By Théo Lemarchandel

Atlético Ottawa defeated Pacific FC in a dramatic comeback on Sunday, July 26, as newly acquired Ottawa-born attacker Nicolas Fleuriau Château netted the winning goal in extra time and Gustavo Leal earned his first victory as the club’s head coach.

Ottawa’s Emiliano García opened the scoring just before halftime (45+6’) after Pacific goalkeeper Sean Melvin failed to hold onto the ball after good save on a strong header by Atlético defender Enmanuel Mbomio Angue.

After Pacific FC took a 2-1 lead with back-to-back goals early in the second half, Ballou Tabla — Atlético Ottawa’s leading scorer this season — equalized in the 76th minute with a side-footed shot to make it 2-2.

But the main event happened at the end of the game thanks to Ottawa’s newest signing, hometown boy Fleuriau Chateau. The 24-year-old forward came on in the 63rd minute and scored the winning goal after a run of more than 60 metres in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

‘I couldn’t have imagined a better debut, especially with my family in the stands. It was an incredible moment.”

— Ottawa-born Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, newly acquired Atlético attacker

Fleuriau Chateau officially joined Ottawa just a few days earlier after a stint with Galway United in Ireland — where he’d played only three games in six months — and gave the 5,015 spectators at TD Place a moment to remember.

During the post-match press conference, Fleuriau Chateau shared his enthusiasm after celebrating with his teammates.

“I couldn’t have imagined a better debut, especially with my family in the stands,” he said. “It was an incredible moment.”

He added: “The past six months have been tough for me. I didn’t get the opportunities I deserved, so this is a relief.”

Despite the victory, Leal said during the post-game press conference that it was not his team’s best performance. However, getting the win was the most important thing, he added. Leal noted that the standings remain wide open, and that in his first two games as head coach — one draw and one win — the team had controlled their opponents for the most part. Maintaining an edge in play, he said, will be key in the second half of the season. [Atlético Ottawa © Philippe Larivière]

The July 24 press release announcing the Atlético had secured Fleuriau Chateau through the end of the 2027 season highlighted his time with the Vancouver Whitecaps in North America’s top-tier Major League Soccer. He has also made 10 appearances for Vancouver Whitecaps II in MLS Next Pro, where he scored 10 goals and added five assists.

Fleuriau Chateau also scored seven goals and earned five assists in 25 appearances in Finland’s top league.

“I’ve been gone for six or seven years and just to have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family is amazing,” Fleuriau Chateau said in the press release. ”Obviously I’m from around here and to come to Ottawa is really special. I was looking for my next move, and it was hard to say no when the option to come home came up.”

Season of twists and turn

Atlético Ottawa’s game against Pacific FC marked the mid-point of the 2026 Canadian Premier League season.

The July 26 win gave The Red and White a record of six wins, five losses and three draws, good for third place in the CPL standings with 14 games to play.

After a difficult start, with just one win in their first five games — including a 4-1 loss to Inter Toronto — Atleti’s 3-1 victory over Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship preliminary round appeared to be a turning point for Ottawa.

The team, coached by Diego Mejía before his promotion to Atlético’s sister club in Mexico, put in some impressive performances — especially at TD Place, including a victory over league-leading Forge FC, unbeaten until then.

Players like captain Manny Aparicio and striker Tabla — who leads the CPL with seven goals in the first 14 games — have shown how essential they are for Ottawa.

This offensive strength is also characterized by a possession-based style of play and high-pressure defence, forcing opponents to retreat.

The group can also rely on younger players such as Rony Mbomio or Sergei Kozlovskiy, who is currently representing Canada at the Concacaf U-20 Championships.

But the most encouraging thing about the first part of the season was maintaining consistency despite an uncertain coaching situation.

Since Diego Mejía’s departure to Atlético San Luis in Mexico and the transition to interim coaches Drew Beckie and Diego Campos, Ottawa showed resilience and remained a contender.

Stability is back in the locker room following the appointment of Brazilian Gustavo Leal, who has a draw and a win since taking over.

The early results under Leal are fuelling confidence for the second half of the season, and for Atlético’s chances to qualify for the playoffs by nailing down one of the top four spots in the eight-team CPL standings.

The biggest challenges will come against top teams such as Calgary’s Cavalry FC — the team Atlético defeated in last year’s playoff final — and Hamilton’s Forge FC, the four-time North Star Cup champion. Vancouver FC also remains a team to watch closely as they sit fourth in the CPL standings.

Third place is on the line Aug. 1 in a showdown between Vancouver and Ottawa at Willoughby Community Park Stadium in Langley, B.C.

Playoffs start on Oct. 31 and will feature the league’s top four teams in two-legged semi-finals.

The first-place team will play the fourth-place finisher and the second- and third-place teams will compete in the other semi-final. The final match for the North Star Cup will be held on Nov. 21 or 22.