2023 CPL Regular Season — Match #38**
** **Valour FC vs. Forge FC
** **June 16, 2023 at 7:00 pm CT/8:00 pm ET
** **********IG Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba
** Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & TELUS Ch. 980 // Tickets available here
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For as dominant as Forge FC have been in the Canadian Premier League over the past few years, there is one place that has consistently haunted them — Winnipeg’s IG Field. The Hamilton club haven’t defeated Valour in Winnipeg since September 12, 2019 in the league’s inaugural season. In the five matches the two sides have played in Manitoba since then, Forge has only managed to score once. “It is a hard turf, the ball bounces around a lot, so you know sometimes you need the extra touch, which doesn’t allow for the fluidity of movement,” said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis on what makes IG Field such a difficult place to play. “It is something that you take into consideration when you go and play there.” This traditionally difficult trip for Forge comes in the midst of their first real dip in form of the season. A 1-0 loss to Pacific at home in a top-of-the-table clash this past weekend, one where they were outplayed by the Tridents, means they have won just once in their last six matches in all competitions. The hosts, meanwhile, are coming off of arguably their worst performance of the season so far after a 2-0 loss to the Halifax Wanderers on the road in which they managed just a single shot on target and 0.12 expected goals. The Winnipeg side are in the midst of the longest winless streak of any club so far this season, as they have not collected three points since the opening day of the season against York United. Valour coach Phil Dos Santos called his side’s performance against Halifax uncharacteristically poor and a ‘wake-up’ call, but feels the lessons his side might have learned as a result are critical. “I think that it puts us in alert, it puts the guys in alert and we worked very well this week, the mentality was very good,” he said in a pre-match media call. “I think we had a lot to show the guys when it came to what to do and how not to approach a game and I think the guys responded very well on the field. We are sure tomorrow that the energy is going to be there.” Numbers so far this season would indicate that goals in this match will be scarce. Valour have allowed a league-low three goals at home in four matches — all of which have ended in draws. This defensive record dates back to last season, during which Valour also allowed the fewest goals at home of any CPL club. Forge, meanwhile have conceded just one in their four road matches so far this season — during which time they have three wins. “I think [we’ve been] dialling in for 90 minutes of play, I think that’s what we have been very good at playing away from home,” said Smyrniotis. “Maybe there is a little bit too much of a comfort level playing at home, and that has not been the best for us. But going away the guys have done a great job sticking to things through 90 minutes.” Interestingly, however, the first meeting between the two sides this year back at Tim Hortons Field was a wide-open affair that saw Forge emerge with a 3-2 victory courtesy of a late goal from Kwasi Poku. Goals have been hard to come by for both sides since, in particular for Valour who have scored a league-low eight (tied with Vancouver FC and Halifax Wanderers). Forge will be without defender Garven Metusala for this match, as he is away on international duty with Haiti as they prepare for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Valour, meanwhile, will have to deal with several key absences including captain Diego Gutiérrez through suspension, Pacifique Niyongabire who will miss the next two matches as he joins the Burundi national team, and potentially Matteo de Brienne as well, who is day-to-day with injury. “It is three players that have been very important for us,” said Dos Santos. “The good thing about that is that you get to see other guys. Those other guys could be important down the stretch as you are fighting and competing for a playoff spot. We see it as an opportunity.”
All CPL matches are available to stream on OneSoccer, FuboTV, or on TELUS Optik TV Channel 980.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
- **Can Valour find midfield success without Gutiérrez: **One of the biggest areas of improvement this year from Valour has been in the middle of the park, where the likes of Diego Gutiérrez and Dante Campbell in particular have been among the best in the league — with Marcello Polisi becoming the third member of what is usually a midfield trio in recent matches. With Gutiérrez missing the match through suspension, 20-year-old midfielder Juan Pablo Sánchez is expected to draw back into the lineup, a player who in Dos Santos’ opinion has been ‘extremely underrated’ this season. How Sánchez does in Gutiérrez’s place will be of critical importance to Valour continuing their undefeated record at IG Field on Friday. * **Goalkeeping continues to be a strength in Winnipeg: **Some of the best goalkeepers in league history have come through Valour in recent years. The team’s keeper at the 2020 Island Games, James Pantemis, was on Canada’s roster for the 2022 World Cup. Fellow CF Montréal loanee Jonathan Sirois won the CPL’s Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2021, and has thrived with his parent club since returning this season. Through nine matches in his first season as the club’s full-time starter, 23-year-old Rayane Yesli looks to be following in their footsteps. Yesli has allowed 2.11 less goals than expected so far this year, and made a league-leading 32 saves (including 21 inside the box) and kept three clean sheets. “I think his behaviour in the box and around the goal has been one of an extremely mature goalkeeper,” said Dos Santos. “The way he manages the different moments, I think that Rayane is a number one in this league and he has proven that. Now it is about finding that extra little bit of consistency, that extra little bit of confidence. I see so much potential.” * Goals have gone missing for Forge, but they are trusting their process: The last time Forge FC scored more than a single goal in a match it was against their opponents on Friday — Valour. Since that match, they have scored just three times in six games in competitions. The chances have been there, but the finishing hasn’t, as they sit second in the league in shots on target inside the box, with 31, first in touches in the opposition box with 263, and have underperformed their 12.63 expected goals (second best in the league) so far this year. Forge seem to go through a stretch like this every season, where the goals dry up, so Smyrniotis is confident they will be able to reverse their fortunes soon. “I think you keep on working on the processes, especially in the final third making sure guys are making the right movements at the right times,” said the Forge manager. “It is always a difficult one to put your finger on, apart from last game we have been creating a lot of high-quality opportunities.”
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Valour FC: Yesli; Baquero, Pianelli, Cela, Samaké; Campbell, Polisi, Sánchez; Williams, Ponce, Novak
**Forge FC: **Henry; Rama, Achinioti-Jönsson, James, Morgan; Jensen, Bekker, Sissoko; Borges, Hamilton, Choinière
ALL-TIME SERIES
Valour FC wins: 6 || Forge FC wins: 8 || Draws: 1
Last meeting:
May 13, 2023 – Forge FC 3-2 Valour FC
KEY QUOTES
“When you play a team like Forge you can’t give them time and space on the ball. You need to be very good when there is a moment of pressure, you need to make sure that you recognize it and that the team all moves together into that moment of pressure. You keep the team together, you don’t back off.” — Valour FC head coach Phil Dos Santos “Valour is a good team, they’re a resilient team. Not only have they had good performances but they can make it difficult on their opponents, especially at home.” — Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis “It is a tough environment to play in, the surface is very difficult to get accustomed to so that is definitely an advantage for them, but it is something that we are going to have to adjust to and we are going to have to perform on the day” — Forge FC midfielder Noah Jensen