A late extra-time goal from substitute Tristian Borges gave Forge FC their fourth Canadian Premier League (CPL) championship win in five seasons.
The Hamilton-based club beat Cavalry FC 2-1 in a match the Calgary-based team outshot their opponent and had the line share of possession after 120 minutes.
It took 101 minutes of play before the game saw its first goal with Cavalry’s Ali Musse, the 2023 Players’ Player of the Year, slamming a ball into the corner of Golden Glove keeper Triston Henry’s net.
But Forge would get that one back before the first half of extra time was finished on a looping cross in added time from forward Béni Badibanga Diata that fooled Cavlary keeper Marc Carducci.
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Carducci, who faced four shots on target, would be fooled again minutes later on a looping corner from Borges that would fly into the net untouched in the 111th minute.
Forge’s Henry would see 21 shots and make five saves including a key stop late on Musse in the 81st minute of regulation time.
Forge is the first-ever CPL team to win a championship on home soil and the first winner of the new championship trophy, the North Star Cup.
Close to 14,000 watched the game at Tim Horton’s Field.
Calvary was hoping to be the first team to do the league double, having won the race in the 2023 regular season.
Forge’s appearance was their fifth in a championship game.
It’s the second time Cavalry has made the CPL final, losing out both times to Forge FC.
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