CALGARY – Forge FC lives to fight another day in the CPL’s Spring season, after they handed Cavalry FC their first ever defeat, 1-0, at Spruce Meadows on Saturday.

Needing just a point to clinch the Spring title, the Cavs weren’t able to book their ticket to the CPL Championship just yet, instead allowing Forge to stay alive.

A must-win game for them, this one started as perfectly as Forge could’ve asked. Captain Kyle Bekker silenced the crowd in Calgary in the 5th minute with a well-taken left-footed volley off Kwame Awuah’s cross, stunning the league leaders with his highlight-reel goal.

Cavalry, trailing for the first time ever in league play, had to chase the game for the rest of the afternoon. They weren’t far from equalizing on several occasions, with both Dominick Zator (in the 9th minute) and Nico Pasquotti (in the 61st) rattling shots off the goalpost. Forge managed to smother Cavalry’s most dangerous players in the dying minutes of the game, confidently seeing out a crucial victory.

So, Cavalry’s record falls to 7-1-0 on the season, while Forge climbs to 6-2-1, now two points behind the Cavs (who have a game in hand) for first place.

Neither team gets much time to reflect on this one, with both sides in action on Wednesday, June 26. Cavalry will head out to the GTA to play York9 FC (7:00 p.m. ET, on OneSoccer), while Forge remains in Alberta for a date with FC Edmonton, their last of the Spring season (9:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. MT, on OneSoccer).

Box Score

Goals
5′ – Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

Disciplinary
38′ – Yellow Card – Bertrand Owundi (Forge FC)
40′ – Yellow Card – Dominic Samuel (Forge FC)
87′ – Yellow Card – Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)
89′ – Yellow Card – Kadell Thomas (Forge FC)

Three Key Performers

Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

The obvious reason for Bekker’s inclusion here is his monumental goal. That’s a moment that could be a turning point in the Spring season. The captain also provided two key passes and seven crosses in a tremendous show of leadership in a game with very little margin for error.

Daniel Krutzen (Forge FC)

After that early burst of offence, this was an exercise in defending for Forge. Both Krutzen and his centre-back partner Bertrand Owundi were magnificent in preserving the clean sheet, as Krutzen made nine clearances and three blocks, somehow without conceding a single foul.

Nico Pasquotti (Cavalry FC)

The Cavs can’t be faulted for lack of effort, although the chances weren’t as abundant as they might’ve hoped. Pasquotti was still a major threat with his energy and skill on the ball, on one occasion managing to dance through three or four defenders in his route to a shot off the goalpost.