Atlético Ottawa achieved a historic victory by defeating Toronto FC 3-1 in the 2026 TELUS Canadian Championship preliminary round at BMO Field. This marks the first time a Canadian Premier League team has triumphed over an MLS side.
Toronto FC opened the scoring with a goal from Deandre Kerr in the 16th minute. However, Atlético Ottawa responded strongly. Ballou Tabla scored a hat trick, netting goals in the 70th and 90+7th minutes.
This victory sends Atlético Ottawa to the quarterfinals of the tournament. They will face the winner between FC Supra du Quebec and Woodbridge Strikers.
The match featured intense action, resulting in three yellow cards for Atlético Ottawa and two for Toronto FC. Toronto has not won the Canadian Championship since the pandemic-shortened edition in 2020.
Key statistics:
- Atlético Ottawa scored 3 goals.
- Toronto FC managed to score 1.
- Total shots by Toronto: 8, with 3 on target.
- The Telus Canadian Championship features 15 clubs competing for the Voyageurs Cup.
Robin Fraser, head coach of Toronto FC, expressed disappointment, stating, “Felt like we weren’t assertive enough in the moments we needed to be, and then I thought the goals we gave up were tragic.” Meanwhile, Ballou Tabla emphasized his desire to advance further, saying, “I always want to go forward in this competition.”
This historic win highlights Atlético Ottawa’s potential to compete effectively against higher-tier teams. The implications of this victory could resonate throughout Canadian soccer.