Viti Martinez (right) scored the game-winning goal in Atlético Ottawa's 1-0 win over FC Edmonton. [Photo provided by the Canadian Premier League]

Atlético Ottawa kicked off the 2021 Canadian Premier League (CPL) season with a 1-0 victory against FC Edmonton on Saturday, powered by a late goal from Viti Martínez.

The goal, scored in the 82nd minute, gave Ottawa its first point and broke the tie with Edmonton.

“I’m happy because we are a very competitive team, we got the three points [in the standings for a win] and because we did a great job defensively,” said Ottawa coach Miguel Ángel Ferrer Martínez, who goes by Mista. 

Mista said the team’s play was an improvement from last season.

“Last year in the same game we [would] lose focus in the last 10 minutes and we draw the game,” Mista said. “We learn about this period and this year is completely different.”

Ottawa second-half substitute Shawn-Claud Lawson beat his man in the box before playing a cross to Zach Verhoven at the back post. The ball was cleared from his feet by Edmonton’s Fraser Aird, but was sent right to Martínez, who struck it into the bottom corner of the net.

The win is the third in Atlético franchise history after accumulating two wins, two draws and three losses before being eliminated in the shortened CPL season last year, with only Edmonton finishing lower in the standings. The teams played to a 2-2 draw in their only prior match.

Ottawa goalkeeper Dylon Powley made the biggest save of the match in the 64th minute, kicking out his leg to deny Edmonton’s Easton Ongaro from point-blank range off the cross from Roberto Avila to keep the game scoreless.

“Dylon was really important for us because if we started losing in the game, maybe we don’t win or maybe we don’t get any points,” Martínez said.

Edmonton’s Tobias Warschewski appeared to give his team a lead in the 24th minute, but his long-range strike deflected off Shamit Shome, who was deemed to be offside.

Edmonton coach Alan Koch credited Ottawa’s preseason, which was spent training at parent club Atlético Madrid’s facilities in Spain, for their win.

“I’m incredibly proud of [our] guys. In two months after playing games, we’re going to be significantly better,” Koch said. “It showed at the end … Ottawa’s been in Spain, they’ve been playing games. They should be miles ahead of us.”

Koch said the fatigue of playing a game like this for the first time this season “caught up with us at the end.”

While training in Spain, Atlético Ottawa was able to play preseason matches. This sparked a debate over whether the club had an advantage over its CPL counterparts, a claim Mista denies.

“We aren’t the only team that could train in the last three months,” Mista said, adding the only teams that faced restrictions were Hamilton’s Forge FC and Toronto’s York United FC. “I’m sorry for the teams from Ontario who couldn’t do the work, but I think there’s no excuse when their players are on the field.”

Edmonton maintained 52 per cent possession in the match, with eight shots and one on target. Ottawa had 48 per cent possession while directing eight shots toward goal and two on target. Edmonton received three yellow cards while Ottawa received one.

Players on Atlético Ottawa and FC Edmonton wore orange “Every Child Matters” shirts before the match. [Photo provided by the Canadian Premier League]

During pre-match ceremonies, players wore orange shirts with “Every Child Matters” printed on the front in honour of the Indigenous children whose unmarked graves were recently discovered at residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Saturday’s match was played at IG Field in Winnipeg, where all teams will play their first eight games of the season in a COVID-19 bubble. Upon the completion of those games, the CPL is planning for teams to return their respective home cities.

Atlético Ottawa will play their next match against Calgary’s Cavalry FC on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET.

 

Those seeking emotional support and crisis referral services can call the 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.

Featured image provided by Canadian Premier League.

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