RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Vancouver FC vs. Forge FC | June 15, 2025

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CanPL

Forge FC have extended their unbeaten run to start the 2025 CPL season to 10 games, as they defeated Vancouver FC 2-0 at Willoughby Community Park on Sunday.

Thanks to that, they also provisionally closed the gap between them and first-place Atlético Ottawa to one point, with Ottawa still to play Valour later on Sunday. At the same time, Vancouver remains in last place with six points, sitting winless in their last five CPL matches.

Both teams traded chances early, as they pushed for an early goal. At one end, Malik Owolabi-Belewu almost found the net for Forge on a corner, as he attempted a bicycle kick that would be saved by Vancouver's Callum Irving, before Vancouver's Emrick Fotsing curled a shot just wide of Forge's goal from outside of the box right after that.

Then, Forge had a fantastic chance to find the net in the 9th minute, as Brian Wright found a wide-open Alessandro Hojabrpour with a nice cutback, but Hojabrpour somehow curled his shot over the net from close range.

Looking to avenge that miss, Hojabrpour had a chance from distance soon after that, and he caught all of his shot, forcing a nice save from Irving.

Continuing a strong start, Forge had another good look in the 22nd minute, as the ball fell to Nana Ampomah in the box, but he curled a dangerous shot just over the net on his left foot.

From there, however, the game slowed down, as both teams settled into a rhythm. Because of that, the next good chance didn't come until the 50th minute, as Brian Wright snuck behind Vancouver's defence, but his chipped shot landed on the top of the net.

Forge's persistence paid off in the 52nd minute, however. After some nice play down the left from Hoce Massunda, he found Kyle Bekker with a nice cutback, and Forge's captain slotted home with a nice finish from the penalty spot to put his team up 1-0.

Eager to get a second, Forge came close to finding it in the 76th minute, as Mo Babouli found Ampomah with a great cross on a free kick, but Ampomah's header glanced the outside of the post.

Eventually, they got that second goal minutes later, as Ampomah won a penalty after some tidy footwork, and Dan Nimick converted the attempt to make it 2-0 for the visitors.

From there, however, that'd be how the game finished, as Forge left with all three points, as well as a clean sheet.

Not done there, either, Amadou Koné almost made it 3-0 in the 88th minute, doing well to sneak behind Vancouver's defence to fire a shot, but he'd be denied by a nice save from Callum Irving. Then, Koné had another breakaway in stoppage time, but he sent his shot just wide of the post.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Vancouver FC: Irving; Dada-Luke, Campagna, Enyou, Bah; Fotsing, Norman Jr. (Powell 83'), Essoussi (Fry 58'); Campbell (Tahid 83'), Navarro (Batista 58'), Díaz (Godbout 58')

Forge FC: Koleilat; Rama, Nimick, Owolabi-Belewu, Paton; Hojabrpour, Bekker (Achinioti-Jönsson 71'); Ampomah (Jevremović 86'), Babouli (Filion 90+5'), Massunda (Koné 86'); Wright (Kane 71')

Goals

52' -- Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

79' -- Dan Nimick (Forge FC) (Penalty)

Discipline

37' -- Yellow: José Navarro (Vancouver FC)

45' -- Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Vancouver FC)

58' -- Yellow: Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

64' -- Yellow: Malik Owolabi-Belewu (Forge FC)

80' -- Yellow: Vasco Fry (Vancouver FC)