| Forge FC vs. Cavalry FC May 31 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT Hamilton Stadium in Hamilton, Ont. Watch Live: OneSoccer, CBC Gem Tickets available here |
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Top spot in the Canadian Premier League is up for grabs on Sunday, as Cavalry FC visit Forge FC in Hamilton for the second time this year.
The Cavs leapfrogged Forge to snatch first place last weekend, as they routed Pacific FC 3-0 to improve to an undefeated 5-2-0 record. Tommy Wheeldon Jr.'s side have been dominant so far this season, leading the league with 12 goals scored.
However, Forge aren't far behind. The Hammers are 5-1-1, which puts them just one point back of the Cavs for pole position.
They did suffer a blow last weekend; Forge lost for the first time this season, falling 2-1 on the road against Atlético Ottawa in a somewhat frustrating clash in the capital.
The Hamilton club's defensive record remains stellar; the two goals they allowed against Ottawa were were the first two non-penalty tallies they've given up all year. Forge have only conceded three times in seven CPL matches, which is equal with Cavalry.
These two clubs have had plenty of explosive battles over the years; Sunday will be the 39th meeting between these sides (the most-played fixture involving CPL teams). Forge have the slight edge there, with 15 wins to Cavalry's 12, plus 11 draws, but when they met in the 2025 CPL Playoffs, it was Cavalry who got the edge to qualify for the CPL Final.
In fact, Forge are winless in their last five games against Cavalry — their longest such streak. That includes two draws and two losses in 2025, plus a 0-0 stalemate earlier this season at Hamilton Stadium.
That scoreless draw was a little uncharacteristic of games between these sides — just the second 0-0 between them over eight years — but Cavs midfielder Sergio Camargo said Friday he wasn't particularly surprised, considering how strong both sides are defensively.
"The way Forge have been setting up lately, it seems they're defensive-minded first," he said. "They're very difficult to break down, they love their possession at home, they love moving it side to side and overloading the corners with [Tristan] Borges and [Hoce] Massunda on either side. We're the same in terms of bending, but not breaking; that's our motto that we have when we know we're going to face some pressure, and like most games at Forge we know we're going to go through those patches of the game."
Nonetheless, with first place on the line and both sides looking a little sharper in attack, a similar result seems unlikely. Wheeldon Jr. pointed out that, with this being Cavalry's second (and final) visit to Hamilton in the regular season, there's some pressure on Forge this week, given that they still have to play in Calgary twice.
With that in mind, Forge are coming into Sunday's game with a steely mindset, intent on making a statement after losing on the road.
"It's about getting maximum points at home, and it's an excellent opportunity for us," said midfielder Noah Jensen. "Dropping points last weekend, this is probably our biggest game of the season so far. It's a top of the table matchup, but it's one we look forward to most."
NEWS & NOTES
- On the availability front, Forge continue to work with Nana Ampomah and Kyle Bekker to get them back to full match fitness. Bekker has made short appearances off the bench recently, but Ampomah has yet to play.
- Cavalry's Maël Henry has returned from a stint training with the Canadian men's national team. He played Friday night with Cavalry's youth team in the Alberta Premier League, and is unlikely to feature. Forge's Zayne Bruno has likewise returned to his club.
- A friendly competition is emerging within Cavalry's squad; Tobias Warschewski recently became the club's all-time leading scorer (34 goals), surpassing Sergio Camargo (33). Those two, along with Ali Musse (31), may continue competing this year for that title.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Forge FC: Bertaud; Rama, Nimick, Batisse, Jevremović; Aromatario, B. Paton, Jensen; Borges, Oketokoun, Massunda
Cavalry FC: Ingham; Pearlman, Didić, Klomp, Laing; H. Paton, Kobza; Musse, Camargo, Ntignee; Warschewski
KEY QUOTES
"We have a recipe of how we look when we lok good, and that's what we need to do when we play games. Whether that's Cavalry, Pacific, Ottawa, Vancouver, it doesn't change." — Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis
"We know the identity of Calgary. We know how they're going to play when they come to Hamilton Stadium, and we just hope to be able to neutralize their threats and be able to create chances for ourselves." — Forge FC midfielder Noah Jensen
"Going to Hamilton so early in the season back-to-back, you don't generally get that in any other league in the world. The pressure's on them because they know they've got to come to our house, and we've been very good at home, so we're looking forward to going there again because you get those games done and out of the way, then you can focus on being at home again." — Cavalry FC head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
"It's one of the easier ones in the year to get up for. There's no question mark on it, the boys aren't going to need some inspirational speech beforehand. I think we all know the job and the opportunity that's ahead. Separation between us and Forge is always welcome, and that's what we're fighting for this weekend." — Cavalry FC midfielder Sergio Camargo
