Forge FC's pursuit of a third straight CPL Shield will come down to the season's final day.
With their first win in the nation's capital since 2023, a 2-1 win over Atlético Ottawa on Saturday, Forge momentarily moved into first place. Both Anthony Aromatario and Levonte Johnson scored their first CPL goals for Forge.
Exactly how meaningful this result is for the Hamilton club will become clear later on Saturday, as should Cavalry FC defeat Pacific FC they will remain behind them on goal difference heading into the final week of the season.
Regardless, however, with their third straight victory, Forge are very much alive in the Shield race as they head to Victoria next weekend.
"It keeps us in the hunt for the Shield, gives us good confidence going into [Wednesday's CanChamp final]," said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. "So there's a lot of positives that come out of the three points today."
In the 24th minute, Kamron Habibullah, the hero last time Atlético Ottawa were at TD Place, nearly opened the scoring with some lovely dribbling before firing his shot just wide.
An intense opening half hour saw multiple fouls for both sides as they delivered some heavy, and in some cases ugly, challenges. Early yellow cards were issued to Forge's Johnson and Atlético Ottawa's Diego Gutiérrez.
Given the scrappy opening half, the first goal fit the script. After some good buildup out wide, Rezart Rama burst in the box and smashed a shot from a wide angle that Crampton parried away. He did so, however, right into the path of Aromatario, who bundled the ball over the line for his first CPL goal.
Just before the half, Forge nearly had a second through the red-hot Noah Jensen, who stung the palms of Crampton with a lethal strike from distance.
But Aromatario's goal stood as the only tally after the first 45, which saw the two sides combine for 15 fouls in a stop-start affair with no love lost.
Atleti came out of the half-time break and looked to press Forge high up the pitch, creating some dangerous opportunities off of turnovers.
But Forge quickly found a way to play through the press, and in the 54th minute broke the other way brilliantly. Cavallini picked out Johnson, whose low deflected strike beat Crampton for his first CPL goal.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts at the hour mark, when Gutiérrez was sent off after another reckless challenge, which resulted in his second yellow card.
Despite being up a man, the Hamilton club were unable to do any further damage to Atleti, who defended well for the final half-hour of the match. With a chance to improve their goal difference, it was perhaps a disappointing stretch for the recently ruthless Forge.
In stoppage time, Atleti had a moment to get themselves back in the match. Gabriel Antinoro won a penalty, which was awarded after an FVS review, and then scored it himself just able to place it past DIno Bontis.
Forge's massive week continues, as they now head two hours up the road to Stade Saputo for the TELUS Canadian Championship Final on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT TSN & OneSoccer)
Their dream of lifting two trophies in two weeks remains alive.
Box Score
Starting XIs
Atlético Ottawa: Crampton; Coulanges, Kozlovskiy, Dunn, Arnaud (Assi 65'); Gutiérrez, Aparicio; Tabla (Castro 87'), García (Khoury 74'), Habibullah (Antinoro 64'); Fleuriau Chateau (Abraham 74'),
Forge FC: Bontis; Rama, James, Nimick, Krutzen; Batisse, Aromatario (Sadek 77'); Bourgeois (Massunda 74'), Jensen (Borges 77'), Johnson (Paton 74'); Cavallini (Oketokoun 73')
Goals
33' - Anthony Aromatario (Forge FC)
54' - Levonte Johnson (Forge FC)
90+7' - Gabriel Antinoro (Atlético Ottawa) (Penalty)
Discipline
14' - Yellow: Levonte Johnson (Forge FC)
18' - Yellow: Diego Gutiérrez (Atlético Ottawa)
40' - Yellow: Emiliano García (Atlético Ottawa)
55' - Yellow: Antoine Batisee (Forge FC)
61' - 2nd Yellow: Diego Gutiérrez (Atlético Ottawa)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Anthony Aromatario, Forge FC
Scoring his first CPL goal, Aromatario delivered another tireless performance in midfield. He also won five of eight duels and four fouls.
What's Next?
Both sides will be in action on the final day of the season, with every team playing simultaneously on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT.
Forge FC head out west to take on Pacific FC in Victoria, while Atlético Ottawa remain in Ontario to take on Inter Toronto at York Lions Stadium.
