August 23, 2024 CPL York United FC vs Forge FC game report (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Friday August 23, 2024 Canadian Premier League game between York United FC and Forge FC
played at York Lions Stadium in North York at 8:00pm ET.

York United FC (white socks and shorts, green & blue checkered shirts, white names and numbers)

...............................1 Thomas Vincensini
16 Max Ferrari...23 Noah Abatneh...62 Nyal Higgins...6 Orlando Botello
......7 Juan Cordova...8 Elijah Adekugbe...15 Josue Martinez
......10 Molham Babouli (cpt)...9 Brian Wright...20 Jorge Guzman

Subs:...18 Eleias Himaras (gk)...12 Santiago Marquez (mid)...17 Markiyan Voytsekhovskyy (mid)...19 Olusola Jimoh (fwd)
...22 Austin Ricci (fwd)...24 Tomas Giraldo (mid)...37 Trivine Esprit (mid)
team officials:...head coach Benjamin Mora...assistant coaches Mauro Eustaquio and Isidro Sanchez...goalkeeper coach Camilo Benzi
physiotherapist Eric Yoo...doctor Jim Niu...kitman Eduardo Rodas...athletic trainer Furkan Demir

Forge FC (orange socks and shirts, black shorts, names, and numbers)

..........................16 Jassem Koleilat
8 Elimane Cisse...13 Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson...23 Garven-Michee Metusala...17 Daniel Parra
.......10 Kyle Bekker (cpt)...21 Alessandro Hojabrpour...19 Tristan Borges
.......39 Beni Badibanga...9 Jordan Hamilton...11 Opoku Ampomah

Subs:...29 Chrisopher Kalongo (gk)...2 Malcolm Duncan (def)...7 David Choiniere (mid)...14 Terran Campbell (fwd)
...22 Noah Jensen (mid)...81 Malik Owolabi-Belewu (def)...88 Matteo Schiavoni (mid)
team officials:...head coach Bobby Smyrniotis...assistant coaches Kyt Selaidopoulos, Nikolaos Nentidis, and David Edgar
...goalkeeper coach Johan Albert...physiotherapist Liam MacPherson...physical trainer Brian Navidad...kitman Joe Hanley
...athletic trainer Stergios Fotopoulos

Game officials:...referee Mathieu Souare...referee's assistants Felix Cote-Leclerc and Bradley Doubrough
...fourth official Scott Bowman...(all black uniforms)...referee asssessor Amato De Luca

First Half:...game starts 8:05pm...York defends south end. It is overcast with no shadows on the field.
1 min...Forge Borges cornerkick from right is short to Forge Badibanga who crosses high along right end line that goalie catches.
4 min...York Wright 10 yard shot near right end ine deflects off defender that goalie picks up. York Guzman is injured earlier
in play at Forge 30 yard line.
8 min...Forge Ampomah is called offside at York 16 yards on long pass up left.
9 min...York Cordova chips 45 yarder from right to York Martinez who can't control ball at 10 yards on left.
11 min...York Babouli chips pass to himself at 40 yards and runs in on 1 v 2 has him shot 15 yarder over net.
13 min...York Marinez is injured with check from behind at Forge 35 yard line on left.
14 min...York Babouli short freekick along 30 yard line from far left is centered for York Cordova who chips
to 10 yard line on right side of box where York Abatneh pops up header then pass back near right end line
is intercepted and cleared.
15 min...York Cordova cornerkick from right is short and eventually crossed into box where York Wright is called for a foul.
16 min...Retreating York defenders prevent Forge Borges from getting shot on edge of 18 yard box.
17 min...Forge Cisse gives up corcnerkick on popped up header.
17 min...York Babouli short cornerkick from left has York Cordova center anad chip ball that York Wright on right end line cross
high over 6 yard box. York win another cornerkick on the left.
18 min...York Babouli cornerkick from left has Forge players turn into a fast break-out.
18 min...Forge Borges cross/chip from 30 yards on right. Forge Ampomah can't get to ball before goalie in box bats it down and grabs
it at 15 yards.
20 min...York Ferrari cross from 15 yard line on far right is caught by goalie on bounce.
22 min...York Guzman pokes pass forward on left that has York Martinez called offside at Forge 20 yard line.
23 min...Forge Metusala at 25 yards passes to Forge Parra who rolls 10 yard shot through 6 yard box wide right for York throw-in.
24 min...York Wright breaks through on 1 v 1 from York 40 yard line but another retreating defender catches up to him from behind
at Forge 25 yard line and pokes ball forward for goalie to clear.
25 min...Forge Badibanga run to right 5 yard line on right eludes York Botello and low cross is through box unplayed.
25 min...Forge Parra chips 22 yarder up middle that goalie catches.
26 min...Forge Ampomah chips 18 yarder over net.
27 min...Forge Parra races into left side of box and rolls centering pass that defender concedes cornerkick on deflection.
27 min...Forge Bekker cornerkick from left is cleared on right side of box.
29 min...York Ferrari blasts 20 yard shot that goalie tips over net.
30 min...York Wright is knocked over before getting shot.
31 min...York Adekugbe chips ball high that York Higgins has goalie bobble off his head.
32 min...Forge Cisse is injured at Forge 35 yard line.
34 min...play resumes.
34 min...York Babouli chips cross from 10 yard on left has York Wright pulled out of bounds chipping ball from right.
35 min...Forge Cisse is injured again at Forge 30 yard line.
37 min...Forge sub...Duncan replaces injured Cisse.
37 min...Forge Badibanga at 25 yards on right crosses has Forge Parra rescue ball on left end line and goalie smothers low 8 yard cross.
41 min...Forge Duncan intercepts York goalie's clearance chip meant for York Botello at York 15 yard line on right. He runs to near
end line and rolls ball unplayed through York box. Forge Ampomah retreats to stop it at 15 yard line on left side of box and chips
shot wide right.
41 min...Forge Metusala clears ball from York Babouli he can get away shot after run downfield to Forge 20 yard line.
42 min...York Guzman gets into Forge box and his 12 yard shot is saved. York Ferrari has 22 yard rebound shot
from right fly over the net.
42 min...York Babouli is down but gets up and takes 5 yard shot that's saved by goalie.
44 min...Forge YELLOW card...Bekker earns it for pushing over York Cordova at Forge 33 yard line.
45 min...York Babouli 35 yard freekick from slight right is sent over net.
46 min...Forge Badibanga shoots 22 yarder from slight right is wide left of net.
48 min...York Botello is injured near Forge left end line on left as play moves upfield.
49 min...half ends 8:54pm.

Halftime Entertainment: There are two mini games in the south end and one in the north end with larger nets. There is no $35000 Challenge tonight so the Maple Lodge Farm chicket mascot led fans in the Chicken Dance. Finally they got around to a "Juggling Showdown" with twenty contestants supposed to juggle a soccer ball continuously. Most were gone in less than two seconds.

They brought back a staffer to throw t-shirts to the crowd with four of them to have a $50 team gift card inside them.

Second Half:...starts 9:09pm.
halftime sub:...Forge Choiniere replaces Hamilton.
45 min...York YELLOW card...Adekugbe earns it for grab on Forge Parra at York 50 yard line who was breaking in.
47 min...York Higgins keeps two Forge players from getting to pass on right before it rolls over end line for York goalkick.
49 min...York Abatneh rolls ball between defenders on edge of box and goalie smothers.
50 min...Forge Bekker rolls through ball pass but goalie smothers at 20 yards wide left of net.
51 min...Forge YELLOW card...Badibanga earns it for taking freekick awarded to York player because Forge Ampomah was
injured in York box.
52 min...Forge YELLOW card...Goalkeeper coach Johan Albert on the bench earns it for complaining about the last call.
53 min...York Wright can't keep through ball pass in as it rolls over end line.
54 min...York Ferrari crosses over box fro right to York Guzman on left side of box. Guzman has his centering pass inside
box cleared.
57 min...Forge Bekker passes upfield to Forge Badibanga for run up leftg and he passes bacak to Bekker who chips 20 yarder
wide right of top corner.
58 min...York Wright is injured at center line and wins freekick.
58 min...Forge YELLOW card...Ampomah earns it for injurying York Martinez at Forge 50 yard line.
60 min...Forge Badibanga centers pass on left edge of box to Forge Parra at 16 yards in middle who taps ball forward for
Forge Ampomah has take low 10 yard shot saved by sprawling goalie.
64 min...Forge Badibanga chips to Forge Bekker inside box but York Adekugbe prevents him getting to ball.
65 min...York Wright chips 20 yarder that goalie catches after batting down ball.
66 min...Forge Badibanga chips 28 yarder from left that goalie bats away in crowd of players.
67 min...Forge Choiniere 20 yard low shot from right is wide left.
67 min...York sub...Marquez replaces Martinez.
68 min...York Cordova cross from right 25 yards has York Guzman shoots 8 yarder near left end line well over net.
70 min...York Botello long run up left and pass into box is intercepted and ball is run upfield. York Adekugbe makes big stop
on Forge Ampomah at 8 yards.
71 min...York Wright cross from 15 yards along right end line is caught by goalie.
73 min...Forge sub...Campbell replaces Ampomah.
............Forge sub...Jensen replaces Borges.
74 min...Forge Badibanga 45 yard line chips from left is too far for charging Forge Campbell in York box.
74 min...Yoek sub...Ricci replaces Guzman.
75 min...Forge Bekker cross from left side of box has York Botello make key clearance.
78 min...Forge Parra cross from left has York player clear from box.
78 min...Forge Parra low cross results in big clearance in York box.
80 min...Forge Badibanga passes to Forge Parra who rolls 15 yard shot wide right.
80 min...Forge defenders head ball back to goalie to keep York Ricci away from ball at 10 yards.
83 min...York Higgins is injured in York box and needs trainer for leg injury.
85 min...York sub...Giraldo replaces injured Higgins.
..........York sub...Jimoh replaces Babouli.
86 min...York Adekugbe high sliding save on Forge Choiniere on right side of box blocking shot from 10 yards.
90 min...York Cordova chips from 22 yards on right and York Ricci shoots low bouncer from 12 yards that's caught by goalie.
94 min...game ends 9:58pm.

Final Score:...York United FC.........0.............Forge FC...........0......

After the main game with the weather being nicer, there was a parents vs kids game using the entire field.

Attendance wasn't announced but the league site set it at 1824. I thought there weren't as many fans as the last game which had fans brave a rainstorm that was promised and happened during that game. Still this was much larger than the first games of the season except the home opener. A Friday night game even with a one hour later start then games past would not have let a lot of travelling fans get here in time. There were a huge contingent of Stouffville Mustangs players here acting as player excorts and flag holders and taking part in the halftime games. I've seen them before but never in this great a number. The team even ran out of scarves for everyone so the team brought out some souvenir club flags so everyone got someone. The south endzone has now picked up by now six food trucks.

This was the first game between these teams that has ever ended in a 0-0 tie. People in the press box were complaining that the game was boring but I didn't think so as every chance could have been the last goal. I was waiting right up until the end for one team to score.

Referee Mathieu Souare gave out five Yellow cards tonight (four to Forge although one was to a team official at the bench for complaining about a Yellow card given to a player). I felt the game wasn't any rougher than any non-derby game.

It was the club's fourth annual Mental Health Awareness Match. There were some therapy dogs brought onto the field at the beginning of the game which actually overshadowed the Volkswagen 'Tiny Car' which is the radio controlled model car that brought the game ball out.

York had to juggle their defence as Oswaldo Leon is suspended for picking up two Yellow cards in their last game. Frank Sturling was out with a knee injury that he picked up in midweek training. Nyall Higgins got the start and Max Ferrari moved back from the midfield role he has played in recent games. York also signed a new assistant coach with Isidro Sanchez on the bench tonight.

Forge had to adjust too as they have just sold Kwasi Poku to Belgian side RWD Molenbeek for a record transfer fee for a CPL player. They also have the second leg of their Canadian Championship semi-final to play in downtown Toronto on Tuesday night against MLS team Toronto FC. They have a 2-1 lead in the series from their first game win but a late goal for TFC makes this series very close. Forge head coach Bobby Smyniotis said after the game their was some player rotation tonight not just because of the first half injury but he was thinking ahead to the Tuesday night match. One advantage for Forge is TFC will play a league game in Houston on Saturday night so they may be a little tired whereas Forge just has a short drive down the highway to get home tonight.

The result tonight improves York's record to 9 wins, 5 ties, 6 losses for 32 points. That puts them into a tie for second place although they are ranked third because they've played one more game than second ranked Atletico Ottawa who will play tomorrow afternoon against last place HFX Wanderers in Halifax. Also fourth place Cavalry who are just two points behind will also play Saturday with a home game against slumping Pacific FC so York could find themselves in fourth after this weekend.

Rocket Robin
robin.glover.1958@gmail.com
X @RocketRobin01

York United FC game day roster

Forge FC starters

Forge Jordan Hamilton (9) lines up to take opening kickoff.

Forge Kyle Bekker (10) passes to Forge Elimane Cisse (8).

York Mo Babouli (10) cuts towards center of field.

The ball is cleared on he edge of the Forge box.

York Mo Babouli (10) takes freekick.

York Josue Martinez (15) takes second half kickoff.

Forge Daniel Parra (17) sends throw-in over to Forge Kyle Bekker (10).

Handshakes after the game.

Game stats (from canpl.ca)
 
                      York United FC            Forge FC   
Possession                   48.8%                51.2%
Duels success rate           46.1%                53.9%
Aerial duels won             33.3%                66.7%
Interceptions                 8                   10
Offsides                      3                    2  
Corners won                   5                    2   
Passes                      434                  455
Long passes                  70                   48
Passing accuracy             82.7%                82.6%
Passing acc in opp' half     67.0%                73.7%
Crosses                      12                    8   
Crossing accuracy            33.3%                12.5%
Goals                         0                    0   
Shots                        11                   12  
Shots on target               4                    2  
Blocked shots                 2                    4   
Shots outside the box         5                    7  
Shots inside the box          6                    5   
Shooting accuracy            36.4%                16.7%
Tackles                      10                   18
Tackles success rate         80.0%                27.8%
Clearances                    9                    6  
Fouls conceded               10                   11  
Yellow cards                  1                    3   
Red cards                     0                    0  
					  

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