Atlético Ottawa achieved a historic victory by defeating Toronto FC 3-1 in the 2026 TELUS Canadian Championship preliminary round at BMO Field on May 5, 2026. This marks the first time a Canadian Premier League team has triumphed over a Major League Soccer side.
Toronto FC opened the scoring with a goal from Deandre Kerr in the 16th minute. However, Atlético Ottawa responded with three goals, led by Ballou Tabla, who scored a hat trick. His first goal came in the 70th minute, and he sealed the match with another goal in injury time at 90+7 minutes.
This victory sends Atlético Ottawa to the quarterfinals of the knockout competition. The match featured a total of five yellow cards, three for Atlético Ottawa and two for Toronto FC. Notably, Toronto FC has not won the Canadian Championship since its pandemic-shortened edition in 2020.
Key match statistics:
- Total goals: Atlético Ottawa (3), Toronto FC (1)
- Shots taken: Toronto FC (8), with 3 on target
- Match score progression: Toronto FC led 1-0 before Ottawa scored three unanswered goals
Ballou Tabla expressed his ambition, stating, “I always want to go forward in this competition.” In contrast, Jonathan Osario reflected on Toronto’s performance, saying, “For us, it’s about turning around quickly because what’s happened has happened. We have to learn.”
The next challenge for Atlético Ottawa will be facing the winner between FC Supra du Quebec and Woodbridge Strikers in the quarterfinals.
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