| Forge FC vs. Pacific FC July 16 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT Hamilton Stadium in Hamilton, Ont. Watch Live: OneSoccer Tickets available here |
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Terry Dunfield's first match in charge of Pacific FC on Thursday brings with it one of the most difficult tests in the Canadian Premier League: playing as the away side at Hamilton Stadium.
His Tridents have not won in Hamilton since June 10, 2023. Forge have lost just three regular-season home matches (of 42 played) since. That includes five straight home wins over Pacific FC.
Dunfield and his side come to Hamilton, however, looking to make new history, following a difficult start to the season that has left them with just three points and no victories through 12 matches.
They currently sit at the bottom of the CPL team, with some 28 points separating them and the league's top team, which just happens to be their opponents on Thursday, Forge FC.
Forge won 1-0 at Starlight Stadium in the only meeting between the two clubs to date this season, on a late goal by Brian Wright.
They do face a Forge team who have been quite busy of late, playing an intense two-legged tie with CS Saint-Laurent in the Canadian Championship this past Wednesday and Sunday. Forge prevailed in that series, and are now off to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.
But including Thursday's match, Forge will now have played five times in 16 days, many of them in extreme heat.
Like against Saint-Laurent, however, they have been consistent in finding ways to get results, and are looking to tie a club record for consecutive regular season wins with a sixth on Thursday.
Pacific, meanwhile, had the week off as they last played on Sunday, July 5 at home, where they lost 2-1 to the Halifax Wanderers.
On Thursday, they begin a new era in the club's history. Starting it with a big result in Hamilton would be quite the statement.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Forge FC: Bertaud; Rama, Batisse, Nimick, Jevrémovic; Paton, Jensen, Borges; Ampomah, Wright, Massunda
Pacific FC: Melvin; Lajeunesse, Konincks, Quintana, Chung; Gomulka, Baldisimo; Bustos, Daniels, Kratt; Díaz
KEY QUOTES
"This is a team of winners. On a good day their gonna play excellent; on a bad day, they're gonna find a way to win, and that's the one thing we talk about a lot in this dressing room. That's who we need to be, and we showed that in our last game." - Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis
"I think everyone around the league, not just us, but probably the other teams, will be interested to see what changes they're going to make playing with the new coach. As a player, playing for a new coach gives you a lot of energy. You have something to prove, which I think all their players will have tomorrow." - Forge FC midfielder Noah Jensen
"My starting point is I'm really excited to be joining the league. I really believe in the league, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I was just overlooking our beautiful stadium, the trees in the background and I'm really grateful, it's a great group of young players to work with." - Pacific FC head coach Terry Dunfield
"It's just a fresh feeling, like it's a bit of a reset, kind of new ideas, a new training setup, and I feel like that always brings a new energy. And I think everyone's been responding quite well to it. I'm just excited to have our first game under [Terry] and see all the work we've put in over the past week and a half put in action." - Pacific FC attacker Ronan Kratt
