HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC vs. Pacific FC (June 10, 2023)

Djenairo Daniels capitalized on a late error at the back from Forge FC at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday evening, earning Pacific FC a big win on the road and a spot at the top of the table.

The start of the match had a few end-to-end transitions as both teams looked for an early breakthrough, but it was the Hammers that were primarily on the front foot. Woobens Pacius had the first shot attempt of the match in just the fourth minute, but couldn’t keep a shot down from close range following a corner kick. Kyle Bekker hit the net four minutes later, but Kieran Baskett was there to make an easy catch.

Pacific’s first shot came in the 18th minute, on a quick counter-attack up the pitch. Adonijah Reid got a shot away, but Triston Henry made a diving stop to his right side, pushing the ball away from danger. Henry came to the rescue again in the 36th minute, as Pacific looked to take advantage of one of their trademark set pieces. Amer Đidić got his head onto a cross into the penalty area, but Henry made a big reaction stop to push the ball back out for a corner.

The first half would end scoreless, with both teams looking for a breakthrough in a half that Forge controlled for large stretches.

A few minutes after the break, Pacific FC brought Sean Young and Ayman Sellouf off the bench, and both made an immediate impact. Less than a minute into his appearance, Sellouf, one of the best-performing players in the CPL thus far in 2023, fired a shot on goal from the edge of the penalty area that forced a big stop out of Triston Henry.

In the 75th minute Sellouf did it again, trying to bait Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson into a tackle, turning left and right before eventually attempting a shot on goal, but Henry was again equal to it. After being on the defensive end acific had a lot of the ball in the second half, dominating possession and drastically out-shooting Forge, but were just missing that final moment of quality to put the ball in the back of the net.

With the clock counting down toward the 90th minute, a calamitous error at the back from Forge FC gifted the Tridents a late goal, which they were unable to respond to. After the ball was played into the Forge penalty area, Triston Henry and Dom Samuel lacked communication, as Samuel headed the ball back to his unsuspecting goalkeeper, before the two collided and the ball popped free for Djenairo Daniels.

He took a touch and passed it into the now-wide open net.

Forge FC pushed for a late equalizer, but one would never come. Daniels’ tally would prove to be the winning goal, earning Pacific FC three points, and top spot in the Canadian Premier League standings.

BOX SCORE

Goals

85′ — Djenairo Daniels (Pacific FC)

Discipline

29′ — Yellow: Adonijah Reid (Pacific FC)
33′ — Yellow: Manjrekar James (Forge FC)