Forge FC's first ever meeting with FC Supra ended in a 1-0 victory as they hosted the Québec club in their annual School Day match on Wednesday afternoon.
In front of 15,122 fans, most of them children from Hamilton area schools, Dan Nimick provided the winner as the unbeaten Hammers kept their fifth clean sheet in six CPL matches.
After draws in their previous two School Day matches, this time Forge picked up all three points, sending thousands of young fans home happy.
The Hammers, perhaps unsurprisingly, made no changes to the side that dominated the Halifax Wanderers 4-0 in the TELUS Canadian Championship this weekened.
Supra, meanwhile, rotated heavily, with Thomas Lebeuf coming in at left-back, while Oussama Boughanmi made his first start in midfield and new signing 19-year-old Sasha Deslandes making his first pro start as a central defender.
Forge were quickly on the front foot, as their aggressive press pinned Supra back into their own half for large stretches of the opening half.
Despite losing the ball in some dangerous areas, however, Supra defended well, and quickly got reset and organized to deny Forge any major chances. Forge attempted six shots, but none of them on target.
Supra grew into the half a little bit as it went on and came close to breaking through on a few occassions in the final 10 minutes of the half. But they too weren't able to test the goalkeeper, and finished with just 0.02 xG through the opening 45 minutes.
At the half, Supra shifted their shape, bringing on central defender Matisse Chrétien in place of striker Alexandre Marcoux and shifting into a back five.
Forge immediately went on the attack, and had five shot attempts inside the first ten minutes of the half. Tristan Borges came close just four mintues after the half, but dragged his attempt wide of target.
They had an appeal for a penalty in the 53rd minute, but it wasn't given after an FVS challenge.
In the 56th minute, Nimick finally found a way to break through the strong Supra backline. His slalloming run got him to the top of the box, where he unleashed a lethal low shot into the bottom corner.
Shortly after the goal, Supra made a heavy-weight triple subsitution of Diyaeddine Abzi, Sean Rea and Loïc Kwemi.
Abzi came incredibly close on a free kick minutes after his introduction, curling an effort from a wide angle which struck the crossbar above Dimitry Bertaud.
In the end, however, Supra managed just one shot on target, and seven attempts, their fewest this season.
Forge still have not conceded a goal at Hamilton Stadium this season now through five matches in all competitions.
BOX SCORE
Lineups
Forge FC: Bertaud; Rama, Batisse, Nimick, Jevremović; Aromatario, Paton, Jensen (Bekker 80'); Borges (Babouli 67') , Wright (Oketokoun 80'), Massunda (Krutzen 84')
FC Supra du Québec: Milli; Auguste, Deslandes, Ferdinand, Lebeuf; Mlah (Kwemi 61'), Sissoko (Abzi 61'), Boughanmi (Rea 61'); Choinière, Marcoux (Chrétien 46'), Bayiha (Bey 68')
Goals
56' — Dan Nimick (Forge FC)
Discipline
86' -- Yellow: Diyeaddine Abzi (FC Supra du Québec)
90+1' — Yellow: Rezart Rama (Forge FC)
CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match
Dan Nimick, Forge FC
As Forge kept yet another clean sheet, it was the offensive side of Nimick's game that stood out as he scored an outstanding goal on one of many forays forward. He also completed 54 of 60 passes.
What’s next?
Forge are next in action in the nation's capital, when they take on Atlético Ottawa for the first time since opening day on Sunday, May 24 (2 p.m. ET).
FC Supra next travel to the west coast, to take on Vancouver FC on Saturday, May 23 (6 p.m. ET).
For broadcast details of the 2026 CPL season, go to cplsoccer.com/watch.