It is the classic sporting 颅plotline of the cagey defending 颅champion showing it will not give up its crown to the upstart heir apparent without a fight.
Two-time defending Canadian Premier League champion Forge FC defeated league-leading Pacific FC 2-1 in a marquee match-up Saturday at Tim 颅Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont.
Three of the four losses this season by PFC (10-4-6) have come against Forge FC (10-7-1), which is 3-0 this season against the Island club, and undefeated all-time against the Tridents at 8-0-1.
鈥淭hey have our number,鈥� said PFC head coach Pa-Modou Kah, who continues looking for his first victory against Forge FC.
鈥淪ometimes a team has your number. Sometimes it happens. We have to figure it out. If I had the answer, I鈥檇 be a billionaire. We took this one on the chin and now we have to have goldfish memories and move forward.鈥�
Forge FC opened the scoring at six minutes through Molham Babouli. PFC levelled at 37 minutes on a bang-bang cross and header from Kunle Dada-Luke to Alejandra Diaz for the 颅latter鈥檚 seventh goal of the season. 颅Former sa国际传媒 U-17 player Dada-Luke continued his recent fine form.
鈥淸Dada-Luke] is getting an opportunity and that鈥檚 good for our team,鈥� said Diaz, who has represented Mexico in U-20 and U-23 and has played in his home country鈥檚 highest league.
Omar Browne鈥檚 goal at 80 minutes, in his first game for Forge FC, won it for the hosts. Browne, capped 10 times for Panama and who will be facing sa国际传媒 in the next section of games in CONCACAF World Cup 2022 qualifying, is on loan from CA Independiente of Panama鈥檚 top league. Browne took a 颅fabulous cross to tap home the winner.
鈥淚t was a good game as, traditionally, all our games against PFC have been entertaining and good football,鈥� said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis, who is preparing his club for this week鈥檚 Round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions League qualifying round, a perk of being defending CPL champion.
鈥淲e play good football against Pacific, including in past 颅seasons, and that鈥檚 just how the results go.鈥�
PFC lost for the first time since Aug. 20 in going 5-0-2 in its last seven games, including five in league and two in the Canadian Championship.
鈥淲e were lacking a bit at the beginning,鈥� said Diaz, of Forge鈥檚 early goal.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a lot of games in a short period. Sometimes you lose. That鈥檚 the game. We need to keep working hard if we play Forge in the playoffs.鈥�
Pacific FC meets Valour FC on Wednesday at IG Field in Winnipeg.
鈥� Meanwhile, there has been no announcement from sa国际传媒 Soccer on the date and venue of Canadian Championship semifinal between PFC and Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.
