2024 CPL Regular Season — Match #80
Forge FC vs. Pacific FC
August 30, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here

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After heartbreaking endings to their respective 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship campaigns on Tuesday, Forge FC and Pacific FC return their attention to their Canadian Premier League campaigns as they square off on Friday night at Tim Hortons Field.

Both clubs lost 1-0 in the second leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals, with Forge falling on away goals to Toronto FC after a 2-2 aggregate score. Pacific FC, meanwhile, lost 2-0 on aggregate to back-to-back Canadian champions, the Vancouver Whitecaps.

But they don’t have much time if any to lick their wounds, as with just eight weeks left in the CPL regular season, there are a vital three points on the line for both sides. For Forge, a victory would keep them top of the CPL table, where they currently hold a two-point cushion.

While their elimination from the Canadian Championship means one avenue to Concacaf Champions Cup qualification has closed, Forge know they have another excellent opportunity ahead of them to do so if they can lift the CPL Shield.

“There would be no better way for us to cap off the month than with three points tomorrow night,” said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. “It puts us in a good position moving forward for the last round of seven matches with one match against each opponent.”

The Tridents, meanwhile, know time is running out to narrow the gap between themselves and the playoff line. They sit six points below B.C. rivals Vancouver FC, who are in the fifth and final playoff spot. They do still have a game in hand on every team above them in the table, but are the only team in the league without at least one victory in their past five matches.

The two clubs last met under very similar circumstances back on July 14, coming off their respective first legs in the Canadian Championship semis the previous Wednesday, July 10. After the Tridents opened the scoring on that day through a 33rd-minute penalty from the since-departed Ayman Sellouf, Forge responded with a pair from Kwasi Poku — who was recently transferred to RWD Molenbeek.

That victory was the first of four straight that the Hamilton side have managed at home. They have collected a league-leading 25 points at Tim Hortons Field this season, five more than Pacific have managed in total this campaign.

Sellouf’s goal was also the last time Pacific managed to score away from home, as they have been held without a goal in five of their past six road matches. They have not found the back of the net since the second minute of their August 2 match against York United at home, a goalless drought of 448 minutes in all competitions.

After missing out midweek against Toronto FC due to an ankle injury, Elimane Cissé has been back training with Forge and will likely be available again for selection on Friday depending upon how he progresses in his recovery. Forge, however, will be without Béni Badibanga, who misses the match through yellow card accumulation.

Meanwhile, for Pacific FC Moses Dyer is available once again after missing out against the Vancouver Whitecaps as a result of being cup-tied.

All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.

3 THINGS TO WATCH

• After an emotional and busy week, how will both sides rotate: The depth of both Pacific FC and Forge will likely be on display on Friday, as the two clubs navigate their third match in seven days. For the Tridents, that will mean travelling across the country to Ontario after shorter trips to Vancouver and Calgary already. Forge, on the other hand, didn’t have to go nearly as far as both of their matches were in Toronto, but are playing their seventh match of the month in all competitions. How both sides choose to manage their personnel in this match, and which players who may not have had much playing time midweek will play a big part of Friday, remains to be seen. “We need to freshen up the squad, but at the same time try and build consistency,” said Pacific FC head coach James Merriman. “So we just need to balance everything, with player selection, the team that we put on the pitch, and then the players that played big minutes against Cavalry, big minutes against the Whitecaps need to have a really strong mentality and strong approach to the game.”

• Can Forge find a solution at the number nine?: For the first time during the 2024 season, Forge FC have gone back-to-back games in all competitions without scoring. Since the departure of Kwasi Poku, Jordan Hamilton has been the preferred option up top. After a solid start, in which he scored a goal and added an assist in Forge’s first two matches without Poku, he struggled a bit to get involved against both York United and Toronto FC. Terran Campbell, meanwhile, still has yet to score this season, in a campaign interrupted by injury, and hasn’t looked particularly threatening in his recent appearances off the bench. The Forge attack has never solely relied on contributions from their strikers, but finding a number nine that can reliably and consistently lead the line over the final stretch of the season will be critical to their success.

• Will Gazdov continue strong run of form?: It has been a busy week for Pacific FC, but perhaps for no player more than their 20-year-old goalkeeper Emil Gazdov. This past weekend, Gazdov made seven saves in a 1-0 loss to Cavalry FC at ATCO Field, earning a spot in the Canadian Premier League’s Team of the Week for his efforts. On Tuesday, he followed that up by making six saves against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship. If Pacific are to climb back above the playoff line, Gazdov will be an essential piece. “When he’s playing like [he has lately] when he’s bringing that consistency and presence to the team, he gives us confidence,” said Merriman.

PROJECTED STARTING XIs

Forge FC: Kalongo; Samuel, Achinioti-Jönsson, Owolabi-Belewu, Parra; Hojabrpour, Jensen, Borges; Ampomah, Choinière, Hamilton

Pacific FC: Gazdov; Dada-Luke, Ceceri, Meilleur-Giguère, Greco-Taylor; Yeates, Young, Domínguez, Lamothe; Zanatta, Dyer

ALL-TIME SERIES

Forge FC wins: 13 || Pacific FC wins: 4 || Draws: 3

Last meeting:

July 14, 2024 — Forge FC 2-1 Pacific FC

KEY QUOTES

“Like everything you do, when you spin off these cup matches, do-or-die matches, you really have to shift the momentum. Now here the unique thing is we have two teams who both did it a couple of nights ago. It’s something that we’re used to, something we’ve done before, we’ve lived before, and it’s about just making sure we’re the best version of ourselves here at home, which we’ve done a very good job of this year.” — Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis

“Forge has also been playing [a lot of] games, the only difference is the travel, and this is a mentality match for both teams.” —  Pacific FC head coach James Merriman