For the first time since last year's CPL Final, Cavalry FC host perennial rivals Forge FC in Calgary this weekend to kick off matchweek 21 in the Canadian Premier League.
The Cavs have fond memories of the last time Forge came to ATCO Field; the 2-1 win back in November allowed them to lift the North Star Cup for the first time in club history.
Of course, the two sides have since met twice in Hamilton — a 1-0 Forge win on the opening day of this season, and a 1-1 draw at the end of May — but the Hammers have yet to return to Alberta, where they lost a CPL Final for just the second time (out of six appearances).
The CPL's two most successful clubs have remained near the top of the league this year, as usual.
Forge come into this game continuing to chase history; they currently have 13 wins and seven draws in 20 matches played, which means they remain alive in pursuit of the first fully unbeaten season ever in the league. They sit comfortably in first place, six points ahead of closest challengers Atlético Ottawa, and find themselves in the driver's seat for this year's CPL Shield.
Recently, the Hammers have been playing some of their best football. They have won six CPL games in a row, which means they're nearing the league record of seven set by Cavalry back in 2019. A win on Saturday would mean Forge tie the league record (and break their own club mark). They've won all four league matches they've played in August so far, conceding just one goal in the process.
Last Friday, Forge kept their streak going with a 1-0 win on the road against Vancouver FC, thanks to a Mo Babouli header.
Cavalry, however, stood in Forge's way last year, and would love to do so again as they too ramp up to full speed, looking to defend their championship.
They sit third in the league right now with an 8-6-6 record and 30 points, 10 back of Ottawa for second place. The top of the table is a little out of reach at the moment, but Cavalry find themselves in an intense battle with York United and the Halifax Wanderers for that coveted third spot.
Finishing third provides several advantages in the playoffs, including the right to host a semi-final qualifier on the postseason's first weekend against a more fatigued side coming out of the midweek knockout match between fourth and fifth.
York and Halifax both sit just behind Cavalry on 29 points each. They play each other on Monday afternoon, where the Cavs will likely be hoping for a draw, especially if they're able to beat Forge.
The Cavs' most recent contest was in Ottawa last Saturday, where Ali Musse scored two in the first half to get the visitors out to an early lead. However, Atleti struck back in the second half, and the sides had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
There is no shortage of history between these two foes, who have met so many times at critical points of the season.
A trip to Calgary is the next great test for Forge in their quest to complete an unvincible season. The question is, then: Are the Hammers a team of destiny, who can survive even this trial? Or can Cavalry remain firm on home soil, and re-assert their own dominance?
3 THINGS TO WATCH
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Forge building incredible momentum: It's probably an understatement to say Forge have been difficult to beat this season, because nobody has — including two MLS teams so far. However, what they've been doing in the last few weeks has been spectacular. Not only have they won six in a row and conceded twice in that span; the last time Forge trailed at all in a CPL match was June 29 against York United. In total, they've trailed for 108 minutes, out of 1,800 played. It would still be difficult for Forge to break Cavalry's single-season points record of 62 — they'd need 16 points from their last eight games — but technically they're on pace for 64.4 with their current total of 46. All that's to say: this may be one of the strongest and most complete teams in CPL history we're watching right now. However, Cavalry could have something to say about that this week.
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Cavalry attack returning to usual service: The Cavs went through a bit of a dry spell in the goals column earlier in the summer, scoring just three goals in July and none in the first two weeks of August. Their last two matches, however, they seem to have come alive. They put five in the net against Vancouver FC two weeks ago in that wild 5-4 win, and scored twice in Ottawa. Fuelling that success has been a resurgence in form from the Cavs' top stars, particularly Tobias Warschewski and Ali Musse. The latter has two goals and two assists in these past two fixtures, and Warschewski broke an 11-game CPL scoring drought against Vancouver. Throw in contributions from recent addition Goteh Ntignee, as well as improved form for Sergio Camargo and a healthy Caniggia Elva, and the Cavs look much more like the lethal attacking side they usually are. Tommy Wheeldon Jr. pointed out that recently, with Ntignee starting, Musse has a little more space on the opposite wing.
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Midfield depth a strength on both sides: It's still the case that both Cavalry and Forge boast some of the CPL's best and most experienced midfielders. Forge's trio of Kyle Bekker, Alessandro Hojabrpour and Tristan Borges is about as reliable as it gets when it comes to controlling a game from the middle. Cavalry, meanwhile, have their own bona fide CPL stars like Sergio Camargo and Diego Gutiérrez in those spots, even while Shamit Shome has been injured. However, considering the familiarity between these teams, both Cavalry manager Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and Forge boss Bobby Smyrniotis might be tempted to mix things up a bit, and they each have options to do so. The Cavs have enjoyed good contributions from Michael Baldisimo recently, though defender Eryk Kobza got a rare midfield start last week. Forge, meanwhile, could turn to Noah Jensen, Ben Paton, or even Elimane Cissé, who has yet to start since returning from long-term injury but who has incredible quality. Either way, it's a certainty that both teams will want to establish midfield superiority on Saturday, but that's much easier said than done.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Cavalry FC: Carducci; Aird, Klomp, Montgomery, Gherasimencov; Gutiérrez, Baldisimo; Musse, Camargo, Ntignee; Warschewski
Forge FC: Koleilat; Rama, Nimick, Achinioti-Jönsson, Jevremović; Bekker, Hojabrpour, Borges; Ampomah, Wright, Babouli
ALL-TIME SERIES
Cavalry wins: 10 || Forge wins: 15 || Draws: 9
Last meeting:
May 31, 2025 — Forge FC 1-1 Cavalry FC
KEY QUOTES
"[Forge] always bring the best out of us, because they've set a standard in the league; I've got to tip my hat off to Bobby, Bekker and the lads. But our crowd loves it. These type of rivalries are born from the history. The fact that last time we played them [here] was the final, it'll bring memories of that for our fans. We expect a good crowd, their energy seems different when Forge come into town, and I think that gives our lads a bit of a lift." – Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
"Every game brings its challenges, from travel to grass pitches to altitude. That's where the focus is, on how we need to be able to perform. I think we've done a great job, especially in the last three to four weeks, changing things up tactically a little bit, how we are on the ball and especially off the ball. It's given us a little bit more energy on the pitch, and we have to continue that on Saturday." – Forge head coach Bobby Smyrniotis
