Salter Sets a Record as Ottawa Crushes Valour 5-2
Salter runs the game with a record-setting 4 goals scored and his first CPL hat trick.
Ottawa made no mistakes with a clinical 5-2 win vs Valour. Sam Salter sets a new CPL record with 4 goals scored in a single game.
The game started off poorly for Ottawa with Valour striking first in the 5th minute of play. This seemed to have awaken Ottawa who struck back with 4 unanswered goals. Salter gets 2 goals in a row, then Rodriguez gets one, and then Salter finds the net again and gets his first hat trick. Valour strikes a consolation goal to make it 4-2. That didn’t last long though with Salter getting his fourth of the game to make it 5-2 for Ottawa.
Lineup
Ottawa has the same lineup as the previous game but with a few changes. Abatneh comes in to replace Didić, who was injured last week against Pacific, and Zapater starts instead of Tabla, who isn’t in the game day squad this week.
Ingham keeps his place in goal, with Abatneh, Cloutier, and Kozlovskiy as the central defenders. Antinoro and Dos Santos are the two wing backs. Zapater, Aparicio, and Castro are in the middle of the field with Rodriguez and Salter up front.
Game Notes
At kick-off, the weather is 19 degrees, mainly sunny and slightly windy, with the wind coming in at 14km/h from the WNW.
Ottawa comes out of the tunnel wearing shirts that pay tribute to Didić, who is out injured for a few months with a broken leg.
The average age of Ottawa’s backline is 19.
Salter with an early chance but it goes just wide in the 3rd minute. Rodriguez and Antinoro had a good series of passes which sends Salter in behind the backline.
Valour makes it 1-0 in the fifth minute. Valour is able to split the Ottawa backline with a through pass, which Hundal is able to capitalize on with a great strike into the top corner.
Ottawa plays a short corner in the 9th minute between Rodriguez and Dos Santos. Rodriguez is able to get a shot off but it is saved.
Ingham with a close call in the 20th minute as he came out of his box to clear a ball but fumbles it a little. In the end, he does manage to clear it.
Castro with a yellow card in the 26th minute.
Salter ties it up 1-1 in the 28th minute. Rodriguez does most of the heavy work, carrying the ball up through the Valour backline. He then passes the ball across the front of the goal, where Salter redirects it into the back of the net.
Valour had a free header from a cross in Ottawa’s 18 yard box but it went wide of the goal in the 38th minute.
Ingham makes two big saves back to back in the 41st minute. Hundal steps his way through the Ottawa defense and gets a shot off on goal. Ingham makes the save but gives up the rebound and immediately has to make a second save.
Salter makes it 2-1 for Ottawa in the 42nd minute. Ingham shoots the ball up the field to Salter who is able to beat his defender and get the shot off on goal.
Rodriguez makes it 3-1 for Ottawa in the 45+ 3 minute. Kozlovskiy passes the ball up long to Rodriguez who lays it off to Antinoro, who quickly passes the ball back to Rodriguez. Rodriguez makes no mistake in his shot and puts it in the back of the net.
Half time.
Salter starts off the second half with a bang! He makes it 4-1 for Ottawa and nets himself his first hat trick of his CPL career. Zapater sends the ball up and over the Valour backline, which lands at Salter’s feet. He makes no mistakes and sends the ball back into the back of the net.
Valour gets one back in the 49th minute to make it 4-2. Valour had a freekick outside the 18 yard box. Egwu heads the ball to the net and Ingham is unable to save it but hits the ball against the post and into the back of the net.
Sissoko is subbed on for Dos Santos in the 56th minute.
Salter makes it 5-2 with his fourth goal of the game in the 58th minute. Aparicio carries the ball over half then splits the defense with a pass to Salter who makes no mistakes and nets home another goal. He makes CPL history with his fourth goal - being the first player in the CPL to score 4 goals in a game.
Ortega is subbed on for Aparicio and Khoury is subbed on for Salter in the 69th minute. This is Khoury’s professional debut.
Levis and Verhoeven are subbed on for Castro and Rodriguez in the 78th minute.
Game ends 5-2 for Ottawa.
Stats
Ottawa had 69% possession while Valour had 31%.
Ottawa had 11 shots of which 8 were on target.
Valour had 14 shots of which 7 were on target.
Ottawa had 4 big chances to Valour’s 2.
Ottawa made 639 passes to Valour’s 245.
Ottawa’s keeper made 5 saves to Valour’s 3.