HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC vs. FC Edmonton (July 19, 2022)

For the first time in club history, Forge FC scored five goals during a 5-1 win over FC Edmonton at Tim Hortons Field.

There was more history on offer, as Woobens Pacius became the second player in Forge history to record a hattrick. Both of those hattricks came against FC Edmonton, as Tristan Borges also scored three against the Eddies earlier in the season. Kyle Bekker scored an Olimpico, and Aboubacar Sissoko also added a goal for Forge, while Kairo Coore added a consolation goal for Edmonton.

Forge FC created a solid chance off of a corner kick in the sixth minute. Bekker’s cross found Borges in space in the Edmonton box, but the Forge attacker couldn’t connect correctly with the ball.

Edmonton then troubled Triston Henry in the Forge net off of a corner of their own a few moments later. The initial short corner they took did not work out as planned, but Wes Timoteo’s second effort cross nearly caught the opposite top corner.

After a good spell of Forge possession. Timoteo again proved dangerous on the counterattack, as he cut in from the right and then unleashed a long-range effort that went narrowly wide.

Edmonton continued to be defensively resolute and limited the chances Forge had in attack. Rezart Rama had a long-range effort of his own that narrowly missed, and then Borges saw a shot blocked well a few moments later as the hosts started to pour on the pressure.

In the 26th minute, Forge finally found their breakthrough. Pacius received a pass at the top of the box from Borges. He turned and fired a low shot past Andreas Vaikla to open the scoring.

Pacius then doubled his account and the lead in the 40th minute. The Forge striker won a penalty after being taken down in the box by Simon Triantafillou. He then stepped up to the spot himself and fired the shot down the middle past Vaikla.

Forge continued to press forward, a minutes later nearly added a third, but Vailka saved Borges shot from point blank. Edmonton was desperately looking for the half-time whistle, but it didn’t come soon enough.

In added time, Forge scored twice, both off of corner kicks. First, Bekker curled in a perfect ball onto the head of Sissoko, who headed it off the post and into the back of the net. Then Bekker took matters into his own hands, curling in an Olimpico directly from the corner kick. Forge went into the half with a decisive 4-0 lead.

FC Edmonton finally found a measure of joy in the 57th minute. Coore was played through by Tobias Warshewski and somehow fooled Henry with a shot that was directly at the Forge keeper to make the score 4-1. It was the 11th straight match in which FC Edmonton has scored.

Pacius then completed his hattrick in the 74th minute. Noah Jensen played through Pacius down the right-hand side, and the Forge attacker turned Bicou Bissainthe inside out before firing a rocket past Darlington Murasiranwa, who had come in as a substitute for Vaikla at the half. Pacius now has seven goals on the season, putting him second before only Pacific’s Alejandro Diaz in the golden boot race.

Forge has now collected all nine points against Edmonton this season. Tonight’s loss tied the worst result in FC Edmonton club history, also a 5-1 loss to Pacific FC in October of last year.

BOX SCORE

Goals

26′ — Woobens Pacius (Forge FC)

38′ — Woobens Pacius (Forge FC)

45′ — Aboubacar Sissoko (Forge FC) 

45′ — Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)

57′ — Kairo Coore (FC Edmonton) 

74′ — Woobens Pacius (Forge FC)

Discipline

33′ — Mamadi Camara (FC Edmonton)