Ballou Tabla’s hat-trick powered Atletico Ottawa’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship preliminary round.
Toronto FC’s Canadian Championship hopes took a sharp turn on Tuesday as Atletico Ottawa arrived and overturned a deficit with three unanswered goals after halftime.
In a preliminary-round clash. the reigning Canadian Premier League champions sealed a 3-1 victory at the expense of a Toronto side left searching for answers after defensive lapses proved costly in the second half.. Toronto head coach Robin Fraser did not hold back. pointing to a lack of urgency when it mattered most and describing the goals conceded as especially damaging.
Tabla’s name quickly became the headline. The forward produced a standout hat-trick to give Ottawa its first-ever win against TFC, finding an equalizer in the 71st minute before scoring the go-ahead strike shortly after. He completed the comeback in extra time by converting a penalty shot.
That turnaround matters because it reshapes the tournament picture early. For Toronto, it was a reminder that knockout football punishes moments of hesitation, while Ottawa showed it can flip momentum in a single stretch.
Toronto had made an early impact when DeAndre Kerr scored in the 16th minute after receiving a pass from Derrick Etienne Jr. The lead, however, did not last. Despite registering chances, TFC could not add a second goal, and Ottawa gradually took control as the match entered its decisive phase.
The result sends Atletico Ottawa into the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of the matchup between FC Supra du Quebec and the Woodbridge Strikers. Those quarterfinal ties are set for July in a two-leg, home-and-away format.
After the match. Ottawa coach Diego Mejía stressed the importance of building momentum from the win. especially as the club looks to maintain competitive form in the season ahead.. For Ottawa. the performance offered both a statement of intent and a boost of confidence in a tournament that also carries pathways into CONCACAF.
For Toronto, the loss also carried extra complications.. With key players absent due to recent injuries. the club rotated through a group that included several younger additions on short-term agreements and used the fixture to give experience to emerging talent.. Fraser acknowledged that the young players showed glimpses. but said the overall sharpness of the group was not where it needed to be.
Now the focus shifts immediately to Toronto’s next MLS assignment against Inter Miami CF at home. The hope, for a squad smarting from this kind of defeat, is that the setback becomes motivation rather than a lingering distraction.