HAMILTON – It took more than two years to declare a winner, but the 2020 Canadian Championship was finally awarded as FC Toronto won its record-breaking eighth Voyageurs Cup, beating Forge FC 5-4 after penalties on Saturday at Tim Hortons Field.
“You have guys here who were still here in 2020,” said TFC head coach Bob Bradley. “For the club, for the fans, the history of TFC in this last section so they can add to it today, it’s all great.”
Both teams played 1-1 in 90 minutes in front of 13,715 fans in Hamilton. TFC won the match 5-4 on penalties when Forge defender Kwasi Poku hit the crossbar in his team’s last attempt during a sudden death.
Forge FC was the first Canadian Premier League team to reach the Canadian Championship final. They accelerated the pace of play for most of the match and battled the club from Major League Football to the end.
“It was a very good performance from our boys,” said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smirniotis. “It’s hard tonight, but if you present yourself like that, you win a lot of matches.”
Alejandro Pozseulo opened the scoring in the 57th minute for FC Toronto after his shot from inside the penalty area went right past Forge FC goalkeeper Triston Henry.
The Hammers wasted no time in finding an equalizer.
Tristan Borges took a pass from Abubakar Sissoko while in the penalty area and beat TFC goalkeeper Quentin Westberg in the upper right corner in the 60th minute to level the game 1-1.
“That was the goal I think we deserved,” Borges said. “We’ve been knocking on the door for a long time.”
Forge FC took the lead in the 70th minute when Teran Campbell’s chance to break away was stopped by Westberg.
Jordan Peruzza had one of the best chances for FC Toronto at the end of the second half. His header from the center of the penalty area was saved by Henri in the 80th minute.
Both teams exchanged chances in the last minutes, as both teams loosened their tight formations, which led to more game from end to end.
The teams went straight to penalties after the injured time.
The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes to the 2020 edition and several delays.
On August 13, 2020, the Canadian Football Association announced revisions to the championship to include a final between a Canadian Premier League team and a Canadian Premier League football club.
The proposed date for makeup in early 2021 was challenged by Forge FC owner Bob Young, who posted an open letter on his Twitter account on March 6, 2021, saying his team was at a disadvantage due to local pandemic restrictions. at this time.
Two days later, FC Toronto announced that the club had stopped training as many team members tested positive for COVID-19 and the match was postponed to 2022. FC Toronto represented Canada in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League. ., while 2020 CPL champion Forge FC received the right to host the makeup game.
This was the first time the two clubs played in a professional competition against each other.
Forge FC started the match strongly and had many chances to break through the game. Midfielder David Choiner had several goal positions for FC Toronto in the first half and committed a foul in the penalty area when Toronto defender Luca Petrasso hit him in the 20th minute. Borges, who executed the penalty for Forge, hit the crossbar at the next opportunity.
Borges also had a free kick in the seventh minute and his shot was aimed at the left side of the goal before Westberg arrived in time to kick the ball away from danger.
The best chance to score for Toronto in the first half came in the 26th minute. A header by Lucas McNaughton from the center of the penalty area was saved by Henry.
The Hammers took a 4-2 lead over Toronto in the first half.
The Canadian Premier League missed one of its clubs to win the Canadian Championship with only a penalty. But the only representative of the league in the 2022 edition of the tournament, York United, returns to action in the semifinals against Vancouver Whitecaps on June 22.
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