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By Dan Plouffe
The Ottawa South United Force under-14 boys’ soccer team always enjoys huddling up and chanting “vamos” (let’s go), but on Sept. 28 at George Nelms Sports Park, they savoured the sweet opportunity to swap “vamos” for the rallying cry of “campeónes” (champions) after clinching the Ontario Player Development League title.
Coach Mohandi Mulay, who arrived at OSU three years ago from Seville, has injected some Spanish flair and soccer traditions to his squads, and there was no better way to celebrate several seasons of hard work than coming together to at last be crowned “campeónes.”
“It’s an amazing feeling,” smiles Mulay, who is originally from Western Sahara. “Especially in the way that they did it. They played very good football.”
The Force clinched the OPDL league title a week before the end of the season thanks to their run of eight wins in eight premier division games. It’s a perfect record in the province’s top high-performance league, but the season hasn’t been without challenges for OSU, which endured numerous key injuries along the way.
The Force were very pleased to have defender Cyrus He move on to CF Montréal and many others attend trials with pro clubs’ academies, even though that movement may not have been optimal in the pursuit of championships.
“We are very proud to help the kids to develop,” highlights Mulay, noting that achieving competitive success also helps build players’ confidence.
“We want to push them to the next level,” he adds. “Many of them are chasing dreams, so we need to try to help them. We know that it’s not going to be easy, but at the same time, we know that for many of them, it is going to be possible, so we have to make them believe it.”
Aside from their team huddle, the Force didn’t celebrate much when the final whistle went, in part because their players are keeping their sights set on bigger goals.
The clincher was also a game they were expected to win, and the result wasn’t in doubt by the time Fraser Redpath booted home OSU’s last goal in the second half to go up 3-0 over Sigma FC.
Ryan Aziaba scored earlier in the contest, as did Yusuf Ahmed, who’s maintained almost a goal-per-game pace with 18 in total across 21 east division and premier games.
The businesslike boys had also already achieved another major objective a week earlier when they booked a spot in next summer’s Canadian Player Development Program Championships by ensuring a top-two finish in the standings.
“We are trying to maintain our composure,” notes Mulay, whose troops face second-place Woodbridge in their season finale Sunday and then want to win two playoff games for a Charity Shield crown.
“We already [qualified] to go the nationals, so that’s amazing. We became champions, and that’s amazing too, but now we want to win the Charity Shield.”
This is a team that’s become very accustomed to winning. Although results aren’t tabulated at the U13 level, those who watched their games know they were unbeaten last season as well. This time the championship is official, and Mulay wants his players to feel pride in their accomplishment; he certainly does.
“To be champions means you need to be very, very consistent,” Mulay underlines. “I am very proud, because with this team, it’s not only about winning, it’s about the way that you win.
“For me, it’s the performance that’s very important. They are playing really good football. They are improving a lot. We spend a lot of time on technical stuff, tactical stuff, video analysis. So I am proud of everything that we are achieving.”
The Force U14 boys drew inspiration from older OSU teams, including last year’s Force team that won the PDP U15 boys nationals and this year’s Mulay-coached squad that earned the U15 boys national bronze medal.
“We are in a club where the demands are high. We know that the expectations are high, and we want to maintain that high level,” he signals. “That’s the legacy.”
Big final weekend on tap for other local OPDL sides
Mulay was a little short on sleep for his U14 boys’ coronation match. The day before, he’d coached the U15 Force boys to a 1-0 road victory over Tecumseh.
That side’s key win followed a heartbreaking loss a few days earlier to local rival Ottawa TFC, but the Force suddenly find themselves level atop the standings after Ottawa TFC lost 3-2 to London TFC.
Both 4-1-3 local U15 sides trail Woodbridge by three in goal differential if a tiebreaker is needed, but OSU now owns a solid chance to earn a home playoff match after losing both earlier contests in front of big red crowds at Millennium Park.
Read More: Full house for U15 soccer game shows soccer culture has arrived in Ottawa
After the Saturday afternoon win, Mulay arrived home at 11:30 p.m. and then was back at the pitch in advance of his younger squad’s 11:15 a.m. kickoff at George Nelms Sports Park. Mulay felt energized by it all, much like a player may feel before a big match.
“It was difficult to sleep, to be honest with you,” Mulay indicates. “But when you’re excited, when you are happy doing what you love to do, it’s easy to do it.”
The Ottawa TFC U15 boys and OSU U14 and U15 boys are three of 10 local squads jockeying for playoff position in the final weekend of OPDL league play.
Ottawa TFC’s 4-3-1 U14 boys will need to win their last game on the road Sunday at North Toronto and will hope for an Oakville upset of London TFC, who have a two-point advantage for the fourth and final playoff position.
The 6-2 OSU U16 boys will play in the post-season and have a chance to earn a home game as they take on league-champion Woodbridge on the road.
The 4-1-3 OSU U16 girls could conceivably be champions or miss the playoffs in their tightly-contest division. They’re currently in third place, two points back of both Woodbridge and Vaughan and three up on fifth-place FC Durham. They’ve drawn last-place Oakville for their final match on the road.
The 5-3 Ottawa TFC and 4-2-2 OSU U15 girls find themselves in a logjam of four teams separated by just two points for second through fifth place, but both can book playoff spots with a win. OSU hosts last-place Aurora Saturday, while Ottawa TFC travels to meet fifth-place North Toronto.
The 3-4-1 OSU U14 girls need a win and some favourable results in other matches as they sit two points back of the fourth playoff position, which remains within reach of four teams. They host fourth-place North Toronto at George Nelms on Sunday.
The 5-2-1 Ottawa TFC U17 girls are in solid position to earn a playoff position in third place as they hold a three-point advantage over fifth-place Rush Canada and a four-goal edge in goal differential as they finish up Saturday against 2-6 Mississauga at Millennium Park.
The U14 girls were the West Ottawa Warriors’ top team this season as their club’s lone team to make the midseason cut-off for the premier division, where they’ve gone 1-6-1.