Match Thread: April 16, 2022 - Atletico Ottawa v HFX Wanderers

[narduch]

Game is at 1pm ET on One Soccer.

Wanderers have an all time record of 4 wins, 2 draws & 1 loss against Atletico.

Both teams won on the opening week.

Atletico will be without Beckie who was suspended 3 games for his `stomp` last weekend.

[narduch]

 

[Big_M]

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by Big_M

[narduch]

MLS draft pick Omar on the bench for Wanderers 

[narduch]

Scoreless at the half 

[narduch]

Shaw scores to give Ottawa the lead. 81st minute

[toontownman]

Fun game. Like most there is the good the bad and the ugly on show. Keepers look solid so far this year. Always just that stupid decision, mental implosion or lack of quality in the final third that shows the league to be at the level it is. It's improving year to year though and I love it.

Tabla is still in first gear but looks good. Tracking back to defend too.

 

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

 

[StillOnFire]

1 hour ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

 

Cheers from posting the highlights, couldn't catch it live, Ingham (sadly ) on point, quality keeper for this level. Ottawa look solid from the highlights. Could be dark horses.

[Lurker]

In my (hopefully unbiased) opinion I thought Halifax looked the slightly better side.  Slight edge to Ottawa in the first half on the quality of the chances.  Early in the second half I thought Ottawa was going to take over but surprisingly the Wanderers controlled a lot of the play after the first 5 minutes of the second half with great chances that they didn't bury up until the Ottawa goal.  It looked destined for a draw or a 1-0 nil Wanderers win, not the other way around.

The big news is Morelli getting stretchered off with a non contact knee injury that could be a season ender.  Hopefully it's not a torn ACL.  If he is gone it could be a long, long season of playing for 0-0 draws or 1-0 nil wins for the Wanderers given our rate in front of goal... OR (as I've been trying to convince myself since the game ended) this is going to be great opportunity for someone to step up or Hart to rethink is approach on attack.

Interested to hear an Ottawa fans take on the game, congrats on the win, nice start to your season.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Lurker

[Cheeta]

Morelli going off, yeah, season changer for Wanderers right there if it's a lengthy layoff.  Thought the team looks similar to last year in they're ogranzied well enough to make themselves hard to beat but bolder in going forward.  Could have, should have gotten one but wasn't to be.  Still a good look to have, don't know if they'll be able to replicate it without Morelli though.

I think it's safe to say for both team, but especially Atletico, as the season gets on and the players become crisper both mentally & phyiscally, there may be something at work here.  Ottawa looks like they might be able to do things this year.  

[grasshopper1917]

2 Games and no goals in play (one on a penalty). Of course its early - but could it be another offensively challenged season for Wanderers?? Too early to tell but not too early to be a bit nervous.

[gwsmith63]

8 hours ago, grasshopper1917 said:

2 Games and no goals in play (one on a penalty). Of course its early - but could it be another offensively challenged season for Wanderers?? Too early to tell but not too early to be a bit nervous.

If the injury to Morelli is as serious as it looked, a couple of questions come up:

1. Who within the current squad steps in to replace him?

2. Who can they realistically pick up from within the CPL, working within the cap?

This injury could have devastating consequences for HFX and 2022 already. 

[K Edgar]

10 hours ago, gwsmith63 said:

If the injury to Morelli is as serious as it looked, a couple of questions come up:

1. Who within the current squad steps in to replace him?

2. Who can they realistically pick up from within the CPL, working within the cap?

This injury could have devastating consequences for HFX and 2022 already. 

Ricci was scoring for Valour FC last year before his knee injury and then released this year.