Fleuriau Chateau's hat trick sends Atlético Ottawa to CPL final rematch
Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau scored three goals, including a 103rd-minute winner, to eliminate Forge FC 5-4 on aggregate.
HAMILTON · Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau scored a hat trick, including the winning goal in the 103rd minute, to send Atlético Ottawa to the Canadian Premier League final with a 3-2 victory over Forge FC on Saturday. The result at Hamilton Stadium gave the defending champions a 5-4 aggregate win in their semifinal after the two sides drew 2-2 in the first leg last week. Ottawa will now face Cavalry FC in a rematch of the 2025 final on Nov. 21 in Calgary. Cavalry advanced later Saturday with a 2-0 win over FC Supra du Quebec, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory.
How did Atlético Ottawa win its semifinal?
Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute, turning at the edge of the box and firing a low shot into the bottom corner. Forge FC equalized just before halftime when Hoce Massunda scored five minutes into first-half stoppage time, tying the match at 1-1 and the aggregate at 3-3. Fleuriau Chateau put Ottawa ahead again in the 84th minute with a header into the top-left corner, a goal that survived a video review for a foul in the buildup. Forge defender Daniel Nimick then thought he had sent the game to extra time when he converted a penalty kick in the 101st minute after Fleuriau Chateau committed a foul in his own penalty area. The Ottawa striker redeemed himself two minutes later, scoring in the 103rd minute to complete his hat trick and win the match 3-2, sealing the 5-4 aggregate victory with what was the first hat trick in CPL playoff history.
How did Cavalry FC reach the final?
Cavalry FC defeated FC Supra du Quebec 2-0 in the second leg of their semifinal at ATCO Field on Saturday. Caniggia Elva opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a half-volley, and Ali Musse added an insurance goal in the 60th minute with a clean finish. The Calgary-based club won the semifinal 3-2 on aggregate after losing the first leg 2-1 last week in Quebec. The victory sets up a championship rematch from the 2025 final, which Atlético Ottawa won. Cavalry wingers Elva and Musse turned up with crucial goals to thwart a scrappy Supra side, and a sturdy defensive performance from centre-backs Daan Klomp and Amer Didic helped quell late pressure. The match ended in controversy when Supra's Alessandro Biello was sent off in the final seconds after a confrontation with a ballboy prompted a melee.
What happened in the other key moments of the semifinals?
In the Ottawa-Forge match, Forge forward Ismael Oketokoun missed a golden chance to equalize earlier in the second half, whiffing on a low pass across goal with an open net. The chaotic ending featured a late penalty and an immediate response, described as one of the most chaotic endings to a match in CPL history. Forge misses the final for the second year in a row after making the first six in league history, and they do not have a chance to win the double after lifting the Voyageurs Cup in October. In the Cavalry match, Supra goalkeeper Joakim Milli saved a penalty from Ali Musse in the second leg, but Musse scored minutes later. Milli had also stopped a penalty from Tobias Warschewski in the first leg, though Warschewski scored on the rebound.
With files from Sportsnet, CBC News and Canadian Soccer Daily -