Final Score: Forge FC 1-0 Cavalry FC
Goalscorers: Babouli 58′
Game of the 2025 season: 2
CPL match: 598

Match in a minute or less

Forge FC began their CPL Shield defence with a victory on Saturday night, beating rivals Cavalry FC 1-0 at Hamilton Stadium.

After a scoreless first half, Mo Babouli found the back of the net in the 58th minute, heading home a cross from fellow newcomer Marko Jevremovic. Forge were dealt a blow in the 72nd minute when Zayne Bruno was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in his CPL debut, putting the Hammers on the back foot as Cavalry pushed for an equalizer.

That equalizer never came, thanks in large part to Forge goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat, who made several late saves to keep a clean sheet and seal the three points.

Three Observations

New-look teams, same entertaining clash between two CPL powerhouses

Forge made five changes from the CPL Final defeat to the Cavs, including three of four members of their backline. Dan Nimick slotted in at centre-back alongside Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, while Marko Jevremovic came in at left back and 18-year-old Zayne Bruno made his CPL debut at right back after signing an Exceptional Young Talent contract with the club on Friday. Fellow newcomers Brian Wright and Mo Babouli, both of whom crossed Ontario from York United in the off-season, slotted into the starting lineup at striker and left wing, respectively.

The Cavs, meanwhile, had a quiet off-season, but lost their superstar defender Daan Klomp, replaced at centre-back in this game by returnee Tom Field. Niko Myroniuk also slotted into midfield for Diego Gutiérrez, who will miss “months” with a long-term injury.

Both sides took part in the Concacaf Champions Cup, with many of the aforementioned players making their club debuts in that competition. The measuring stick for Forge FC, though, is how well they perform against Cavalry, and for Cavalry it’s how well they play against Forge.

It was two of Forge’s newcomers, Jevremovic and Babouli that combined in their first CPL match together for the decisive goal. The Serbian left back curled a cross into a crowd of bodies in the penalty area, and Babouli was first to it, heading it home to give the Hammers the lead.

GOAL 🔨

Mo Babouli scores his first goal in orange in his return to put @ForgeFCHamilton ahead against @CPLCavalryFC ⭐️

That cross by Marko Jevremović, though… 🤩#CanPL | 🔴 Watch LIVE on @onesoccer & TSN 2 pic.twitter.com/EDSmA9rFH8

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 5, 2025

Bruno stood out in his debut, looking solid defensively and making several plays higher up the pitch in attack, but his night came to a premature end in the 72nd minute. He was given a second yellow card for going through the back of Sergio Camargo on an aerial challenge, picking up a suspension for next week’s match in the process.

Mihail Gherasimencov and Cannigia Elva provided a spark off the Cavalry bench as they looked to punish Forge for Bruno’s mistake, with both coming agonizingly close to finding the back of the net, including the left back Gherasimencov smashing a driven shot off the woodwork.

These teams, especially Cavalry, have become experts at retaining most of their key players and strategically adding to their strong, existing rosters while others sometimes opt for wholesale changes. Early returns are that they have done it again, and time will tell if they are once again the two teams at the top when it’s all said and done.

Cavalry’s late charge held off by ten-man Forge FC

When Zayne Bruno’s CPL debut came to an end with a second yellow card in the 72nd minute, Forge FC knew they were in for a hard fight the rest of the way.

Cavalry ramped up the pressure after Forge scored the opening goal 14 minutes earlier, but got a second wind from the young Forge right-back being sent off, and ended up taking twenty shots in the second half. With time ticking away the urgency only grew, and if not for some heroics from the Hammers might have walked away with a point, or perhaps even all three.

Cavalry brought weapons off the bench, including Caniggia Elva moments after the sending off to replace Shamit Shome in a very attack-minded sub, with left back Mihail Gherasimencov also making his CPL debut off the bench in relief of Bradley Kamdem. Both provided a spark, but it was Gherasimencov who came closest to finding the back of the net, driving a low shot at the Forge goal that came back out off the upright.

How have @CPLCavalryFC not scored here? 🤯#CanPL | 🔴 Watch LIVE on @onesoccer & TSN 2 pic.twitter.com/oMpYgaDUYW

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 5, 2025

Cavalry threw everything at Forge in stoppage time, but Koleilat and the Forge defenders were equal to them, putting their bodies on the line. Koleilat made a huge stop on a dipping effort from Nicolas Wähling in the 94th minute, and Ali Musse missed an audacious overhead kick high and wide with one of the last kicks of the game in the 96th, as time ran out on a Cavs comeback.

It will be the first of at least four meetings between these great rivals this season, and lived up to the hype in the first CPL on TSN match as well.

Tobias Warschewski up to his old tricks, but unable to kickstart Golden Boot defence

Reigning CPL Golden Boot winner Tobias Warschewski is more than a poacher, and that was evident once again on Saturday in Hamilton.

Warschewski tore Forge apart in the 2024 playoffs en route to the North Star Cup, entered the game having scored scored eight times in his last seven matches played across all competitions, including a remarkable goal against Mexican giants Pumas in the Champions Cup. It is one of the most impressive such runs by any CPL player, and sees him enter 2025 with sky-high expectations.

He danced through a trio of defenders in the first half to create an opportunity for himself, seemingly out of nothing, and moments had what appeared to be a sure-goal from a header denied by an outstanding Jassem Koleilat save. Koleilat denied him again with an impressive save in the second half, pushing the ball over the bar after Warschewski was able to half-volley a bouncing shot on target.

What a save from @ForgeFCHamilton's Jassem Koleilat to deny Tobias Warchewski 🧤#CanPL | 🔴 Watch LIVE on @onesoccer & TSN 2 pic.twitter.com/gqoU8FpPtz

— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) April 5, 2025

A strong physical presence, Warschewski’s ability to hold up the ball was also on display as he held off multiple Forge defenders on several occasions, and contributed defensively as well by pressing high up the pitch and trying to wrestle the ball away from his opponents. Few players in the country can outmuscle the six-foot-two striker, and he showed it against a very good centre-back pairing of Dan Nimick and Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson.

While he wasn’t able to begin his Golden Boot defence with a goal in the end, the signs were there that he is ready to hit the ground running and be a key contributor once again for the Cavs. He’ll get another chance on Friday night when Cavalry hosts Vancouver FC at ATCO Field.