Forge on quest for redemption
The opening match of the in-season tournament to crown Canada’s top club is Wednesday night
He’s had two years to get over it. Two years to forget about it and move on.
But ask Forge FC coach Bobby Smyrniotis about his side’s loss to Toronto FC on penalties in the final of the 2022 Canadian championship and it’s clear that hasn’t happened.
“When they asked me if you want any games back, that’s one of them,” he says.
Which is what makes Wednesday so important.
When York United arrives in town for the first game of this year’s inseason national tournament (kickoff is 7 p.m. at Tim Hortons Field), it marks the first step toward what he hopes is a different result and a new ceiling being shattered.
“It’s a competition that means a lot to us,” says attacker David Choinière.
With good reason.
If you understand the FA Cup competition in England, you’ll understand the Canadian championship. If you don’t and need a primer, watch “Welcome to Wrexham” — even if you don’t but are looking for a terrific TV series that happens to be about soccer, do yourself a favour and look it up — and you’ll get the idea quickly.
At its most basic, it’s a tournament featuring this country’s professional clubs. What makes it unique is that it pits teams of different levels against each other.
There are teams from Major League Soccer (Toronto FC, the Montreal Whitecaps and CF Montreal), which is the top league in the country. There are the eight teams from the Canadian Premier League, including Forge FC. And there are three teams from the semi-pro League1, a lower-tier development league for the CPL.
It would be akin to having Canada’s seven National Hockey League teams compete in a midseason tournament with the six American Hockey League teams that exist north of the border. And then throw in the senior teams that just competed for the Allan Cup to round out the field.
It’s a wild concept. One that makes little logical sense. At least until one of the underdogs does something special and you’re reminded how magical sports can be. The Miracle on Ice. Buster Douglas. Rocky Balboa.
Yes, we’re aware the last one was fiction.
Anyway, this is what happened in that match in 2020 between Forge and Toronto FC. But for an unlucky crossbar on a penalty, Hamilton would have toppled a side with a payroll more than $14 million higher. Instead, the teams went to extra time tied and then to penalties before Toronto eked out a win.
Having the chance to get another crack at that someday — with a different result — is big.
“If that were to happen,” forward Terran Campbell says, “I think it would just go to show how far this league and this club has come.”
Smyrniotis agrees. Beating an MLS team would be special for his players and the team’s supporters. And would be a wonderful sales pitch for the league.
There’s little doubt there’s still more awareness of the MLS than the CPL in this country. Nothing unusual about that. Higher leagues with bigger-name players and more exposure are always going to grab more eyeballs.
But toppling one of those would surely make some people decide to dip their toe into this league and see what it’s all about. And it would undoubtedly be great for the players who all aspire to move up to higher and higher levels.
Before they could get that chance, they have a familiar opponent to deal with first.
They drew York United, which they beat 3-0 in league play just over a week ago. If the home side was to again win this week’s rematch, they’d earn the right to take on CF Montreal in a home-andaway quarterfinal. That would provide the chance to knock out an MLS club. And possibly go even further. Maybe even avenge that Toronto loss.
Smyrniotis is all for that.
“To this date, only the MLS-based teams have won (the Canadian championship). We had that opportunity,” he says.
“It’s something you look forward to. Each year brings its own challenge and we get one on Wednesday.”