WHAT WE LEARNED: Forge stuns Toronto FC while Whitecaps show maturity vs. Pacific in leg 1 of Canadian Championship semi-finals
Form can be crucial for teams, and that proved to be true in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semi-finals on Wednesday - to both extremes.
Thanks to that, it made for an intriguing day, one that ended up providing a mixed bag of results for all involved.
On one extreme, there was an ice-cold Toronto FC side who were winless in nine games (0W-2D-7L) and who had won just once in 12 games (1W-2D-9L), who were facing off against a Forge side who has proven fearless in this sort of game in the past.
Then, on the other side, there was a Vancouver Whitecaps side who has won the last two Canadian Championships and entered this week in good form, having amassed a record of 4W-1D-2L in their last seven games, putting them in a good position heading into a match against a Pacific side also comfortable with the idea of playing in big matches.
Ultimately, the form of all four teams ended up playing a big role in their eventual fates, as Toronto’s nightmare season continued as Forge grabbed a victory for the ages, while the Whitecaps continued their success in this competition despite a resolute showing from Pacific. 
Despite that, there’s still a lot to play for heading into leg two, as neither of the winners are assured of going through, with both ties separated by just one goal.
With six weeks until the next meeting, a lot can change between now and then (just look at the big change TFC made to their front office less than 24 hours after this game), so there’s still lots to play for.
But undeniably, two teams have carved out a key edge heading into leg two, and will now look to ride that to a final appearance when the opportunity comes later in August.
Before then, here’s a look at what stood out from the first leg of the semi-finals.
It’s a big week in Canadian soccer. 🍁
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) July 9, 2024
The TELUS Canadian Championship Semi-Final stage kicks off TOMORROW in Hamilton, ON and Langford, BC.
Catch all the action live on @onesoccer #CanChamp x @TELUS pic.twitter.com/7oB0yu60wW
Forge’s magical cup run continues with a confident display vs. Toronto FC:
Not all cupsets are built the same.
Sometimes, the underdog can get lucky, as the favourite might play a weaker team, struggle to finish, or concede some horrifically unlucky goals.
Then, other times, underdogs can be full value for victory, doing what they need to do to win with panache and confidence.
Certainly, Forge’s 2-1 win over TFC seemed to fall into the latter category, as Forge didn’t just beat TFC, but could’ve won by more, too.
Because of that, TFC only losing by one and picking up an away goal feels like a win, as they only need a 1-0 win in leg two to advance - although they could be in trouble if Forge scores in that match, which would force TFC to score at least two to stay alive.
Of course, the stats don’t fully agree with the sentiment that Forge outplayed their visitors in this game, as TFC ended up out-shooting Forge 18 to 10, generating 1.82 xG to Forge’s 1.1, but it’s worth noting two things about the game.
First, there’s Forge’s start, which saw them take a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes, doing so thanks to an all-time great Canadian Championship goal from Béni Badibanga from his own half, and then a second tally from Kwasi Poku. Thanks to that, they were always going to play the rest of the game on the back foot as TFC tried to respond and break them down over the last 70 minutes, a byproduct of score effects.
#CANPL BADIBANGAS ONLY 💥
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 10, 2024
OH. MY. GOODNESS. 🤯@ForgeFCHamilton's Beni Badibanga stuns #TFClive with an absolute BOMB from HIS OWN HALF! 👀
🔴 Watch the 2024 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗨𝗦 #CanChamp semi-finals on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/2YIePs5aUd
Secondly, there’s the fact that Forge did end up hitting the woodwork twice and forced some strong saves out of Luka Gavran in the second half, as they still managed to threaten despite playing more defensively as they tried to weather a storm of TFC attack.
Yet, credit has to be given to Forge for that, as they executed their game plan to perfection on the day.
In these sorts of matches, you’ve got to score early, defend resolutely, take your chances and be willing to manage the game. Other than the late goal they conceded, they did all of that, allowing them to grab a deserved victory.
Armed in a 4-1-4-1 they’ve used to defend with lately, they managed to do what they needed to do defensively, before finding a way to use their individual attacking talent to their best advantage going the other way.
From Poku’s presence up front, to the magic of Badibanga and David Choinière on the wings, and the work of Tristan Borges, Kyle Bekker and Alessandro Hojabrpour in the midfield, Forge seemed to strike the right offensive formula, making sure their defensive efforts paid off. 
But make no mistake, they were also made to work defensively. It’s not as if TFC went with a B-team for this game, as DPs Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne started and were heavily involved in TFC’s attack, yet neither were able to really influence the game or grab a goal contribution.
No doubt, both got on the ball a lot and still created moments of quality, as they’re that calibre of player, but they were far from their best, and credit has to be given to Forge’s full backs on the day, Malik Owalabi-Belewu and Malcolm Duncan, for the work they did to make sure that happened.
And through all of that, Forge were able to carve out a result that will fill them with confidence heading into leg two. Given that they went in and beat CF Montréal on the road in the quarter-finals after picking up a 1-1 draw that actually favoured Montréal, they’ll feel they’re in a pretty good position to produce similar magic against TFC given that they’ve now got a lead after leg one.
Certainly, they’ll feel disappointed that TFC now has extra time to refind their form and put this slump behind them, but it’s worth noting that Forge hasn’t played their best in league play, either, sitting fifth in the CPL table, so they can also use this extra time to their advantage, too.
AND AGAIN.
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 10, 2024
AGAIN.@ForgeFCHamilton's Kwasi Poku makes it 2-0 over #TFClive with a sucker-punch 1-2, and we've got a #CanPL vs. #MLS RIVALRY burning at Tim Hortons Field 🔥
🔴 Watch the 2024 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗨𝗦 #CanChamp semi-finals on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/l1Nlmgk5uz
Now one win away from knocking out the team who dominated this tournament for much of the 2010s, it would be a huge statement for Forge, but yet another achievement for a club that loves the big stage. This TFC win is just the latest example of that, and they’ll now look to build off it.
As for TFC… a big few weeks lie ahead for this team, given how important this competition is not just for the club, but for this specific team, having only won it once since the start of 2019, something that they’ll feel is unacceptable given their history.
GOAL 🦉
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 11, 2024
Prince Owusu brings #TFClive back within one as he scores a valuable away goal with a late scramble on a corner vs. @ForgeFCHamilton
🔴 Watch the 2024 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗨𝗦 #CanChamp semi-finals on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/iGfgWsG8I5
Whitecaps grab key edge over Pacific with gritty road win:
The Whitecaps have learned a few things over the years amid their endeavours in the Canadian Championship - one, there’s no such thing as a low-risk cup tie, and two, winning doesn’t always have to be pretty.
And to their credit, that’s gotten them within a win of their third straight Canadian Championship final, where they could win their third straight Voyageurs Cup.
After struggling in this competition for much of their existence, it’s been a long time coming for them, as they’ve been able to show a calm and ruthlessness that they often lacked in the 2010s, where their lone triumph in this tournament came in 2015.
Their latest win over Pacific shows where they’ve grown as a team in this competition. 
First of all, they didn’t mess around with their lineup, playing a strong group, one that included stars Ryan Gauld, Brian White and Andrés Cubas. Then, they did what they needed to grind out a gritty 1-0 win, one that gives them a key edge and an away goal heading back to BC Place.
Certainly, they would’ve liked to leave with a bigger advantage than one goal, as Pacific could put themselves in a nice position if they score first in leg two, but they’ll take a result in what ended up being a cagey match.
Faced off against a Pacific side that defends well, sitting compactly in a 4-4-2 block, the Whitecaps were ultimately able to break them down by using their width in the attack, finding their goal on a cross, and coming close to adding another goal or two via that avenue.
🔱 Save!
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 11, 2024
A flying stop from Emil Gazdov to keep it level!
It's 0-0 between @PacificFCCPL and #VWFC in the 50th minute. Watch the 2024 𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗨𝗦 #CanChamp semi-finals on OneSoccer 🔴 pic.twitter.com/7j3nQ9LTOP
Not only that, but they did well to defend their goal quite resolutely, too, even if it required some last-ditch defending and goalkeeping on a few occasions. It wasn’t always pretty, but they were willing to battle to get the result over the line, and they ultimately did in the end.
GOAL 🏔️#VWFC strike first in this 2024 TELUS #CanChamp clash as Ryan Gauld catches @PacificFCCPL goalkeeper Emil Gazdov with a great flick-on header 😎
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) July 11, 2024
🔴 Watch LIVE on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/AbosRBeoiD
With that, it sets up an intriguing leg two, one the Whitecaps should feel comfortable advancing from. At the same time, they’ll have to be very careful, especially after nearly getting eliminated by Cavalry in the quarter-finals, who they only defeated on away goals, as they played with fire in that match.
But that’s where the maturity of this team has grown, as they’ve shown that they’ll do what they need to do to grind out results, and that has them within two games of winning a third straight Canadian Championship.
Now, however, Pacific will look to have something to say about that, and given the injuries they’ve dealt with over the last few months, they may benefit massively from the long break between matches, even if the Whitecaps are missing a few key pieces of their own.
