Watch: Bicycle Kick In A Blizzard & Keeper Shovelling Snow As Football In Canada Goes Viral

Atletico Ottawa playing Cavalry in Canada’s North Star Cup (AP)

On a snow-covered evening at TD Place, Atletico Ottawa lifted their first-ever North Star Cup, defeating defending champions Cavalry FC 2-1 after extra time in one of the most memorable Canadian Premier League finals ever played.

Snow blanketed the pitch from kickoff, turning the final into a test of endurance and composure. Ottawa began brightly, with Gabriel Antinoro and Ballou Tabla pressing relentlessly. A mistake by Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci nearly gave David Rodriguez an early goal, but his chip drifted just over. The defending champions struck first when Goteh Ntignee’s quick footwork drew a foul in the box, and Fraser Aird converted from the penalty spot after clearing snow off the mark, giving Cavalry a 1-0 lead.

The Ottawa keeper was seen shovelling snow, too.

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Ottawa’s response was stunning. In the 40th minute, Antinoro’s mishit volley looped into the box, and Rodríguez launched himself into a spectacular bicycle kick, sending the ball into the top corner. It was a goal worthy of any final and among the greatest in CPL history.

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Both sides battled through deteriorating conditions in the second half. Nathan Ingham pulled off a series of stunning saves to deny Daan Klomp and Eryk Kobza, while Rodríguez and Sam Salter came close to putting Ottawa ahead. With neither side able to find a winner in regulation time, snowploughs cleared the pitch for extra time.

Then came Rodríguez’s crowning moment. In the 107th minute, Manuel Aparicio’s lofted pass found the winger streaking down the right. This time, Rodríguez delicately chipped the advancing Carducci, the ball nestling in the net as he disappeared into a snowbank in celebration.

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Cavalry threw everything forward in the final moments, but Ottawa’s defence held firm. When the whistle finally blew, TD Place erupted in a sea of red, white, and snow. For Atletico Ottawa, this was more than a victory: it would be memory frozen in time, their first major title, and a ticket to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.