RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC vs. Cavalry FC (May 31, 2025)

Forge FC and Cavalry FC came into Saturday tied on points with 13, and left with 14 each after a 1-1 draw at Hamilton Stadium.

Sergio Camargo opened the scoring for Cavalry just over a minute into the match, but Forge quickly found an equalizer through Nana Ampomah.

Cavalry FC struck first with stunning speed. In the second minute, Fraser Aird found some space down the right flank, which Tobias Warschewski flicked into the path of Camargo, who half-volleyed the ball past Jassem Koleilat to make it 1-0.

The hosts responded incredibly well, however, holding onto the ball and asking a number of questions of the Cavalry backline in the following ten minutes. In the 17th minute, Marco Carducci was forced to make a brilliant stop on a Kyle Bekker strike from distance.

Just 30 seconds later, off of the ensuing corner kick, Marko Jevremović delivered a cross into the box that was only half cleared. Hoce Massunda got on the end of the loose ball, and flicked it backward over his head into the path of Ampomah. The Forge winger volleyed the ball off the turf and past Carducci to equalize 1-1.

Forge nearly had a second in the 23rd minute, as this time Ampomah turned provider for Bekker. But the Forge captain's unmarked header in front of goal was well over the net.

Cavalry won a corner in the 26th minute, but on the counterattack, Forge nearly struck again. Some lovely passing from Mo Babouli and Massunda down the left flank found Brian Wright all alone in the middle, but again Carducci came out of his net to make a stunning kick save on the Forge striker.

It was one-way traffic for the rest of the half, as Forge continuously threatened the Cavalry box. They finished the first half with 1.62 expected goals on nine shots, four of which were on target. They also had 16 touches in the Cavalry box during the opening 45 minutes.

In particular, Forge found a lot of joy through their width, with wingers Massunda and Ampomah getting in good one-v-one situations, and the latter in particular creating dangerous opportunities from them. But Forge couldn't solve Carducci more than once in the first half, and the two rivals returned to their rooms with the score deadlocked at 1-1.

The match was a little bit more cagey to begin the second half, with both sides committing a number of fouls, which made for a stop-start tempo.

Wright had the first real chance of the half in the 62nd minute. An incredible ball from Ampomah over the top isolated the Forge striker down the left flank, but Levi Laing did brilliantly to get across and dispossess him before he could get a shot off.

Forge were the first to truly dip into their bench, bringing on David Choinière and Ben Paton in the 68th minute. Cavalry brought on Caniggia Elva shortly thereafter, as like Choinière, he also returned from injury.

In the 80th minute, Cavalry won a free kick just outside of the box. Ali Musse tried to trick Koleilat by going for the top corner instead of crossing into the box, but put his effort over the net.

Forge had a good chance of their own in the 86th minute, as some lovely build-up play saw Ben Paton cross into the path of Babouli. He couldn't put his volley on target, however.

Babouli had one last crack on target in the first minute of stoppage time, but his low effort was easily collected by Carducci.

A minute later, the home side was dealt a real scare as the ball fell to Warschewski all alone in the box. But the Cavalry danger man shot the ball directly at Koleilat.

For Cavalry, it was their eighth straight regular-season trip to Hamilton Stadium without a victory. Forge, meanwhile, remain the CPL's only undefeated team through eight matches, although they pick up their fifth draw of the campaign.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Forge FC: Koleilat; Rama, Owolabi-Belewu, Nimick Jevremović (Paton 68'); Achinioti-Jönsson, Bekker (Kane 82'), Babouli; Ampomah, Massunda (Choinière 68'), Wright (Filion 82')

Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird, Laing, Montgomery, Gherasimencov; Piepgrass (Daley 46'), Shome; Musse (Herdman 90'), Camargo, Wähling (Elva 75'); Warschewski

Goals

2' -- Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)
17' -- Nana Ampomah (Forge FC)

Discipline

21' -- Yellow: Nana Ampomah (Forge FC)
55' -- Yellow: Malik Owolabi-Belewu (Forge FC)
63' -- Yellow: Jesse Daley (Cavalry FC)
83' -- Yellow: Sergio Camargo (Cavalry FC)