HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC vs. York United FC (August 20, 2022)

York United will be heading back down the QEW with smiles on their faces, as they defeated Forge FC 3-1 at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday night for their second consecutive win and fourth in their last six.

For this 905 Derby clash, both managers offered up very strong squads in their quest for three points and bragging rights. The visitors York went back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, as former Forge player Mo Babouli made his first start for the club in a return to his old stomping grounds and Eleias Himaras took the mantle in goal again with Niko Giantsopoulos still out injured.

Forge, meanwhile, finally had Dominic Samuel back in their defence at right-back after his lengthy injury layoff, with Woobens Pacius leading an attacking trio that included Tristan Borges and David Choinière as well.

Although the hosts has a couple chances in the very early stages, it would ultimately be York who had the better start. In just the seventh minute, Paris Gee collected a pass from Kevin Dos Santos on the left-wing overlap and sent a perfect curling cross into the box, where Osaze De Rosario managed to shake off his defender and get a toe to the ball with his outstretched foot, flicking it into the net off ‘keeper Triston Henry’s hand.

After conceding, Forge took overwhelming control of the ball, pushing York further and further back in search of their equalizer. They came achingly close to scoring about 25 minutes in, as Woobens Pacius got his head on a cross in the six-yard box, but his effort was denied by the crossbar.

Right after that, York boss Martin Nash was forced to turn to his bench early. Paris Gee appeared to pick up an early injury, so Nash opted to insert Mateo Hernández on the left.

The woodwork proved to be Forge’s enemy yet again 10 minutes later, as David Choinière evaded York’s left-back and took a low-angle shot at Himaras, who managed to palm it off the goalpost and away.

York were dealt yet another blow five minutes before half. Hernández, who had only entered the game 15 minutes prior, fell awkwardly while attempting a tackle, and he had to be stretchered off the pitch. Nash thus turned to winger Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio to fill in at left-back for the remainder of the contest.

The Nine Stripes nonetheless held off the Forge attack to see out the half, as they headed into the interval with a 1-0 lead.

Coming out of halftime, though, Forge continued to play on the front foot. They won a corner just over five minutes into the half and they played it short to Tristan Borges, who cut in toward the top of the box before uncorking a superb left-footed striker over traffic and into the top corner to make it 1-1.

The level footing wouldn’t last long, though. In the 58th minute, Ronan Kratt brought down a long switch of play to the right side just before it went out of play, and he set it back for Chrisnovic N’sa at the top of the box. The right-back swapped the ball to his left foot and drove a powerful shot right past Triston Henry and in at the near post, putting York back in the lead.

York struck yet again just 10 minutes after that. N’sa broke quickly up the right touchline and sent it centrally in the attacking third, where ultimately De Rosario flicked it into the path of Babouli, who took it to the outside and beat Henry with a well-placed shot to make it 3-1.

Bobby Smyrniotis went to his bench with his side two goals down, bringing on an entirely fresh front three of Jordan Hamilton, Terran Campbell, and Emery Welshman, also adding some attacking upside to the right flank in Jonathan Grant.

Nash, who was able to make substitutions just once in the second half after using two of his windows in the first, responded to Smyrniotis’ changes with a triple change, adding a trio of attacking players in Michael Petrasso, Lisandro Cabrera, and Sebastian Gutierrez in an apparent effort to score another and fully bury the game.

Ultimately, though, neither side would find the net again, as the Nine Stripes sailed to an impressive victory against the league’s first-place team, handing Forge their second consecutive loss.

BOX SCORE

Goals

7′ — Osaze De Rosario (York United)
52′ — Tristan Borges (Forge FC)
58′ — Chrisnovic N’sa (York United)
68′ — Mo Babouli (York United)

Discipline

27′ — Yellow: Noah Verhoeven (York United)
40′ — Yellow: Mateo Hernandez (York United)
61′ — Yellow: Chrisnovic N’sa (York United)
88′ — Yellow: Ashtone Morgan (Forge FC)