Final Score: Vancouver FC 2-0 Forge FC
Goalscorers: Tahid 35′, Kinani 39′
Game of the 2023 season: 42
CPL match: 409
Match in a minute or less
Vancouver FC picked up the first-ever home victory in club history on Tuesday night, defeating three-time CPL champions Forge FC in front of their supporters at Willoughby Community Park. After Forge controlled the first half-hour of the match, hitting the woodwork twice but failing to put the ball into the back of the net, Vancouver FC found the game’s first goal in the 35th minute. Sixteen-year-old TJ Tahid continued to impress for his local club, scoring with his first touch to redirect a low cross past Triston Henry and into the back of the net. Four minutes after assisting the opener, Ameer Kinani scored his first professional goal, pouncing on an errant pass from Khadim Kane before rounding Henry and patiently getting his feet set before putting the ball past Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, who tried to defend the ball on the line. The Hammers couldn’t find a goal themselves for the third match in a row, leading to a historic celebration for the CPL’s newest club as the referee blew the final whistle.
Three Observations
Youthful Vancouver side strikes twice in quick succession to down defending champions
Vancouver FC’s victory on Tuesday night was a great sign that one of the major goals for the Canadian Premier League is working. Not only did they beat the defending champions 2-0 with a great all-around performance, but they did so with seven Canadian players aged 21 or less getting onto the pitch in the match. Five of those seven players were in from the start — including three members of their back four: Tyler Crawford, James Cameron, and Anthony White. For White and Cameron, it was just their second professional starts after making their first in a 1-0 defeat to Atlético Ottawa on the weekend. Their inexperience showed at times in that match, but on Tuesday they put in strong performances to keep their third clean sheet of the season, and second against Forge. Also making the starting lineup were midfielder Maël Henry and the CPL’s youngest-ever player, attacker TJ Tahid. Off the bench, Mamadou Kane and Lennon Thompson made cameos as the clock wound down as well. They picked up over 400 of the required 2,000 U-21 minutes, but these players more importantly did themselves proud with strong shifts. Tahid, the only player in the starting lineup who had scored a goal for VFC in league action prior to Tuesday night, was responsible for this match’s opening goal as well. He ran onto a low pass across the box from Ameer Kinani, calmly shooting it past Triston Henry with his first touch with ten minutes to go in the first half.
Kinani, who himself is just 22, then scored four minutes later, taking advantage of a poor giveaway from Khadim Kane (the brother of Mamadou). He pounced on an errant pass from the young Forge midfielder, who himself was making his first professional start, before patiently running around Triston Henry and putting the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0 in the 39th minute.
The two quick goals were all Vancouver needed to pick up the three points, and the young defensive core, anchored by 23-year-old Rocco Romeo, and aided 21-year-old Ibrahim Bakare — usually a defender, but asked to play a defensive midfield role in this one. These are young players themselves, but seen as an important leaders in the team, and their experienced captain, 30-year-old goalkeeper Callum Irving was leading them all from the back. Irving made four saves, doing his part as well to earn what was a historic victory, and three huge points for the club sitting in eighth place in the table. With the win, Vancouver remain at the bottom of the standings, but are now on ten points, just one back of Atlético Ottawa and two back of the three teams that occupy spots four through six in the table.
Forge continue to struggle in front of goal, surprisingly turn to James up top in second half
For the first time ever, Forge FC have lost three matches in a row in Canadian Premier League action. It is also just the second time in club history that they have failed to score in three consecutive CPL matches, as their goalscoring woes continued in Langley on Tuesday after losing 1-0 to Pacific FC and 2-0 to Valour FC in their previous two matches. The Hammers controlled the first 30 minutes of this one, and came agonizingly close to breaking the game wide open on a number of occasions. David Choinière and Aboubacar Sissoko came inches away from scoring in that span, both striking the right post, while Kyle Bekker hit a near-perfect direct free kick that required a big save from Callum Irving to push it off the crossbar. On the rebound of Irving’s save on the free kick, the ball fell to Dom Samuel in the box, but what looked to be a sure-goal with a wide open net in front of him (and what would’ve been his first in the CPL during his fifth season with Forge), was blocked by Aboubacar Sissoko, who came running in himself to get to the ball. Instead of it ending up in the back of the net, the ball was bundled wide of the target without a shot being recorded, with four Forge players inside the six-yard box. Fifty-six seconds after Sissoko’s shot hit the post in the 34th minute came the first of Vancouver’s goals, frustrating the Hammers. They then conceded a second four minutes later to swing the momentum firmly in the home side’s favour, as it would stay for the final minutes of the opening half. After the break, Bobby Smyrniotis made an interesting decision and moved Manjrekar James up the pitch from the centre-back position he’s thrived in all season and played for the national team in, up to striker. James spent the entire second half in this advanced role, but didn’t provide the answer the Hammers were looking for. James had a couple of good moments in attack, including a header late in the second half that was caught by VFC goalkeeper Callum Irving, and led the team with eight touches in the opposition box. With Jordan Hamilton sitting on the bench at that point, the decision to play James up top came as a surprise, as Smyrniotis withdrew Woobens Pacius from the match at halftime in favour of Malcolm Duncan to provide cover in defence for James now being at the other end of the pitch. After the match Smyrniotis declined to provide the reason for why James was the player selected to go up top, but offered that he liked James’ aggression to try and make things happen. “I didn’t expect it at all,” said James after the match about being asked to play striker. “We came in at halftime, the coach asked me to do something, and I said ‘Okay’. That’s about it.” “The ball’s not going in the back of the net,” added James when asked about what’s going wrong for Forge at the moment. “First 30 minutes I think we dominated the game, we hit the woodwork two times. For us, the ball’s just not going into the back of the net. I think that’s the problem.”
“Historic” home victory the latest first in Vancouver FC’s inaugural season
There are many “firsts” that come with the start of a new soccer team, as followers have been fortunate enough to see many times over the past four years around the Canadian Premier League as it kicked off and has continued to blossom. First signings, first game, first goal, first victory. Check, check, check, and check for Vancouver FC in previous weeks and months. Another one came on Tuesday night in Langley, as Vancouver FC picked up their first-ever home victory, beating reigning champions Forge FC in front of their fans at Willoughby Community Park. It comes at the fifth time of asking, after previously drawing 1-1 in their inaugural home match against Cavalry FC, getting blown out 5-0 by Atlético Ottawa a week later, drawing 0-0 with Valour FC on May 28, then losing 6-3 to local rivals Pacific FC on June 2. Goals late in the first half from TJ Tahid and Ameer Kinani were what Vancouver needed to take control of a match that had been dominated by Forge for the most part leading up to that. They put in a resilient defensive performance from there on out to pick up three huge points and get that first victory in the Lower Mainland.
“First of all, I have to thank all the fans for their faith and their trust and their support over some very hard times that we’ve experienced together,” head coach Afshin Ghotbi said after the match. “I’ve always believed in this group and I believed in this club. For us to do it in such a fashion at home, against the three-time champions, four time finalists and maybe the best team in the league, I think it’s remarkable. “It’s a very historic night for this club. Hopefully the beginning of many, many special nights at home.” For defender Anthony White, making just his second professional start for the team that drafted him first overall in the 2023 CPL-U SPORTS Draft just a few months ago, the feeling was “amazing” when that final whistle went. “It was amazing to get the fans a well-deserved result for sure,” he said. “All the supporters running on the field after, the team giving massive hugs. A historic win.” The always-passionate Ibrahim Bakare was also thrilled with the performance, and spoke to OneSoccer aftewards about how much it meant to his side.
The next opportunity for VFC to play in front of their home fans comes on July 2, when they welcome York United to Langley for the first time.
CanPL.ca Pla****yer of the Match
Ameer Kinani, Vancouver FC
Kinani assisted the winning goal in Tuesday night’s victory, before scoring his first Canadian Premier League goal a few minutes later.
What’s next?
Both teams are back in action on Sunday. Vancouver hit the road and head to Winnipeg to take on Valour FC at IG Field (2 pm CT/12 pm PT), while Forge return home to Tim Hortons Field to host Atlético Ottawa (6 pm ET). Watch all matches live on OneSoccer. In addition to its website and app, OneSoccer is now available on TELUS channel 980 and on Fubo TV. Call your local cable provider to ask for OneSoccer today.