Atletico in desperate need of winning streak
It's a long 11-point climb to get the fourth and final CPL playoff spot for the club
Atletico Ottawa head coach Mista has likely never heard of Jim Mora or listened to his epic rant when asked about his then 4-6 Indianapolis Colts' chances of making the playoffs in November 2001 after another ugly loss.
Mora's rant is legendary and for those who have never heard if it:
“Playoffs?” screamed Mora. “Don't talk to me about playoffs.
“You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game — another game.”
Just the same, Mista's three-win, eight-loss and two-draw Atletico have just about come to the fork in the road where they either put together a string of wins to climb back into playoff contention or start building toward the 2022 Canadian Premier League season.
There's really no other way to look at it as Atletico prepares to host the Halifax Wanderers Sunday afternoon on the pitch at TD Place.
The match versus the Wanderers represents the halfway point in the 28-game regular season and from eighth and last-place looking up the CPL table, it's a long 11-point climb up to the fourth and final playoff spot.
That's a lot of ground to make up when a team hasn't won two games in a row all season.
“As for us, we don't think (of ) the playoffs,” said Mista while getting his club ready. “We think, and I repeat the same thing from the beginning of the season. We are a young club and everything is new for us and the players.
“Everybody wants to play in the playoffs but not a concern for us today. I think that is a project for the future.
“We tried to be honest and we don't want to add pressure of thinking of the playoffs. For us, I don't know if the playoffs, today, is a reality or not.”
Still, if ever there was a time in the schedule for Atletico it's right now.
The match with Halifax is the first of a four-game homestand with games against York, Hamilton and Halifax again between now and Sept. 11.
That's 12 potential points on the table in play and likely Atletico's best opportunity to close the 11-point gap between 8th where Atletico resides and Winnipeg and Hamilton, both tied for third where only the top four qualify for the playoffs.
The league table is almost divided into two tiers with Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg and Hamilton holding the top four positions and divided by just three points.
Then there's York in fifth five points out of a playoff spot, then Edmonton, Halifax and Ottawa two points apart in sixth through eighth.
WHEELS CAME OFF
It was two weeks ago that Atletico came home amid great fanfare, drew one of the largest crowds in Ottawa soccer history with slightly more than 12,000 in the stands, and matched the excitement with a thrilling 2-1 win on a goal in the 87th minute by substitute Brian Wright.
Four days later, Atletico had an unbeaten streak going with a 1-1 draw with York in a game Atletico could easily have won.
The wheels came off last Saturday in a non-league 3-2 loss to Winnipeg in the first leg of the Canadian Championship and things got worse this past Wednesday with a 4-0 loss in Hamilton.
“I only want to say that I am very happy with the players,” said Mista. “Of course, we would love to play in the playoffs at the end of the year.”