Forge FC remained perfect to begin the 2024 Canadian Premier League season on Saturday, as Noah Jensen played hero with a 91st-minute winner to defeat Valour FC 2-1 at Tim Hortons Field.

After winning his first two matches of the year, Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis opted not to fix what wasn’t broken and deployed the exact same starting XI as in each of the team’s prior two games. Valour boss Phillip Dos Santos made two changes as he looked for his first points of the year, putting Jordan Faria back on the left wing as he returned from suspension and also inserting Zachary Sukunda and right wingback.

Like many of Valour’s recent visits to Tim Hortons Field, the visitors from Winnipeg caused problems for Forge in the first half in transition, although the Hamilton club had the advantage in possession and shots. Forge’s best opportunities came in the final 10 minutes of the opening half, beginning with a Terran Campbell shot from point-blank range that Valour keeper Jonathan Viscosi parried before a couple other opportunities likewise couldn’t find the target.

Valour also had some good opportunities in the first 45, matching Forge with three shots on target plus another handful of moments where they might’ve asked questions of Christopher Kalongo had Abdul Binate been able to redirect a cross from Faria or Themi Antonoglou toward goal.

When the sides emerged for the second half with the score 0-0, Smyrniotis was forced to make an early change to his team as Malik Owolabi-Belewu appeared to tweak his hamstring. Garven Metusala therefore came in to replace him at centre-back, making his first appearance of the 2024 CPL season.

Just 15 minutes into the half, Valour were likewise forced into a change; Gianfranco Facchineri, who’d been involved in a first-half collision as well, went down near the hour mark as Dos Santos opted quickly to put Juan Pablo Sánchez into the game, moving Dante Campbell into the backline.

A minute later, though, Forge found their lethal touch. Metusala sprayed it up the left wing to Daniel Parra. The fullback drove to the box and cut backward to open up a gap, playing it centrally for Tristan Borges who wrapped his left foot perfectly around the ball to smash it in past the right goalpost.

Valour were undeterred though, and within five minutes they were down at the other end of the pitch. A cross from the right flank was cleared only to the top of the box, where Antonoglou wisely chose not to shoot and instead rolled it to Faria, who hit a curling shot from about 16 yards out that evaded Kalongo’s hands and levelled the match.

With just over 10 minutes to play, Forge looked set to reclaim the lead as they worked the ball dangerously down the left. Béni Badibanga slipped it through to Daniel Parra, and the Mexican fullback approached the six-yard box. Valour defender Haris Chantzopoulos missed his tackle and swept out Parra’s foot, giving Forge a penalty kick. However, Badibanga’s attempt from the penalty spot rocketed off the left post as the game remained tied at 1-1.

Valour had several chances of their own to break the deadlock in the following minutes, including a corner kick that landed in a glorious spot near goal for Abdou Samaké, but they couldn’t beat Kalongo.

There would be one final chance for Forge, though. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Amadou Koné won the ball out wide and chased it down into the box. He whipped it across to around the penalty spot, where Noah Jensen received the ball and fired goalward, getting a tricky deflection on the way through as it beat Jonathan Viscosi to put Forge back ahead.

Despite one late corner opportunity for Valour, Forge held on for their third consecutive victory, moving to the top of the CPL table and improving to 3-0-0 on the season while Valour continue to look for their first points.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Forge FC: Kalongo; Duncan, Achinioti-Jönsson, Owolabi-Belewu (Metusala 46′), Parra; Borges (Kane 90+2′), Hojabrpour, Bekker (Poku 78′); Choinière (Jensen 78′), Campbell (Hamilton 67′), Badibanga (Koné 89′)

Valour FC: Viscosi; Samake, Chantzopoulos, Facchineri (Sánchez 60′); Sukunda, Verhoeven, Campbell, Antonoglou; Swibel (Hanson 82′), Binate (Hundal 67′), Faria (Ressureiçao 67′)

Goals

61′ — Tristan Borges (Forge FC)
65′ — Jordan Faria (Valour FC)
90+1′ — Noah Jensen (Forge FC)

Discipline

33′ — Yellow: David Choinière (Forge FC)
42′ — Yellow: Daniel Parra (Forge FC)
45′ — Yellow: Gianfranco Facchineri (Valour FC)
70′ — Yellow: Garven Metusala (Forge FC)
77′ — Yellow: Tristan Borges (Forge FC)
90+1′ — Yellow: Noah Jensen (Forge FC)