Forge FC picked up a club-record sixth straight victory in Canadian Premier League action with a 1-0 victory over Halifax Wanderers at Tim Hortons Field. Halifax meanwhile, despite a solid effort against the league leaders are now winless in their last six.

Woobens Pacius scored two minutes into the match on Forge’s only shot on target. The goal came from some good work down the right wing as Terran Campbell earned a corner. Tristan Borges then swung in an excellent cross, which found the head of Pacius. It was Pacius’ tenth goal of the season, making him just the second player in Forge history to reach double digits during a CPL campaign. Borges was the other, winning the CPL Golden Boot in 2019 with 13 goals. It was the quickest goal in Forge FC history.

Halifax was quickly able to regain their shape, however, and kept Forge from creating too many further chances through the middle part of the half. They played with a back five at times, playing very cautiously even in transitional moments not to get too many players up the field.

In the 29th minute, they came incredibly close to equalizing. A great passage of play down the right flank between Zach Fernandez and Marcello Polisi ended with a cross at the feet of Lifumpa Mwandwe, who fired his shot high and wide from close range.

Forge came close again in the 38th minute. Some great work down the right from Rezart Rama gave him the space to send in a looping cross to the back post. It found its way to Borges, whose low strike hit the post to Christian Oxner’s right. That was the last real chance of the half, as, after such a quick opening goal, it was ultimately the only shot on target for either side through the first 45.

The Wanderers again came incredibly close to equalizing in the 51st minute from a free kick just outside the right-hand corner of the Forge box. Pierre Lamothe’s looping effort struck the crossbar and Halifax was unable to convert the rebound.

Halifax had a flurry of shots in the 58th minute, with some good combination play around the Forge box. They were unable, however, to test Triston Henry with any of them as several Forge players put their bodies on the line in an attempt to keep their clean sheet.

Both sides made a number of tactical adjustments as the half wore on, with Forge pushing Alex Achinioti-Jonsson into the midfield, while Halifax shuffled their midfield and attack, bringing on leading goalscorer Samuel Salter. Forge also brought on new signing Jordan Hamilton to make his CPL debut.

Halifax had a couple more chances late in the match. First on a free kick late in the half, but Alex Marshall was once again unable to challenge Henry. Then Mohamed Omar was finally able to get Halifax first shot on target from yet another cross, but Henry caught easily.

BOX SCORE

Goals

2′ — Woobens Pacius (Forge FC) 

Discipline

42′ — Yellow: Garven Metusala (Forge FC)

85′ — Yellow: Rezart Rama (Forge FC)

90′ +1 — Yellow: Peter Schaale (HFX Wanderers)