When Forge FC and Atletico Ottawa meet in our nation’s capital for the Canadian Premier League Final on Sunday, it will represent a landmark achievement, not only for Forge — looking to win their third league title in their fourth Final appearance in as many seasons — and Ottawa, who are just one-year-removed from their expansion season and finished atop the league table with 49 points, but for the CPL, as well.
One of the more common questions from fans who are new to this young league is, “how’s the soccer?”
For three years, providing a detailed answer was complicated because the league hadn’t quite formed a global identity yet — typically shaped by a league’s top clubs.
In Serie A, for example, clubs like Inter Milan, Juventus, and AC Milan helped shape the “Catenaccio” style of defensive dominance that trickled up to the Italian national team.
It wasn’t until the 2000s that things really started to open up, in large thanks to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. “Total Football” or “Tiki Taka” focused on fluidity, high pressing, and large amounts of ball possession. Spain used this style of play to win three titles (one World Cup in 2010 and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012) before it spread to other parts of the world.
As an admirer of Guardiola’s coaching style, it’s no surprise that Forge head coach and technical director Bobby Smyrniotis has delivered Total Football to Hamilton. While he’s added to the tactical demand of his players over the years, Smyrniotis has stayed true to his philosophy of high-pressing, high-tempo, ball-possession soccer.
Variations of Total Football have been used by other CPL clubs over the years, like Cavalry, Pacific, and Halifax, to varying degrees, and all three clubs have played against Forge in a CPL Final.
The league appeared to have a particular winning style after three seasons, but then Ottawa came along and went full Frank Sinatra.
“I think it’s fitting that these two teams are going to be competing for the championship,” said Smyrniotis after Tuesday’s training session. “Two distinct styles, but two teams who are doing it very well on different ends of the spectrum, and that’s football.”
Mimicking their Spanish parent club, Atletico Madrid, Ottawa plays a disciplined, heavily structured defensive system that relies on counter attacks and set pieces for a bulk of their offense.
The approach deployed by Atletico Madrid was a direct response to Total Football. Because Los Colchoneros lacked the player-for-player skill of Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga, Atletico needed to develop a philosophy that allowed them to stay competitive with the giants.
Atletico Madrid won league titles in 2013-14 and 2020-21, not by out-chancing or out-possessing their opponents, but by out-defending and capitalizing on their opponents’ mistakes.
Sound familiar?
Forge and Ottawa have clashed four times during the 2022 regular season. Each club won a match and tied the other two. Forge dominated the ball in all four contests, averaging 62.25 per cent possession.
The CPL Final will feature two clubs — juxtaposed — that have found relatively equal success in 2022.
“Every coach and team can have their own philosophy, but you always have to respect when another team is doing it very well, even if it’s different from what you do,” said Smyrniotis.
So, “how’s the soccer?”
It’s whatever each club wants it to be, which is a resounding victory for a league that’s still in the process of etching out a global identity.
There’s more than one way to win in the CPL, which sets up a promising future for all current and prospective clubs.
Forge and Atletico Ottawa will compete for the North Star Shield at TD Place Stadium for a 6 p.m. kick-off on Sunday.
The CPL Final will air live on One Soccer and FuboTV.
Forge fans can attend a viewing party at Endzone Bar & Grill.