Snow Globe Spectacle: Ottawa's Historic Winter Victory
In what will be remembered as one of football's most extraordinary finals, Atlético Ottawa secured the Canadian Premier League title with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Cavalry FC amidst near-blizzard conditions that transformed Sunday's match into a winter spectacle.
The Icicle Kick That Stole the Show
The match's defining moment came from Mexican midfielder David Rodríguez, whose breathtaking bicycle kick equaliser seven minutes before half-time immediately earned the nickname "icicle kick" across social media. The stunning strike thundered off the crossbar and into the net, levelling the score after Fraser Aird's 33rd-minute penalty had given Cavalry the lead.
Rodríguez wasn't finished there, sealing his place in Canadian football history by chipping the winning goal over Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci in the 107th minute of extra-time. The dramatic conclusion came after officials had been forced to halt play every 15 minutes for snow removal, with goalkeepers even using shovels to clear their penalty areas.
Arctic Conditions Test Players' Limits
The match was played in temperatures of minus 8 degrees Celsius with near-constant snowfall that accumulated so heavily that a 60-minute delay was required after normal time ended to allow for pitch ploughing. Cavalry's Fraser Aird celebrated his opening goal with a snowy knee slide, embracing the challenging conditions that would ultimately define the contest.
Cavalry veteran Sergio Camargo described the conditions as unlike anything he had previously experienced. "I had experience playing in snow in my college years," Camargo told reporters, "but nothing like that, where the snow was that thick and that difficult to dribble and manipulate the ball."
Rodríguez had predicted the extraordinary conditions would work in his favour, telling reporters: "I came to the locker room and I was excited. I saw it was snowing, and I was like 'It's going to be a good day.'" His prophecy proved accurate as he delivered two crucial goals in what Camargo described as "a very memorable final" where the weather became "another addition" to the drama rather than an excuse for either side.
The victory marks a significant achievement for Atlético Ottawa, a franchise of Spanish side Atlético Madrid that was only founded in 2020, securing their first Canadian Premier League title in the most unforgettable of circumstances.
