Forge FC have never had an easy path in the TELUS Canadian Championship.
In six consecutive editions of the tournament, they have faced MLS opposition, and this year is no different. After defeating CF Montréal in the quarter-final 3-2 on aggregate, Forge drew their toughest opponent yet in the semi-final: a first-ever meeting with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The Whitecaps are the three-time defending Canadian Champions, looking to become only the second team in the competition's history to go four straight. This year, they have been to the Concacaf Champions Cup final, are among the top teams in MLS, and just signed a global superstar.
"They're obviously probably the best team in Canada right now, playing at that level, doing so well, they've got a lot of quality players," said Forge midfielder Alessandro Hojabrpour.
"We've always said we want to be the best team, and in order to do that, you gotta beat the best."
They will get that opportunity this Wednesday in the first leg of their two-legged semi-final at home at Hamilton Stadium (7 p.m. ET, OneSoccer).
For the 25-year-old, currently in his fourth season with Forge, this matchup will mean something extra. Born in Burnaby, BC, Hojabrpour spent six seasons in the Vancouver Whitecaps academy. Forge will also get to play the second leg, on September 16, at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.
"I played a lot of years with that jersey on, with that logo on my chest," said Hojabrpour. "I learned a lot in that program. This will be the second time I'm going to play against the first team. The first time was successful. So hopefully we can have more success this time with a different team."
That first time Hojabrpour is referencing came back on August 26, 2021. Then with Pacific FC, Hojabrpour and his teammates stunned the Whitecaps 4-3 at Starlight Stadium in that year's edition of the Canadian Championship. It was a huge result and performance from the club, who went on to win the CPL Final later that year.
"That was probably my first big game in my career, the first one that I was kind of a little bit nervous before the game," said Hojabrpour. "When there's a little bit of pressure and everyone's nerves are going and your heart's racing, you've got a lot more energy. You don't even feel tired for like, one second of the game."
Joining Forge the following year, Hojabrpour has since become accustomed to big games, scoring the winning goal in two CPL Finals -- the first of which came in that 2021 triumph with Pacific, ironically against Forge at Hamilton Stadium.
Forge take on this year's Whitecaps team at a time when they are making international headlines for the signing of 35-year-old German legend Thomas Müller, a 13-time Bundesliga Champion and two-time European Champion with Bayern Munich, and a World Cup winner with Germany. Müller isn't expected to play in Wednesday's first leg, but will likely be available for the second leg in September.
"It's pretty cool that they've signed him," said Hojabrpour. "I think that's the biggest signing in Whitecaps history. It'll be cool to play against him. I think obviously a seasoned player, won pretty much everything you can possible win, played at the highest level won a World Cup...so it'll be cool to see him on the field."
He adds, however, that this group of players at Forge have come up against a lot of quality players now in their careers, so they will be prepared for the challenge.
There aren't many challenges that Forge have not overcome so far this season. They are in the midst of a 21-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, with their last loss coming back on February 11 against CF Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Hojabrpour says a multitude of factors have contributed to this success, everything from the incredible depth of this team, the big game experience they have accumulated over the years, and the outstanding camaraderie the team shares this year.
"I'd say on top of it all is the mentality," said Hojabrpour. "Everyone who's been here a while kind of realizes what it takes to play for this club."
One of the big factors in playing for Forge is managing the weight of expectation. Regardless of the competition, the standard is winning. Even against the Whitecaps, one of the top teams on the continent this year, Forge fancy their chances.
If they can get past the Whitecaps, it would also mean hosting the Canadian Championship final for a second time, having lost in the 2020 Final against Toronto FC on penalties at Hamilton Stadium. With the way this year's team is performing, it would also be their best chance yet to lift the trophy.
"The Canadian Championship has been the one that eluded us a little bit," said Hojabrpour. "We've always had to play an MLS team, if not two MLS teams on the way to get there. And year after year, that's a goal. We want to win the Canadian Championship. We want to be the first CPL team to do so, and this year, we're a couple of games away from hosting a final, potentially. So we're all ready, we're all excited."
