Watching David Rodriguez rise through a thick layer of snow to score the equalizing goal for Atlético Ottawa in the Canadian Premier League final on Sunday evokes a variety of responses.
Most people would likely emit an astonished noise at the 23-year-old Mexican’s remarkable skill to navigate the slippery conditions, executing a stunning bicycle kick that struck the underside of the crossbar before finding the back of the net.
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However, your attention would quickly shift to the thick covering of sleet blanketing the pitch, coupled with the snow continuing to fall. One might wonder how a football match could even happen under such conditions, especially considering Ottawa was hit with around 20cm of snow throughout the day. With no option for postponement, snowplows were brought in to attempt to clear the field ahead of a delayed kickoff.
Once the match commenced, the orange winter ball behaved predictably under the circumstances, and officials halted play frequently to clear away snow and keep the pitch markings visible. At one point, Ottawa’s goalkeeper Nathan Ingham even picked up a shovel to help clear the field, demonstrating the effort required to continue the game. A heated exchange erupted between Atlético coach Diego Mejia and Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr over the lack of substitutes available for Atlético.
GOAL 🦖
DAVID RODRIGUEZ, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!
BICYCLE KICK GOAL IN THE 2025 CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE FINAL TO LEVEL THE SCORE FOR @atletiOttawa 🤯🤯🤯
🔴 Watch the #CanPL final LIVE on OneSoccer, TSN & FuboTV pic.twitter.com/4RhNsBI4zH
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) November 9, 2025
Highlighting a situation where players at the FIFA Club World Cup opted to keep their substitutes in the dressing room to avoid the heat, Atlético had instructed their bench to stay indoors due to the harsh conditions at kickoff. This decision sparked a debate with Wheeldon Jr, but ultimately, the referees sided with the Cavalry coach, allowing Atlético’s players to return to the snow-covered pitch.
Given the circumstances of the match, along with the breathtaking nature of Rodríguez’s goal, this game is already being hailed as one for the history books in Canadian football. The icing on the cake came when Rodríguez scored again in extra time, chipping Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci to secure the North Star Cup and a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup.