HIGHLIGHTS: Atletico Ottawa vs. Forge FC (May 27, 2023)

It took them the full 90 minutes to do it, but Forge FC claimed all three points on the road on Saturday as David Choinière’s late winner bagged them a dramatic 1-0 win over Atlético Ottawa.

Forge, coming off a midweek Canadian Championship tie, rotated their squad heavily for this game with Bobby Smyrniotis making seven changes to his prior XI, including a first professional start for Malcolm Duncan. Ottawa made just three changes to the side that lost to Cavalry FC last weekend, as Gianni dos Santos returned to the attack and wingback Maxim Tissot slotted back in on the left.

The first half turned out to be something of a stalemate, with both teams testing the other but Forge having the majority of the chances from just over 61 per cent possession. Terran Campbell had a handful of decent chances to score but ultimately neither side could find a way through in the first 45 minutes and they went to the locker rooms scoreless.

Coming out of the interval, however, Atlético Ottawa seemed to find their footing as they began to enjoy more of the ball and some excellent chances — including a Gianni Dos Santos opportunity that required a good Triston Henry save.

Just before the hour mark, Ottawa star Ollie Bassett produced the best chance yet for either side as he sent a rocket of a free kick strike in from distance that Henry had to palm over the bar with a great save — followed by yet another good save on Bassett’s ensuing Olimpico attempt from a corner kick. Henry was, again, a hero just minutes later when Dos Santos got in behind all alone, coming out aggressively to stop the counter.

With Ottawa building momentum, Smyrniotis soon turned to his bench as he brought David Choinière and Tristan Borges into the side in place of Jensen and Woobens Pacius, with Borges slotting into the number 10 spot.

Atleti boss Carlos González responded shortly after by bringing Zach Verhoven and (for the first time this year) Carl Haworth into the match looking for an attacking spark of their own.

Although Ottawa would continue to push forward in search of their first ever home goal against Forge, it would in the end be the Hamilton side who produced the big moment.

Just as the clock ticked over into added time, Forge surged into the attacking third. Borges froze up the backline with a faked shot before playing it to his right, and with the initial shot pushed away by Sean Melvin, it was Choinière who picked up the ball near the goal line and flicked it into a wide-open goal to win it for Forge.

Of course, the visitors would require another rescue from their ‘keeper in the dying moments — Henry made a ridiculous reflex save off a late Atleti corner to keep it 1-0 — but they’d ultimately hold on to seal the win and remain at the top of the CPL table.

BOX SCORE

Goals

90+1′ — David Choinière (Forge FC)

Discipline

30′ — Yellow: Diego Espejo (Atlético Ottawa)
48′ — Yellow: Malcolm Duncan (Forge FC)
64′ — Yellow: Malik Owolabi-Belewu (Forge FC)