 advantage 11 minutes later following a good build-up.
Forge, however, showed resilience. In the 34th minute, another defensive lapse from the Whitecaps gave Ampomah the chance to make an impact again. He intercepted the ball and found Brian Wright, who finished the move to tie the match at 2-2.
The result means the tie is wide open heading into the second leg, scheduled at BC Place on September 16. Both teams will be eager to correct their defensive mistakes and take control of the series.
Wednesday’s matches set the stage for two fiercely contested second legs, with both CPL underdogs proving they can go toe-to-toe with more favoured opposition.
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