A first-half goal from Alessandro Hojabrpour and a second-half insurance marker from David Choiniere was enough to lift Forge FC to a 2-0 win over Atletico Ottawa Sunday in the Canadian Premier League final in Ottawa.
Forge FC have played in every CPL final in the four-year history of the league, winning the North Star Shield in 2019, 2020 and now 2022. All three of those championship wins have come on the road.
Atletico Ottawa was playing in its first league final of their four-year history and trying to complete a rags-to-riches story. Having finished last in the CPL in 2021, Atletico were the regular-season champions this year and were hosting Sunday’s final as a result.
He’s done it again!<br><br>Alessandro Hojabrpour scores in a second consecutive Canadian Premier League final, giving <a href=”https://twitter.com/ForgeFCHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ForgeFCHamilton</a> the lead in Ottawa!<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanPL</a> | ???? <a href=”https://twitter.com/onesoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@onesoccer</a><a href=”https://t.co/ATkJLhfJ0E”>pic.twitter.com/ATkJLhfJ0E</a>
—@CPLsoccer
Holding a 1-0 advantage to start the second half, the Hamilton club looked to increase that lead early in the second half, but two brilliant saves by Atletico keeper Nathan Ingham — off Tristan Borges and Aboubacar Sissoko — kept the differential at one.
The ensuing corner failed for Atletico and Forge FC went down the field and, in the 78th minute, went up 2-0 thanks to Choiniere’s goal. That was that.
Atletico started the game with their usual style of sitting back and waiting for a chance to counterattack. None came.
It was quite the opposite, in fact, as Forge FC pressured to the point where they had five cornerkicks in that opening half. None were successful but it seemed to keep Atletico on their heels.
Forge FC had four shot attempts in the first half to just one by Atletico Ottawa. The only registered shot on goal by either side in the opening half though came on a set piece by Forge FC as Hojabrpour got his head on a free kick by Borges in the 28th minute for a 1-0 advantage.
Atletico came to life offensively in the dying minutes of the opening half, but despite some good ball movement, they were unable to penetrate the Forge defence to get a shot on goal.
WATCH: Atletico Ottawa captain calls Sunday’s final ‘historic moment’ for the club:
Fullback and team captain Drew Beckie says he’s excited for his younger Atlético teammates to get to experience a championship crowd.
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