RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC vs. Halifax Wanderers | Sept. 6, 2025

Forge FC returned to the win column at home on Saturday afternoon against the Halifax Wanderers, as a late Mo Babouli winner claimed all three points for the league leaders in a 1-0 triumph.

A spirited start from both teams saw the Wanderers probe into the Forge penalty area a couple times in the first 20 minutes, but they couldn't seem to pull the trigger and properly threaten Jassem Koleilat.

Down at the other end, Forge found a golden opportunity to take the lead around the half-hour mark, as Halifax full-back Wesley Timoteo played a late challenge on Nana Ampomah inside the box to concede a penalty. Former Wanderer Dan Nimick stepped up for the spot kick, but his attempt smacked off the left goalpost and away despite, sending keeper Rayane Yesli the wrong way.

The remainder of the first half continued in fairly uneventful fashion, save for a handful of crunching fouls. So, the two sides went into the changing rooms level at 0-0, with the possession and chances relatively even (the missed penalty notwithstanding).

As the match progressed into the second frame, the two sides still couldn't seem to solve one another. They traded jabs, but nothing particularly dangerous.

The first real moment of drama in the second half appeared around the 75th minute, when Ampomah whipped in a scorching cross from the right flank and Brian Wright dove to get a head on it at the back post. However, Wright's header smashed the underside of the crossbar and bounced straight down on the goal line before Rayane Yesli plucked it out of the air. Though the crowd at Hamilton Stadium quickly voiced its displeasure at the goal not being given, replays confirmed that the officiating crew had in fact been correct: the ball never crossed the line.

At last though, with 10 minutes to play, the deadlock was broken. Noah Jensen sent a long ball into the corner where Ampomah chased to get on the end of it near the end line. He fired another great cross toward goal, where this time Mo Babouli was on the scene to redirect it in and put Forge up 1-0.

The single goal would ultimately be all Forge needed, as they staved off a handful of late waves of pressure from the Wanderers. The Hammers thus preserved the clean sheet for Jassem Koleilat, who set a new CPL record with his 11th of the 2025 regular season.

With three more points, Forge ensured they'll stay atop the table for at least another week. Halifax, meanwhile, remain in fourth place, level on points with fifth-place York United but ahead thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Forge FC: Koleilat; Rama (Paton 84'), Nimick, Achinioti-Jönsson, Jevremović; Borges (Cissé 70'), Hojabrpour, Bekker (Jensen 70'); Ampomah, Babouli (Choinière 84'), Massunda (Wright 70')

Halifax Wanderers: Yesli; Pearlman (Walkes 89'), Alphonse, Meilleur-Giguère, Sow, Timoteo; Callegari, Johnston; Dias (Gagnon-Laparé 75'), Bahamboula, Rea (Baï 77')

Goals

81' — Mo Babouli (Forge FC)

Discipline

10' — Yellow: Jason Bahamboula (Halifax Wanderers)
30' — Yellow: Rayane Yesli (Halifax Wanderers)
40' — Yellow: Hoce Massunda (Forge FC)
57' — Yellow: Sean Rea (Halifax Wanderers)
62' — Yellow: Rezart Rama (Forge FC)
83' — Yellow: Nana Ampomah (Forge FC)