HIGHLIGHTS: Atlético Ottawa vs. Forge FC (July 31, 2022)

Forge FC climbed back to the top of the CPL table on Sunday, as they cruised to a dominant 4-0 away win over Atlético Ottawa, extending their winning streak to five in the process.

Thanks to a brace from Terran Campbell, who now has four goals in his last three games, they also snapped a five-game undefeated run for Ottawa, too, who entered this game on a five-game undefeated run.

Yet, right from the first whistle, Forge was certainly the team that was more up for this top-of-the-table clash, one between two teams eager to play each other. 

As a result, the red-hot Woobens Pacius nearly got the game off started on the right foot for Forge, as Kyle Bekker did well to find him with a cross into the box, but his headed attempt would sail past the wrong side of the post from in-close, much to the relief of Ottawa’s defence. 

Meanwhile, Ottawa almost got off to a great start of their own in the 16th minute, as Abdoul Sissoko managed to get a shot off after a nice run from Ballou Tabla, but his shot would be saved easily by Forge’s Triston Henry. Then, a minute later, Tabla found himself on the end of a shooting opportunity after a nice cross by Ollie Bassett, but his shot would also be easily saved by Henry.

Continuing that nice patch of play, Bassett nearly got in on the action himself in the 23rd minute, as the ball sat up nicely for him to strike it from distance, but his shot would sail well over the goal. 

Having survived that rough patch of play, however, Forge then opened the scoring right in the 26th minute. After a lovely ball into the box from Terran Campbell, Aboubacar Sissoko did well to open up his hips and wrap his foot around the ball, catching Ottawa’s Nathan Ingham by surprise with a hard strike towards the far post, which he’d find with pinpoint accuracy to give the guests a 1-0 lead. 

Nearly immediately, they’d almost add to that lead, too, as Tristan Borges went for goal from the edge of the box, but he just sent his right-footed strike on the wrong side of the near post. 

Maintaining all of the action from the first half, however, Ottawa nearly answered immediately. After some nice interplay, the ball found Maxim Tissot in the box, and he’d unleash a dangerous strike, one that seemed bound for the goal, if not for a great save from Henry. 

That pressure wouldn’t last long, though, and as a result, that’d allow Forge to then double their lead in the 34th minute. This time, Sissoko would feed Campbell, who’d do well to create space for himself in the box with a tidy move, before finishing home at the near post despite seemingly having no shooting angle to do so. 

On the other side of half time, Ottawa looked to get back into the game, and they’d nearly do just that in the 50th minute, as Bassett found space in the box for a shot, one that’d trickle just wide from a tight angle. 

Despite that push, however, that’d be short-lived, as Forge then made it three literally minutes later. After a nice run from Tristan Borges, he’d do well to find Campbell with a lovely ball towards the back post, and there, the all-time leading CPL goalscorer made no mistake to nod home from in-close for his second of the night.

At the same time, now down 3-0, Ottawa continued to chase a goal, as they tried to restore any sort of pride. And they’d nearly do that in the 65th minute, as Carl Haworth stepped up to take a free kick in a dangerous area, but his dipping effort would be nicely saved by the confident palms of Henry. 

Over at the other end, Borges looked to make it four for Forge, as he did well to craft space for a shot, one that he’d catch all of, just curling wide of the post from close range, avoiding any further embarrassment for Ottawa. 

Unfortunately for the hosts, however, that embarrassment would just be postponed to a few minutes later, as Noah Jensen did well to get on the end of a tidy ball from David Choinière, burying home with his first touch to make it four for the guests. 

From there, a few harmless attempts would be all that both sides would be able to muster up, however, leaving Forge to cruise to a monumental victory in their race towards first place in the CPL table.

BOX SCORE

Goals

27′ — Aboubacar Sissoko (Forge FC)

34′ — Terran Campbell (Forge FC)

52′ — Terran Campbell (Forge FC)

76′ — Noah Jensen (Forge FC)

Discipline

33′ — Yellow: Diego Espejo (Atlético Ottawa)

36′ — Yellow: Maxim Tissot (Atlético Ottawa)

40′ — Yellow: Abdoul Sissoko (Atlético Ottawa)