Full marks for the inaugural match of the Canadian Premier League.
Basked in bright sunshine, albeit with a chilly and persistent wind, the 17,611 fans who went to Tim Hortons Field for Saturday’s debut of Canada’s new national soccer league were treated to an entertaining afternoon.
The first 9-0-5 derby between host Forge FC and visiting York9 FC was a spirited and hard-fought affair that brought cheers, and some jeers, from the enthusiastic crowd who attended game No. 1 free of charge.
York9 jumped out to an early lead when Ryan Telfer netted the CPL’s first ever goal just three minutes after the opening whistle.
Forge fought back and was in control for most of the game while generating a couple of exceptional scoring chances, but for a while, it seemed as if the hometown club didn’t have an equalizer.
That was until the 78th minute when substitute Kadell Thomas, a 22-year-old striker from Brampton — the kind of dynamic player this league was created for — curled a shot into the back of the net and gave the fans what they wanted to see.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but more importantly, the players, coaches and officials had generated a fluid performance and a compelling script in game No. 1 in front of a national TV audience.
WATCH: Hamilton’s Forge FC kick off inaugural season with downtown rally (April 18)
Now the question is: was it enough? Did the CPL, Forge and York9 do enough to bring some, many, or — best case scenario — all those fans, and more, back for the next game?
Forge FC’s next home game is May 8, a Wednesday night, which will be an unfair comparison to Saturday’s opening game. We’ll get a better sense this summer of whether or not this team, and this league, has struck a nerve with Canadians.
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