CALGARY 鈥� Calgary's Cavalry FC have won their first-ever Canadian Premier League title.
Tobias Warschewski and Sergio Camargo both scored as Cavalry FC earned a 2-1 decision over powerhouse Hamilton's Forge FC on Saturday in the CPL Final.
The Calgary club hoisted the North Star Cup 鈥� awarded to the winner of the CPL championship 鈥� for the first time in the league鈥檚 six-year history before a sellout crowd of 7,052 at Spruce Meadows.
Cavalry players and coaches hugged one another and wiped tears from their eyes after 鈥渟laying the dragon鈥� and beating the four-time champion Forge.
鈥淚鈥檝e had champagne thrown in my face for the last half-an-hour, so my answers might be a little wonky,鈥� Calvary head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said during a post-game news conference. 鈥淏ut we鈥檝e got to savour these moments. Winning is hard.鈥�
In 2019, Forge beat Cavalry in the first CPL Cup final with a 2-0 aggregate win in the two-game series.
Then came a 2-1 victory for Forge in extra time at Tim Hortons Field in 2023. In the 21st minute, Forge midfielder Tristan Borges scored an Olimpico goal 鈥� a corner kick that finds the net without another player touching the ball 鈥� for the win.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I have the words,鈥� Wheeldon said of finally beating Forge for the title. 鈥淚t鈥檚 surreal to do it in front of our fans."
Buoyed by the raucous crowd, Warschewski opened the scoring in the 32nd minute on a penalty kick. The 2024 CPL Golden Boot winner hammered the ball top shelf behind Forge goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat.
In the 39th minute, Warschewski secured the ball on top of the box and threaded a pass to Camargo on the left side in space.
Camargo finished the play on the far side to make it 2-0 for the Cavalry.
鈥淭he first-half performance was high level,鈥� Wheeldon said. 鈥淚t was outstanding. It was entertaining. It was cutthroat. It was fun to watch.鈥�
Fun to watch for some, but not others.
鈥淥ne team worked a little bit harder in the first 30 minutes,鈥� a dejected Forge head coach Bobby Smyrniotis said after the final whistle. 鈥淭here's no doubt. If you watch the game, that鈥檚 obvious.鈥�
Forge cut the lead to 2-1 early in the second half as Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson nudged the ball behind Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci. The Hamilton side pressed and pressed as time wound down but failed to net the equalizer.
鈥淲e flipped the script,鈥� Smyrniotis said of the second half. 鈥淲e scored early. We've been able to apply pressure, but today, that second magical goal wasn't there.鈥�
The Calvary supporters 鈥� led by the Foot Soldiers, the official fan support group of Cavalry FC 鈥� chanted, screamed and sang through the final seven minutes of injury time.
鈥淚鈥檓 from the city,鈥� said the Calgary-born Carducci. 鈥淪o to be able to play here at home, in an atmosphere like that, was really special.
鈥淚t just feels phenomenal that the fans helped us through.鈥�
The CPL currently has teams in eight cities: Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and Halifax.
Both Calvary FC and Forge FC have qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the region鈥檚 elite club championship.
鈥淲e鈥檙e far from done,鈥� Wheeldon said. 鈥淲e take a day to celebrate, a day to bleed, and then we move forward.
鈥淚鈥檒l tell you what, we鈥檙e going to have one hell of a party tonight.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
Vicki Hall, The Canadian Press
