It all started in April, when Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton hosted the inaugural game of the Canadian Premier League.
Six months later, the Hammer is getting ready for another milestone day.
Leg 1 of the Canadian Premier League Finals kicks off Saturday with Forge FC welcoming Spring and Fall season winners Cavalry FC to Tim Hortons Field (3:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. MT, on OneSoccer, CBC & CBCSports.ca).
Some of the CPL’s brightest stars will be on display as Forge and the Cavs do battle in the opening match of Finals 2019, and then again for the second leg on Nov. 2 in Calgary at ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows.
Who are the key players to watch? How will the coaches approach the two-legged series? Will home-field advantage tip the scales?
CanPL.ca answers these questions and many more, and has you covered with our in-depth preview coverage of Finals 2019…
PREVIEW: Forge FC vs. Cavalry FC – Finals 2019, Leg 1
Saturday marks the eighth meeting in 2019 between Forge and the Cavs – including their second-round Canadian Championship series – as the CPL’s top two teams duel it out again on the biggest stage. || FULL STORY
CPL unveils its championship trophy: The North Star Shield
CPL Commissioner David Clanachan officially unveiled the North Star Shield at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton on Friday afternoon, giving fans and media a first glimpse of the Canadian Premier League’s championship trophy. || FULL STORY
‘Nobody knew them’: Sigma, Foothills first-year pros go the distance in CPL
Forge FC and Cavalry FC reflect on their previous reincarnations and how first-year pros are driving these Finals 2019 teams. || FULL STORY
‘Fought tooth and nail’: Cavalry ready to ‘make statement’ in Finals 2019
The Cavs prepare for Leg 1 looking to “make a statement” before heading home to ATCO Field in Spruce Meadows for the deciding tilt. || FULL STORY
‘It creates history’: Forge aim to establish ‘historic bond’ with Finals triumph
Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis and players Triston Henry, Tristan Borges, Kyle Bekker, and David Edgar weigh in on their team ahead of Leg 1 of Finals 2019, during Media Day in Hamilton. || FULL STORY
EXCLUSIVE: Forge’s Awuah leans on David Villa’s advice for Finals 2019
CanPL.ca speaks exclusively with Forge FC defender Kwame Awuah on Media Day about the advice he’s received and taken to heart over the years from players like David Villa, Andrea Pirlo, and Frank Lampard. || FULL STORY
EXCLUSIVE: Cavalry’s Camargo hoping to relive cup glory as leading man
CanPL.ca speaks exclusive with Cavalry FC midfielder Sergio Camargo on Media Day about the experience he had winning the 2017 MLS Cup with Toronto FC, and the lessons he learned from Michael Bradley and Sebastian Giovinco. || FULL STORY
How do Forge and Cavalry compare position by position?
CanPL.ca takes a deep dive into the rosters of both Forge FC and Cavalry FC, examining how they stack up against one another position-by-position. || FULL STORY
Centre Circle LIVE! podcast: Finals Leg 1 edition ft. Smyrniotis, Wheeldon Jr. & more
On the latest edition of the Centre Circle LIVE! podcast, Forge FC’s Bobby Smyrniotis and Anthony Novak, and Cavalry FC’s Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and Marco Carducci join the show to provide their perspective on Saturday’s match at Tim Hortons Field.
Kyle Bekker’s open letter to Forge FC fans
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Kyle Bekker wrote a personal letter to Forge FC fans. || FULL STORY
Commissioner Clanachan proud of CPL’s achievements in Year 1
CPL Commissioner David Clanachan spoke like a proud papa about the CPL’s achievements in Year 1, citing Forge FC’s run in the Concacaf Nations League, Cavalry FC upending the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship, and Canadian national team call-ups for Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci and FC Edmonton defender Amer Didic as barometers of the league’s success. || FULL STORY
Valour coach Rob Gale reveals the secret to defeating Cavalry FC
How do you solve a problem like Cavalry FC? Valour FC’s Rob Gale figures you’ve got to do battle with the “hydra” – as Cavalry, whose high-press has been dubbed the ’90 minutes of Hell’ by pundits, can attack in many different ways, across many different parts of the field. || FULL STORY
HFX coach Stephen Hart reveals the secret to defeating Forge FC
It may seem counterintuitive to look at the last place HFX Wanderers FC for hints on how to beat a team that finished 20 points ahead of them in the Fall standings, but on closer look there are some clues to the secret of beating Forge. || FULL STORY
Forge or Cavalry: Which team has more big-game experience?
If there is an edge to be gained by Forge or Cavalry, perhaps it is this: composure under the bright lights. || FULL STORY
Y9 coach Brennan on the role of composure in Finals 2019
York9 FC coach Jimmy Brennan shared his thoughts on the one factor that could decide who wins Finals 2019. || FULL STORY
Will sterling set-piece routines take Cavalry FC to Finals 2019 glory?
Cavalry’s set-piece expertise could be the difference on Saturday in Hamitlon. || FULL STORY
DEBATE: Who will win Leg 1 of Finals 2019 at Tim Hortons Field?
CanPL.ca’s editorial crew offer their picks and predictions. || FULL STORY
Paulus advises players to stay offline ahead of Finals 2019M
Embrace the moment. Have fun. But stay the heck off Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. That’s the message FC Edmonton coach Jeff Paulus has for Cavalry FC and Forge FC players as they prepare to face each other in Finals 2019. || FULL STORY
Burning questions: Are Cavalry already champions?
Is there a case to be made to already declare Cavalry the champions? || FULL STORY
WATCH: The best Forge and Cavalry goals of 2019 CPL season
Sit back and enjoy this rewind of some of Forge and Cavalry’s top goal-scoring moments in 2019:
Finals 2019: Comparing Forge and Cavalry’s home fortresses
Both Cavalry and Forge put up stellar home records this season. But which side could benefit the most from home-field advantage in Finals 2019? || FULL STORY
Match-by-match: How Forge-Cavalry became the CPL’s defining matchup
Forge FC and Cavalry FC will play for the eighth and ninth times in 2019 with the Canadian Premier League Finals. For those paying attention, the seven previous encounters were quite the spectacle. || FULL STORY
Smyrniotis, Wheeldon embrace modern game’s new tactical thought
Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and Bobby Smyrniotis have openly embraced modern soccer; that is, it’s more about how you play rather than simply talking about formations. || FULL STORY
5 things we learned from Forge-Cavalry tilts ahead of Finals 2019
Forge and Cavalry have met seven times this season, dropping a few hints about what’s to come on Saturday. || FULL STORY
Bustos, Gasparotto, Fisk, Arnone, and Ameobi weigh in
CanPL.ca reached out to five players – one each from each of the clubs not participating in Finals 2019 – to share their thoughts on the finalists, their respective styles of play, expectations for the two legs, and championship prediction. || FULL STORY
Will Cavalry’s Ledgerwood be fit for Leg 1?
Cavalry has some injury issues ahead of Saturday’s game in Hamilton. || FULL STORY
Suspensions could hurt Forge in Leg 1
Suspensions will force Forge to juggle their line-up on Saturday. || FULL STORY
Travelling Cavalry fan juggles friend’s wedding with Leg 1 of Finals 2019
Cavalry fan Piotr Stepien is travelling from Calgary to Hamilton to attend a friend’s wedding and Leg 1 of Finals 2019 on Saturday. || FULL STORY
Inaugural CPL Champion to gain 2020 Concacaf League berth
Forge FC and Cavalry FC have some extra incentive to win the 2019 Canadian Premier League Finals. Canada Soccer announced Friday that the 2019 Canadian Premier League Champion will also gain an automatic berth into the 2020 Concacaf League, which kicks off next summer. || FULL STORY
