CPL teams leave Winnipeg bubble to play first games of season at home

TORONTO — Mo Babouli scored his league-leading fourth goal of the campaign and Forge FC beat York United FC 1-0 on Friday in the first Canadian Premier League game outside of Winnipeg this season.

Babouli put one home in the fourth minute of the match to tie Valour FC’s Austin Ricci for goals as Forge FC (5-4-0) got past York (2-4-3), which was hosting its first game of the season at York Lions Stadium.

York played more than half the game with 10 men following a red card to Dominick Zator in the 41st minute.

Tristan Henry earned the clean sheet with two saves.

The third-year league kicked off its pandemic-delayed season on June 26, starting with a month’s worth of games all at Winnipeg’s IG Field under a protective COVID-19 bubble.

The Manitoba capital hosted the first 32 games of the campaign, with each of the eight teams playing eight matches in a stretch that ran through July 24.

Meanwhile, Marco Bustos scored his fourth goal of the season later Friday night to keep pace with Babouli and Ricci as Pacific FC (5-2-2) earned a 2-0 home win over Cavalry FC (4-3-2) at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C.

Gianni dos Santos added another in the 86th minute while Callum Irving stopped four shots for the shutout.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021.

The Canadian Press