FORGE FC 3
PACIFIC FC 0
Forge FC is full value in advancing to take on Cavalry FC of Calgary in the inaugural Canadian Premier League two-game, aggregate final on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.
This is not the kind of soccer club that needs the gifts Pacific FC handed it on Saturday — a missed PFC penalty and two glaring defensive miscues that led to Forge goals.
Forge secured its berth in the final with a 3-0 victory over Pacific before 5,616 fans at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont.
It was a dismal afternoon on several fronts for PFC, which was left to rue a missed penalty by Terran Campbell that would have given the Island club an early 1-0 lead. A successful attempt would have extended Campbell’s lead in the Golden Boot race.
Instead, the 20-year-old rookie kicked the ball right up the middle, with Forge ’keeper Triston Henry guessing correctly and not diving to either side as the ball rolled safely into his stomach.
So Campbell remained on 11 goals. But it got worse, as Tristan Borges scored one of the Forge goals, his 11th of the season, to move into a tie with the PFC striker in the race for the first Golden Boot in CPL history.
A Pacific error on an attempted headed clearance in the box allowed the ball to land squarely to the feet of 18-time Canada-capped former MLS player Kyle Bekker.
The former Toronto FC and Montreal Impact striker happily unwrapped the present to open the scoring. Coming in first-half injury time, the goal couldn’t have been worse for Pacific.
Instead of going into the break with a draw, PFC was suddenly behind.
It didn’t get any better in the second half as another PFC defensive breakdown, a giveaway in midfield, led to Borges’ goal at 76 minutes. That was after Elimane Cisse had scored in the 73rd minute.
The win by Forge (8-1-4 in the fall season) officially eliminated PFC (4-7-3) from playoff contention.
Forge won the season series 3-0-1 after 3-0 and 3-2 victories were followed by a 1-1 tie Sept. 4 at Westhills Stadium on a late goal by Campbell.
Pacific FC returns to meet HFX Wanderers of Halifax on Wednesday at Westhills Stadium.
