Match #5
FORGE FC (2-2-0) vs. VALOUR FC (1-3-0)
When: Saturday, May 13th, 3 p.m. CDT
Where: Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton, Ont.
How to watch: OneSoccer is broadcasting all Canadian Premier League games live https://onesoccer.ca/
MATCH PREVIEW:
An early season measuring-stick match for Valour FC as they venture to Steeltown to face the defending CPL champions. Forge FC is already atop the league tables with two wins and two draws for eight points; Valour is also unbeaten in league play with their season-opening win over York United FC followed by three consecutive ties. That leaves them in third place with six points, one back of Pacific FC (2-1-1).
Valour is coming off a nil-nil draw last weekend at home against HFX Wanderers, giving the club and goalkeeper Rayane Yesli two clean sheets in four matches. The club’s two goals surrendered is the stingiest in the CPL through the early stages of the season.
Forge played earlier this week, earning a Canadian Championship win over Atlético Ottawa on penalty kicks at home which propels them into the semi-finals against CF Montreal at Stade Saputo, with no official date for that match set yet.
THE GAFFER SAYS:
GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos on Forge FC:
“It’s the biggest test for any team in the CPL because you’re going to play the defending champions in their home field. We know who they are, we know it’s a team that has a lot of weapons, a lot of options going forward. They’re unpredictable. They like to have the ball, they like to control the game, so that’s what we have to try and disrupt and not give them time and space to get them out of their comfort zone.
“We also can’t over-think things. We have to play to our strengths and know who we are.”
VALOUR FC SPOTLIGHT:
#6: Dante Campbell, MF: The gritty midfielder served up likely his best performance in Valour colours in last week’s draw with Wanderers. He was aggressive in defending and delivered some crunching tackles in the process in the kind of effort that sets a new standard for the 23-year-old.
CRITICAL NUMBER
6-1-2
Valour began its existence in 2019 and in that inaugural season lost all five of its matches against Forge FC by a total score of 13-4.
Since then the club has six wins and a draw against two losses against the perennial CPL powerhouse.
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All-time Valour FC vs. Forge FC: (win-draw-loss): 6-1-7
(Including a 2-1 loss in the second round of the Canadian Championship in 2021)
Last meeting: September 4, 2022, IG Field: Valour FC 1 Forge FC 0