Match #15
FORGE FC (6-4-5) vs VALOUR FC (3-6-5)
When: Saturday, July 15th, 6 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:
Valour FC opens the second half of the CPL season with an increased urgency for wins to get back into the playoff discussion. Valour is now seventh in the standings, four points back of HFX Wanderers, who hold the fifth and final playoff spot and are also in action today against Cavalry FC.
Valour has dropped its last two to Cavalry and Atlético Ottawa, both by 2-nil scores, and while being stout defensively, has been handcuffed by an inability to score. The club has just one goal in its last four matches, with that marker coming from the penalty spot by Diego Gutiérrez in a 1-nil win over Vancouver FC.
THE OTHER GUYS:
3 Facts about Forge FC:
-In their last match Forge thumped York United 4-nil behind a hat-trick from Terran Campbell, with Triston Henry backstopping the team to its first clean sheet in seven games.
-Campbell is the CPL’s all-time leading scorer and now has seven goals in 2023, tying him for the league lead heading into the weekend.
-Forge is 2-3-2 in its seven home games this season, having dropped two of its last three at Tim Hortons Field. One of those victories came in a 3-2 decision over Valour on May 13th.
VALOUR FC SPOTLIGHT:
#11 Jared Ulloa, MF: Valour’s Canadian/Peruvian winger came off the bench in last week’s loss to Ottawa and provided the struggling attack some offensive flair. He’s appeared in 13 matches this season totalling 591 minutes and has one assist but could see that workload increase.
CRITICAL NUMBER
11
Valour has been held to one goal or less in 11 of its 14 matches through the first half of the season, the hard evidence of the team’s league-worst offensive rating. The club has scored twice in three matches – two of them wins, one a 3-2 loss to Forge – and has scored once five times and been held off the scoresheet on six occasions.
All-Time: Valour FC vs. Forge FC:
Overall (win-draw-loss): 5-1-8 (including Canadian Championship)
Last meeting: June 16, 2023, at IG Field: Valour FC 2 Forge FC 0