Ten extra minutes in stoppage time swung the match for Ottawa. Vancouver led 1-0 through late play, but Emiliano García equalized to deny the hosts a first win.
Vancouver FC came within minutes of celebrating its first win of the season—until stoppage time stretched into something closer to a second match.
The Canadian Premier League encounter against Ottawa had the kind of momentum swings that can be felt even from the stands: a scoreless first half, a penalty turning point, and then a late surge that erased what looked like three points for Vancouver.. Misryoum brings you the key moments of a game that finished level after a dramatic finish.
Under CPL rules, additional time can be added to compensate for stoppages such as injuries, substitutions, video reviews, or time-wasting.. In this case, the referee added 10 minutes after regulation, and that extended window proved decisive—enough for Ottawa to score after Vancouver had held the lead for much of the closing stretch.
Ottawa broke a stalemate in an event-heavy second half after Ballou Tabla was brought down in the box in the 58th minute.. The initial call was a yellow card for simulation, but the decision didn’t hold.. After Vancouver used its Football Video Support (FVS) challenge, the outcome changed and the hosts were awarded a penalty.
Ottawa’s spot-kick was denied by a diving save from Callum Irving, but the momentum didn’t stay with the visitors for long.. Vancouver answered immediately: Morey Doner swung a cross into the path of Mohamed Amissi, who headed in his first CPL goal.. It was Vancouver’s first goal of the season, and the Eagles took a 1-0 lead that looked increasingly comfortable as the minutes ticked down.
Then the match narrative flipped again when the stoppage-time clock became the story.. Seven minutes into added time, Emiliano García stole what would have been Vancouver FC’s first win of 2026—equalizing in a moment that felt like a final punch for Ottawa and a cruel end to a lead that had seemed secured.
After the draw, Irving framed the result in terms of progress, not disappointment.. He said the team had managed to find the net and secure a point after starting the season with three straight losses, while also acknowledging the frustration of not turning what they believed was a deserved performance into a full three points.
Amissi, who scored the opener, was named Player of the Match by CPLSoccer.com.. The Burundi international didn’t just find the goal—he also helped shape Vancouver’s attacking pattern throughout the game, starting out wide before shifting roles across the front in the later stages.. Across his time on the pitch, he registered three shot attempts as Vancouver tried to make its advantage last.
Why added time mattered more than the goal
For supporters, that difference can feel sharp. One goal can change the scoreboard, but extra time can change the memory of the day. Vancouver will likely leave the pitch thinking about what was done right—plus what must be tightened when games drift toward the final whistle.