This story was first published on CanPL.ca in French, and has since been translated into English. To read the original in French, click here. For more articles in French, visit fr.canpl.ca.

Converted into a centre-forward for Forge FC, Kwasi Poku has revealed himself to be an excellent trigger man. The change of position, which comes at a timely moment for his club, has allowed him to demonstrate his immense versatility, and all his potential as a player.

Kwasi Poku is the man of the moment in the CPL.

The Forge FC attacker has scored six goals in his last six matches, and he owes this run of form to playing a new position. It all began in the Canadian Championship match against CF Montréal on May 22.

That evening, Forge caused a stir by eliminating an MLS club on the pitch at Stade Saputo. Although the front of their attack is generally led by Jordan Hamilton and/or Terran Campbell, it was Kwasi Poku — usually a left winger, if not playing further back on the left flank, who took the role on this occasion.

Almost immediately, he scored his first goal of the season — the first of many.

“That match was important for me,” said Poku. “With that change and my good performance, it solidified my position as a goalscorer. The good performances that followed helped establish me as a striker and created momentum for me in June, in a position that I enjoy.”

In fact, since that match in Montréal, he hasn’t given up that spot, and the goals and assists have continued.

On top of his six CPL markers and the one against CF Montréal, Poku added another in the Canadian Championship against his former youth club, Toronto FC. That goal would be decisive for his team, allowing them to take a 2-1 lead into the return leg set for Aug. 27. He did it in style, scoring the goal with a magnificent backheel.

GOAL⚒️⚒️@ForgeFCHamilton are flying in Montréal🪽

Kwasi Poku has made it 2-0 in leg 2 of Forge's #CanChamp QF tie vs #CFMTL, putting them up 3-1 on aggregate

CFMTL now needs at least 3 goals to win this tie👀

🔴Watch TELUS #CanChamp on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/VAnj4A3lD3

— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 23, 2024

A beautiful goal in a beautiful match for the former TFC academy player, who was particularly happy to have the opportunity to score such a goal with his family watching from the stands.

Poku’s performances since he moved to the point of Forge’s attack were enough for him to be named the CPL’s Player of the Month in June. He was then also named to the Team of the Week to begin July.

On top of his goals, he also provided his only two assists of the season as a striker, against York United just a week after the game in Montréal. Changing his position has made him effective and allowed a greater variety in his game, which has produced such strong numbers.

“In the striker position, you’re involved in attacks in different ways,” Poku said. “Obviously you’re expected to have assists when you play on the left wing, but you can also do that from the striker position.”

In addition to his goals and assists, Poku’s position offers a different dynamic in his team’s game. Adept at fluid, quick movement in the final third, he allows Forge to play long balls over the back of the defence, which is becoming more significant in their play.

Poku doesn’t hesitate to run onto the ball from deep. He did it for his goal against Montréal, where he profited from a long ball by Malcom Duncan to pass Gabriele Corbo with speed and beat Sebastian Breza. He did it again against Valour, rushing into the middle onto a ball ahead of him, twice, delivering victory for his side (2-1).

“To be able to play long balls and have someone who can run onto them from deep isn’t something we necessarily had,” Poku said. “That makes us more dangerous. We changed our game plan a little, but we kept our foundations.”

Taking advantage of space and his speed isn’t the only way to play or to score for Poku. He also likes to patrol the penalty area, getting into the six-yard box to receive crosses from Tristan Borges, Béni Badibanga or David Choinière.

Against Pacific FC (twice) and Toronto FC, it was the same situation. In the same way, that ability to poach allowed him to exploit defensive errors by his opponents and finish, as was also the case against Atlético Ottawa.

AND AGAIN.

AGAIN.@ForgeFCHamilton's Kwasi Poku makes it 2-0 over #TFClive with a sucker-punch 1-2, and we've got a #CanPL vs. #MLS RIVALRY burning at Tim Hortons Field 🔥

🔴 Watch the 2024 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗨𝗦 #CanChamp semi-finals on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/l1Nlmgk5uz

— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 10, 2024

“Lurking in the box, seizing on opportunities, is something I’ve always had in me,” Poku said. “I’m a versatile player, I can understand the game in different areas of the pitch. I try to use my knowledge of football and what I see in the game. I also watch what other strikers do and add it to my game.”

Accustomed to his previous role of tracking back and contributing on the defensive side, Poku has had to adapt his game with the new position.

“I was a defender in the past and sometimes I have to remind myself not to drop back,” he explained. “I have to stay focused on my job and right now that’s to attack and score goals. My defensive job is now to press and prevent counter-attacks.

“Defending less gives me more energy to finish, but also to make important runs for the team, to open space for my teammates,” the young player added.

Already a Canadian U-20 international and the author of a great season, Poku is at a crossroads. Although only 21 years old, he’s in his third professional season in the CPL.

After 23 matches and 1,254 minutes played (with one goal) in 2022 in all competitions, he went on to play 24 games and 1,477 minutes (two goals) in 2023. This year, he has already played 19 matches in all competitions (1,168 minutes), with much stronger numbers — eight goals and two assists in all competitions.

Does that mean the moment to move on is approaching? The young man doesn’t know, and it’s not really on his mind.

“Every young player in the league aspires to keep improving and to climb the ladder to the highest level,” Poku said.

What he wants is to play, even if he admits he’s improved both physically and technically.

More than planning for himself, what he wants above all is to win. He’s not fixating on specific numerical objectives, but he’s ambitious.

“I’m not focused on any stats in particular, but I want to score in every match,” he said. “That’s my goal. For me, that’s the best way to see things and it’s the way I’m proceeding.”

After 15 days, Forge are in third place in the regular season table, seven points off the leaders Atlético Ottawa.

“Ottawa have a very good team, but we’re confident in our ability to catch them,” Poku assured. “We have confidence in our potential and we’ve shown that, when it counts, we can do things the right way and win the championship.”

To catch up, his team must “learn to kill off games,” he said, because they’ve dropped too many points at home.

Poku’s personal success, as well as that of his team, could open the door for an individual award, like Best U-21 Canadian Player in the CPL. It’s something that has come up recently, but, like statistics, it’s not an obsession for him.

“That’s not an objective,” he said. “I want to do well on the pitch, and things will come. The most important trophy for me is the championship.”

Another title would be his third championship in a row. Because of course, we’d nearly forgotten: Kwasi Poku already had an impressive list of accolades.

He certainly has quality, but this is only the beginning.