Whitecaps and Forge Book Semifinal Spots in Canadian Championship
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By Kaus Pandey
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Summary:
- Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Valour FC 2-1 with help from Bjorn Utvik’s 90-minute winner at BC Place.
- Forge FC made a thrilling comeback to beat CF Montreal 2-1 on the night.
- The Whitecaps Forge secured their spots in next month’s semifinals.
The Canadian Championship’s semifinals have finally been set in stone following Wednesday night’s thrilling quarterfinal victories by defending champions Vancouver Whitecaps and CPL underdogs Forge FC.
Both sides moved forward with help from their grit, late goals, and the fact that they refused to fold under pressure.
Whitecaps Beat Valour FC 2-1
The Whitecaps kept their quest for a fourth straight title alive at BC Place in Vancouver, edging Valour FC 2-1 in dramatic fashion.
Norwegian defender Bjorn Utvik (pictured left) was the hero of the night for Jesper Sørensen’s side, scoring his first goal for the club in the 90th minute to secure the win.
“I just attacked the ball and hoped for the best” Utvik said of his decisive header from a Jayden Nelson cross, which sent 14,500 fans into a roar.
The Whitecaps had controlled much of the match, but struggled to find the breakthrough.
Going in as a substitute in the second half, Emmanuel Sabbi managed to open the scoring in the 79th minute with his crisp strike from the top of the box. The 27-year-old, born in Italy, celebrates with a series of backflips.
However, Winnipeg-based Valour FC didn’t go away quietly, leveling the match in the 86th through Jevontae Layne’s header off a corner.
Utvik’s hero moment came just four minutes later, when he leaped above and headed in a shot in the 90th minute in front of a roaring BC Place Stadium.
The Whitecaps will now meet Forge FC in the semifinals, a team that once again proved it has no trouble punching above its weight against serious MLS opposition.
Forge Won 2-1 Against CF Montreal
In Montreal, Forge pulled off a second straight quarterfinal upset over CF Montreal, winning 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. The CPL side weathered heavy pressure from Montreal, which controlled possession early and bombarded the Forge goal.
Montreal finally took the lead on the night when Prince Owusu scored in the 58th minute. However, the home side couldn’t hold their advantage.
In the 79th minute, Tristan Borges equalized with a low strike from outside the box.
Just three minutes later, captain Kyle Bekker unleashed another shot from nearly the same spot to put Forge ahead.
Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis said after the match
I always think the gap [between MLS and CPL] is not that big. The gap is in the finances. Our team just battled from the first minute, and we showed a ton of resiliency today. I’m so proud of this group.
Both teams now look ahead to their semifinal meeting in August, Vancouver chasing another trophy, and Forge proving once again that Canadian Premier League teams can compete with just about anyone.
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