CPL Roundup: Defending champs Forge down Pacific 3-0 for first win of season

WINNIPEG — Forge FC scored three late goals to down Pacific FC 3-0 Sunday in Canadian Premier League action.

The defending champions earned their first points of the season after back-to-back 2-0 losses versus Valour FC and FC Edmonton to open the new CPL campaign.

Forge (1-2-0) left it late Sunday, scoring three times in a 10-minute span beginning with Mo Babouli’s counter-attack goal in the 70th. It was the first goal of the season for the Hamilton-based club.

That goal sparked the team. Substitute Christopher Lenroy Nanco’s left-footed strike from inside the six-yard-box made it 2-0 in the 75th. 

A handball inside the penalty area by defender Jordan Haynes led to Tristan Daniel Borges’ spot kick goal in the 80th to put the game out of reach.

Pacific (1-1-1) did not manage a single shot on target but did hit the post in the 68th minute.

Later Sunday, FC Edmonton and York United FC played to a 1-1 draw.

Fraser Aird opened the scoring for Edmonton (1-1-1) in the 52nd minute before Michael Petrasso equalized for York United (0-1-2) in the 67th.

The eight CPL teams are playing at Winnipeg’s IG Field for the first part of the season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2021.

The Canadian Press