Canadian Premier League — Match #10
Forge FC vs. Cavalry FC
May 12, 2019 — Tim Hortons Field (1:00 p.m. ET)
Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca & on CBC

Two pre-season favourites will clash on national television on Sunday afternoon when Cavalry FC visits Forge FC at Tim Hortons Field.

The match, available on OneSoccer and on CBC, pits first vs. second in the albeit early Canadian Premier League Spring season standings.

Forge welcome the league-leaders following the best offensive performance any CPL team has had so far in this inaugural season. Anthony Novak, Emery Welshman and Guiliano Frano scored in Forge’s 3-0 romp over Pacific FC on Wednesday in teh club’s inaugural victory. The side overwhelmed PFC in an important match, one that they needed to stay in contention for the Spring Season title.

Cavalry head to Hamilton — their first road match of their inaugural season — at the top of the CPL Spring Season standings on six points. Maximum points from their first two matches, head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. is coming off a slim 1-0 win at home to Valour. A Jose Escalante free-kick was all that separated the two sides in a match dominated by strong defensive play.

Sunday’s match will feature an all-female officiating crew, the first of its kind in CPL history.

Forge will shift their focus to Valour following Saturday’s match, as Bobby Smyriotis and co. are set to play their first Concacaf League qualifier on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT/OneSoccer) in Winnipeg. Cavalry, meanwhile, will shift to the Canadian Championship in the mid-week and their first leg, first round tie away to Pacific FC (10:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. PT/OneSoccer).

KEYS TO THE MATCH

• Midfield three: Forge FC’s unsung heroes of their big home to PFC. Kwame Auwah’s move to the midfield alongside Elimane Cisse and an anchoring Alexander Achinioti Jonsson moved the ball well, closed down space and defended effectively as a unit.
• Watch the wings: Cavalry will want to focus their attack down the wings in Hamilton. Forge’s fullbacks can be got at, especially if Awuah is moved inside again. Pacific pumped 22 crosses in the box against Forge and was unlucky to convert on at least two or three of them. Escalante could be moved out wide to exploit the left side, specifically.
• Road warriors?: Cavalry FC is the last CPL team to play a match on the road. Is that in direct correlation to their place in the standings? Possibly. How will they take the travel or being put in uncomfortable situations on the pitch? Maybe this Cavs team has a soft side to them — and maybe we’ll see it Sunday.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Cavalry FC: Marco Carducci; Jonathan Wheeldon, Joel Waterman Dominick Zator; Dean Northover, Nikolas Ledgerwood, Elijah Adekugbe, Julian Büscher, Jose Escalante; Dominique Malonga, Jordan Brown

Forge FC: Quillan Roberts; Daniel Krutzen, Dominic Samuel, Bertrand Owundi Eko’o, Giuliano Frano; Kwame Awuah, Alexander Achinioti Jonsson, Elimane Oumar Cisse; David Choinière, Anthony Novak, Emery Welshman

HEAD-TO-HEAD

First meeting between these clubs

STATS LEADERS 

Jose Escalante, Jordan Brown, Dominick Zator – 1 goal (Cavalry FC)
Kadell Thomas – 2 goals (Forge FC)

INJURIES

Jonathan Grant (Forge FC) – Questionable
Chris Serban (Cavalry FC) – Knee

INTERNATIONAL DUTY

None

SUSPENSIONS

Kyle Bekker (2nd of 2 games)

ACCUMULATION

None

REFEREES

Referee: Carol Anne Chenard
Assistant Referees: Stéphanie Fortin & Chantal Boudreau
4th Official: Alexis Vaughan