Ten-man Vancouver FC stunned Forge FC with a stoppage-time equalizer in a rollercoaster back-and-forth 3-3 draw on Friday night.

Gabriel Bitar scored a brace for Vancouver FC, opening and finishing the scoring, while Alejandro Díaz also scored for the Eagles. Malik Owolabi-Belewu, Daniel Parra and David Choinière all replied for Forge meanwhile.

Forge instantly put the visitors under pressure from the opening whistle. They were able to get plenty of joy down the flanks especially, and Noah Jensen had a solid early chance but it was ultimately blocked.

However, Vancouver FC opened the scoring on one of their first forays forward, and on their first shot, in the 12th minute. Bitar found himself in acres of space outside the Forge box and unleashed a thunderous strike into the top left corner. It was his second goal of the campaign, and first since VFC’s opening match of the season.

The hosts responded well, however, creating several quality chances following the goal. Jensen had another good chance that was blocked, and Béni Badibanga saw a shot saved by Callum Irving on a free kick.

In the 36th minute, Forge finally found their moment. They took a free kick quickly just to the left of the Vancouver box, and Badibanga was given the space down the left wing to send a lofted cross to the back post, where Owolabi-Belewu headed home his first of the season.

Just four minutes later, however, Vancouver FC once again stunned the home crowd with their second of the match. Paris Gee sent a hopeful cross into the box, and despite several Forge defenders being in the middle, Díaz was able to get onto the end of it with a clever volley for his fifth of the season.

Owolabi-Belewu nearly had a second in the 44th minute, when he again found himself up the field and a deflection fell to him with Irving out of his net. But he got his lofted effort all wrong and it drifted wide of the goal. That was the last real chance, and despite outshooting the visitors 10-2, Forge went into the halftime break trailing 2-1.

Swapped Badibanga for Kyle Bekker at the half, Forge continued their relentless pressure to start the second half. Just over five minutes in Kwasi Poku had an excellent chance to continue his incredible attacking form

The match took a big turn two minutes later when Vancouver FC’s Vasco Fry was sent off for a challenge in midfield and his side were reduced to ten men.

Forge instantly looked to use their man advantage, and in the 62nd minute forced an outstanding double save from a scrambling Irving.

They were finally rewarded in the 66th minute, equalizing for a second time. A Kyle Bekker corner kick found Parra at the top of the box, who took a touch and sent a low strike goalward. His shot was inadvertently deflected by Rocco Romeo past his own goalkeeper, tying the game 2-2.

The hosts kept pressing, and in the 80th minute, Poku had another excellent chance on a wide-open header in the box. Minutes later, Borges sent a deflected strike goalwards, but Irving was again equal to his effort.

In the 85th minute, Forge thought they had found their winner. Another Bekker corner kick bounced around in the box, before finding a way to Choinière at the top of the box. The Forge winger sent a rocket over the top of Irving before peeling away to celebrate with the Forge fans.

At the death, however, Bitar added his second of the match to tie the game 3-3. Forge’s Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson was dispossessed outside of his own box, as Bitar ran onto the ball and smashed it past Koleilat.

It was the second straight match in which Forge had conceded a goal in stoppage time that cost them and only the second time they have dropped points at home this season, both of which have come against Vancouver FC.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Forge FC: Koleilat; Duncan (Samuel 72′), Achinioti-Jönsson, Owolabi-Belewu, Parra; Hojabrpour (Metusala 72′), Jensen (Hamilton 72′), Borges (Schiavoni 90′); Badibanga (Bekker 46′), Choinière, Poku

Vancouver FC: Irving; Cameron, Romeo, Enyou, Gee (Crawford 88′); Garcia, Bah (Fisk 70′), Fry, Bitar (Powell 90+4′), Cantave (Norman 77′); Díaz (Dzikowski 77′)

Goals

12′ — Gabriel Bitar (Vancouver FC)
36′ — Malik Owolabi-Belewu (Forge FC)
40′ — Alejandro Díaz (Vancouver FC)
66′ — Daniel Parra (Forge FC)
85′ — David Choinière (Forge FC)
90+1′ — Gabriel Bitar (Vancouver FC) 

Discipline

42′ — Yellow: David Choinière (Forge FC)
52′ — Red: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)
54′ — Yellow: Daniel Parra (Forge FC)
75′ — Yellow: Gabriel Bitar (Vancouver FC)
77′ — Yellow: Kwasi Poku (Forge FC)
90+3′ — Yellow: Malik Owolabi-Belewu (Forge FC)