Having survived the ultimate trap game last month, Canadian Premier League-leading Pacific FC (10-3-5) doesn鈥檛 view today鈥檚 fixture against last-place Atl茅tico Ottawa in quite that same light.
Head coach Pa-Modou Kah said the 3-1 victory over Valour FC on Aug. 29, coming just three days after the historic 4-3 PFC upset of the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer in the Canadian Championship, had the most potential for a letdown.
Kah labels that result over Valour a 鈥渢urning point鈥� even more than the win over the Vancouver Whitecaps just because there was no dip in effort, focus or enthusiasm after the heady high of knocking off an MLS team.
Kah said he expects no loss of concertation today against a plucky Atl茅tico Ottawa side (3-11-4) that has stayed with most teams this season, but has been stung by several late losses.
Included in that tale of woe was a game against PFC in July, during the Winnipeg bubble portion of the season, when Ottawa took a 2-0 lead only to lose 4-2 to the Tridents as Alejandro Diaz recorded a natural hat-trick to pace the PFC rally. Pacific FC鈥檚 2-0 record against Ottawa this year includes a 1-0 victory, also in the Winnipeg bubble, on a goal by Josh Heard.
鈥淥ttawa has very good players, but things have not gone their way and they are trying to find their groove,鈥� said Kah.
鈥淲e will have to earn every inch of space against them. If you are not careful, you can lose to any team in this league.鈥�
The game will be a homecoming for Zach Verhoven, the 23-year-old midfielder who joined Atl茅tico Ottawa this year after two seasons with PFC, in which he scored three goals in 31 appearances. He has a goal in 11 games this year in Ottawa.
鈥淶ach wanted to play at a place where he could start and he knew our depth,鈥� Kah said of the mutually consensual split.
The Ottawa team is owned by big-time La Liga club Atl茅tico Madrid and held its training camp in Spain with the parent club.
Ottawa is coached by Miguel Angel Ferrer, popularly known as Mista, a former La Liga veteran player with Valencia who was twice capped for Spain.
Today鈥檚 conditions could be wet, but that doesn鈥檛 matter to Kah. 鈥淲e never change our approach,鈥� he said. 鈥淲eather and referees are two things you can鈥檛 control.鈥�
Kah said PFC star Marco Bustos could be 鈥渞eady to go next week鈥� in a return from injury. Bustos鈥� attacking midfield role has been filled admirably by former Toronto FC MLS prospect Manny Aparicio.
鈥淢anny is an ultra-professional who has brought intensity, desire and a will to win,鈥� said Kah.
鈥淲ith Bustos down, the expectation [around the league] was that we might slow down. But that was a moment to step up. Manny has been a driving force for us. Every coach needs players who can step up.鈥�
With his lacerating outside shot, defenders have no choice but to play Aparicio high.
鈥淭hat means spaces open up behind,鈥� said Kah.
PFC has done well to not only use Aparicio as an outside threat, but to exploit the inside opportunities that creates.
Today鈥檚 game, at 2 p.m. at Starlight Stadium, is the last home fixture for Pacific FC until Oct. 16 against Valour.
A five-game away stretch begins with the Canadian Championship quarter-final Wednesday in Calgary against Cavalry FC, with the winner advancing to the semifinals of the Voyageurs Cup to meet the winner of the tie between Toronto FC of MLS and York United of the CPL.
That will be followed by a far-flung CPL road trip through Hamilton, Ont., against Forge FC next Saturday at Tim Hortons Field, to Winnipeg against Valour on Sept. 29, to FC Edmonton on Oct. 6 and cross-country to meet the HFX Wanderers in Halifax on Oct. 11.
