'Last man standing': 2025 CPL Shield race comes down to the final matchday

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CanPL

The most fiercely contested CPL Shield race is going down to the wire, and both Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa look to lift the trophy on the league's final day.

On Saturday, during the Outcome, the final day league-leading Forge FC host York United at home, while Atlético Ottawa travel to the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax. Both matches kick off at 4 p.m. ET with whip-around coverage on TSN and in their entirety on OneSoccer. After 90 minutes, one of the two clubs will lift the CPL Shield as regular season winners.

Leading the race by two points, Forge are the favourites to lift the Shield for a second consecutive year. All they need is a point on Saturday, and the Shield is theirs. Atlético Ottawa, meanwhile, require a victory and a Forge loss to finish at the top.

For the past 15 weeks, Forge and Atlético Ottawa have occupied the top two spots in the Canadian Premier League table -- with Forge leading for the past 11. Over the season as a whole, Atlético Ottawa sat top of the table for 13 matchweeks. Forge sat top for 12.

The most fiercely contested CPL Shield race in history is going down to the wire.

While holding down those positions, they have put together two of the best campaigns the league has ever seen. Forge's 55 points accumulated heading into their final match of the season is already the joint third-most in league history, tied with 2023 CPL Shield winners Cavalry FC. Atlético Ottawa, meanwhile, have set a club record with 53 points, which is the fifth-best total in league history.

"Fighting side by side against Forge, a historical team in the CPL — I don't say the best one, the historical team; I think that we are the best one," said Mejía during his media availability on Thursday. "But fighting side by side like this against this team all year with a big difference in age, it's incredible for this team."

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Forge captain Kyle Bekker was asked in the pre-match press conference what he thought of the rival coach's comments. He chose to avoid any war of words.

"It is what it is," he said with grin. "Someone's got to do the talking, so I'm happy he wants to do it."

Both sides have broken plenty of records this season, both on a collective and individual level. Forge began the year by going 20 straight matches unbeaten in the league, a CPL record. Atleti, meanwhile, broke the league record for most goals in a season, having scored 53 and counting.

"I think it's a credit to both groups," said Bekker. "Ottawa has had a fantastic season. It's not easy to be this consistent game after game over the course of a season, getting these results and kind of just fighting back and forth for 28 games, and for it to come down to the wire, I think it's fantastic. These are stories that you love in sports. They make the trophies that much more special."

For his part, Mejía believes that his side have not only pushed Forge this season, but forced every other club in the league to raise their standards.

"I think that this team not only plays in a good way, we improve the level of everyone in this league," said Mejía. "Because I think all the coaches in the league are improving how they need to defend in a low block, how they need to defend and be reactive as a team, and it's good for everyone. We increase the level of the league for sure."

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As the season has gone on, Mejía's bravado has only increased. He has consistently made it clear how proud he is of his club for what they have accomplished so far, particularly with a young group that leads the CPL in U-21 minutes this season with 8,305.

"I always, always would put out my chest to defend my players, and quiet the pressure on my players," said Mejía. "I only ask them to enjoy the game, and that's it."

For Forge, meanwhile, it's business as usual. They enter the match looking to finish top of the table in the CPL regular season for a third time. With six trophies already in their cabinet, they are keen to add a seventh.

Asked this week by OneSoccer's Kristian Jack what separates a good team from a great team, Forge FC's Tristan Borges didn't mince words.

"Winning, that's the most important," he said. "People know how I feel. I always try to get everybody to understand that the most important feeling, and the best feeling, is to be the last man standing."

So will that be Forge once again this season, or will Atlético Ottawa dethrone them in stunning fashion? Whatever the outcome, this regular season finale promises to have twists and turns to the last.