Two familiar foes converge in Hamilton again this weekend, as Forge FC take on the Halifax Wanderers for a third time in 2025.
These sides already met twice in short succession in early May, when they played to a 0-0 draw at the Wanderers Grounds before Forge won 3-1 at Hamilton Stadium in a TELUS Canadian Championship matchup four days later.
Since then, both teams have remained in solid form; Forge remain the only undefeated CPL team in 2025, with a league record of 3-5-0 that puts them in fourth place so far this season. While they've only won three league matches (plus two CanChamp games), head coach Bobby Smyrniotis has been content with the football he's seen his team play so far.
Last time out, Forge scrapped to a 1-1 draw with Cavalry FC at home, as the two CPL finalists from 2024 could not find an edge over their rival on that occasion.
Halifax, meanwhile, sit in second place, just one point off of Atlético Ottawa at the top (before the weekend's matches). Their 5-2-2 record makes this the strongest start to a season they've had, and they have their sights set firmly on the top of the table.
They arrive in Hamilton having hopefully dried off, after last Saturday's rainy CPL On Tour battle with York United in Québec City. The Wanderers found their attack frustrated on that day, losing 2-0 after falling behind relatively early.
However, Patrice Gheisar and co. are looking to prove that result was but a blip in their excellent away form to begin 2025. That defeat was their first loss on the road in CPL action all season, with three away wins already — which triples their total from all of 2024.
It'll be a tough test for the Wanderers though, as they still have never beaten Forge in Hamilton.
Thankfully, they'll have a strong side to try and do it with this time. The Wanderers are sporting a clean bill of health, and were boosted even further last week by the surprise inclusions of Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé and Nassim Mekideche in the matchday 18, neither of whom has played a minute yet this year. Both are apparently returning to match fitness, with defender Julian Dunn also apparently getting closer to his return.
Forge, meanwhile, still have a few injury concerns, most notably Tristan Borges. The reigning CPL Player of the Year is still about a week away from returning to training, according to Smyrniotis. However, both Noah Jensen and Alessandro Hojabrpour are back, as is David Choinière, who made an appearance off the bench last week against Cavalry.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
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Halifax look to shake off Québec match frustration: It was a tough day at the office for the Wanderers' attack last weekend, but Patrice Gheisar is certain it was an uncharacteristic performance. They managed just seven touches in the box against York, but they were up against an opponent that was content to crowd the penalty area and defend after taking the lead early. Given the wet conditions and slick, narrow pitch, it was always going to be difficult for Halifax to play the quick-tempo style they favour with short passes into the box. Forge are unlikely to sit back this weekend, which makes them particularly dangerous, but also might allow the Wanderers to match their opponent with an attack-minded game plan.
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Forge defence finding consistency after early-season injuries**:** After quite a bit of forced rotation in the first quarter of the season, Forge have been able to field the same back four in their last three matches, which is surely a boon to their defensive organization. The line of Marko Jevremović, Malik Owolabi-Belewu, Dan Nimick and Rezart Rama is a formidable base for a Forge side that likes to build from the back, as well as a tough group to break down for opposing attackers. Having a consistent group makes it easier for Forge to find a rhythm quicker in games, which is key to Smyrniotis' strategy.
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Ampomah heating up at key moment for Forge: One possible concern for Smyrniotis early in this season is that the ball hasn't been going into the net quite as much as he'd like. Forge have been creating excellent chances, and have generated the second-most expected goals in the league with 13.2, but they've only scored 10, with four CPL teams tallying more in 2025 so far. A major bright spot recently, however, has been Nana Ampomah. He scored last week in a man-of-the-match performance against Cavalry, and seems to be the most dynamic part of the Forge attack most weeks at the moment. His ability to beat defenders and create space for himself in or around the box is outstanding, and a testament to his quality; Ampomah's experience in the Belgian and German top flights is becoming increasingly evident in his game as he continues getting acclimated to playing in Canada, and he's a player Halifax will be watching closely this week.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Forge FC: Koleilat; Rama, Nimick, Owolabi-Belewu, Jevremović; Bekker, Achinioti-Jönsson, Jensen; Babouli, Wright, Ampomah
Halifax Wanderers: Yesli; Pearlman, Meilleur-Giguère, Sow, Timoteo; Callegari, Johnston; Bahamboula, Probo, Rea; Telfer
ALL-TIME SERIES
Forge wins: 11 || Halifax wins: 5 || Draws: 10
Last meeting:
May 8, 2025 — Forge 3-1 Halifax Wanderers (Canadian Championship)
KEY QUOTES
"[Halifax] are a team that's always blended between going from possession to sitting off, trying different things. They're a bit more of an aggressive team this year off the ball, I think they've shown that a lot in what they're trying to do." - Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis
"In this league we have a lot of good coaches, Bobby is obviously an elite level coach. For me to say we're going to surprise him would be naïve of me, and it goes the other way around for us. We're prepared for them fully, so what really could be the difference is that the actions we're trying to do, we need to be a little bit quicker, a little bit more consistent and a little bit with higher quality." - Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar
