User:I am wordsmyth/sandbox/2023

Pre-Season
Pre-Season & Season Preview



Staffing • Bobby

• Costa

Additions & Departures

• David Choinière was reported to have had options elsewhere but ultimately re-signed with Forge.

• Miles Green continues to train with the team although he hasn't signed

• Poku trained in Sweden

CPL #1: Forge vs Cavalry (Saturday, April 15)
• Pre-Game (Bekker still suspended, Castello injured [originally injured in Costa Rica?])

• Post-Game

CanChamp First Round: Forge vs Laval (Tuesday, April 18)
• Pre-Game  (Where was Bekker? Not in the lineup and no explanation why.)

• Post-Game

CPL #2: Forge vs Halifax (Saturday, April 22)
• Pre-Game (Bekker unavailable. )

• Post-Game

CPL Centurions: Forge’s Alessandro Hojabrpour hits 100 games for CPL clubs in all competitions

CPL #3: Pacific vs Forge (Saturday, April 30)
• Pre-Game "Head coach Bobby Smyrniotis said Friday that Sebastian Castello and goalkeeper Chris Kalongo are the only players rules out for Sunday, which suggests Bekker may be in contention."

• Post-Game

Bobby compares Woobens Pacius to Cyle Larin. Pacius ties Forge's all-time scoring lead in all competitions

Kwasi Poku and Khadim Kane played for Sigma on April 29.

Bobby signs a new four year contract as Head Coach & Sporting Director.

CPL #4: York vs Forge (Friday, May 5)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

David Choinière and Jordan Hamilton were scratched for precautionary reasons with an eye towards the next game on Tuesday (i.e., squad rotation). Some other regular starters started on the bench and making the team tonight on the bench were Duncan for the first time this season and Kane for the first time ever.

"From England to Canada to get better at soccer? Forge FC’s Malik Owolabi-Belewu reverses the traditional talent-flow route, writes Steve Milton"

CanChamp Quarter-Finals: Forge vs Atlético Ottawa (Tuesday, May 9)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CPL #5: Forge vs Valour (Saturday, May 13)
• Pre-Game : "Ashtone Morgan had his red card from Friday overturned by Canada Soccer so he’s available, and players like David Choinière and Jordan Hamilton, who missed the past couple games, are eligible selection, the only one missing being Sebastian Castello."

• Post-Game

Jordan Hamilton scored the 200th goal in Forge FC history.

Rimi Olatunji played for Sigma on May 13.

"Woobens Pacius, l’étoile montante de la CPL" ("Woobens Pacius, the rising star of the CPL")

CPL #6: Forge vs Vancouver (Friday, May 19)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CanChamp Semi-Finals: Montreal vs Forge (Wednesday, May 24)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CPL #7: Atlético Ottawa vs Forge (Saturday, May 27)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game



CPL #8: Forge vs York (Wednesday, May 31)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game 

CPL #9: Cavalry vs Forge (Saturday, June 3)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CPL #10: Forge vs Pacific (Saturday, June 10)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CPL #11: Valour vs Forge (Friday, June 16)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

CPL #12: Vancouver vs Forge (Tuesday, June 20)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

Metusala called up to Haiti for the Gold Cup

Hojabrpour still injured after picking up a knock against Pacific

CPL #13: Forge vs Atlético Ottawa (Sunday, June 25)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson was away from the team (said during the broadcast).

Woobens Pacius becomes the club's top goal scorer ever.

Forge blew a two-goal lead for the first time but still won.

Smyrniotis should be in consideration for Toronto FC's next manager.

One of the best matches from the 2023 CPL season

CPL #14: Halifax vs Forge (Friday, June 30)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

"Aboubacar Sissoko et le Forge FC en opération “remontada”"

CPL #15: York vs Forge (Sunday, July 9)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

Hamilton’s Halfway Review: A Canadian Premier League Team Midpoint Synopsis ("The dam also may have burst for Tristan Borges. He scored his first for Forge since August 20th of 2022")

Canadian Premier League Scouting Database – Noah Jensen

AGR'S High Press: 1 KEY STAT for each CPL team at mid-season mark + (too early) awards!

CPL #16: Forge vs Valour (Saturday, July 15)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

"Forge will have to make do without two key defenders in Manjrekar James and Malik Owolabi-Belewu, both of whom will serve suspensions due to yellow card accumulation."

Midseason Report Card

CPL #17: Pacific vs Forge (Friday, July 21)
• Pre-Game

• Post-Game

October
Forge ended the CPL season with 42 points from eleven wins, nine draws, and eight losses, making this the club's worst season to date. They finished in second place, ahead of HFX Wanderers who were level on points, wins, goal differential, and goals scored thanks to being ahead on away goal differential (+4 for Forge, -2 for Wanderers).

Playoffs
As the second place finishers in the CPL regular season, Forge opened the playoffs away at regular season winners Cavalry FC on October 14 in the page playoff first semifinal. Forge had never lost to Cavalry in the playoffs, most recently defeating them in the 2022 playoffs semifinal over two legs. In what was an intense match, Forge emerged victorious with a 2–1 win. Forge opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Cavalry keeper Marco Carducci failed to clear a Kyle Bekker corner and instead played it off of defender Jesse Daley and into the net. Five minutes into the second half, Bekker doubled the for Forge with a strike from the edge of the Cavalry box. Cavalry got a goal back in the 80th minute to make things close, but it wasn't enough.

Cavalry were confirmed as Forge's opponent in the finals after defeating Pacific 2–1 in the second semifinal.





Canadian Championship


Draw and Pre-Tournament

First Round • April 17

• April 18

• April 19

• April 20

• April 21

Quarter-finals

• May 8

• May 9

• May 10

• May 11

Semi-finals