Report and Reaction: Whitecaps gift Forge two goals as Canadian Championship semi-final hangs in the balance

The two best teams in Canadian soccer this year met in Canadian Championship semi-final action in Hamilton on Wednesday evening, in a match that did not disappoint in entertainment value in the first half, producing four goals, but became a very cagey affair in the second, with neither team wanting to risk heading into next month’s second leg behind in the tie.

The Whitecaps should be heading into that second leg on September 16th with a comfortable lead in the tie after goals from Tristan Blackmon in the 18th minute and a second from Brian White 11 minutes later. Unfortunately for Vancouver, defensive blunders from Danish centre-back Bjorn Inge Utvik had handed Forge two goals either side of those, with the Hamilton based side opening the scoring 10 minutes in through Nana Opoku Ampomah before Brian Wright tied things up again in the 34th minute.

That was to be the end of the scoring, although Forge will feel very aggrieved that they didn’t get a second half penalty for a challenge on Wright, and the teams will battle it out for a place in the final at BC Place next month, tied up at two apiece and with all to play for.

Jesper Sorensen made four changes to the side that went down to Saturday’s controversial loss in San Jose, with Isaac Boehmer getting the start in goal and Andres Cubas missing out in the middle.

It was a fast-paced start by Forge, who really took the game to Vancouver in the opening minutes and were moving the ball around quickly and successfully, and it was no surprise when it was the home side that broke the deadlock just 10 minutes in, but it was a goal that the Whitecaps brought upon themselves through slack defending.

A long throw in from the left was casually flicked on by Utvik in the box. Tate Johnson had come well inside and that left Ampomah wide open when the ball came to him, and he had time to compose himself before firing past Boehmer and Forge led 1-0.

Self inflicted damage is never great, but in a semi-final against an unbeaten lower league team full of confidence and looking to pull off the cup shock, the next goal as absolutely massive in this two-legged tie.

Thankfully for the Whitecaps, going behind saw them get the response they needed and they started to dominate the play and look more like the Vancouver side we’ve seen this season. Eight minutes later and they were level.

Sebastian Berhalter sent in a free kick that was cleared. The ball came back to him and he whipped in another ball that carried through everyone to a waiting Utvik, who played it across goal for Blackmon to head it home.

At first glance, you felt it had to be offside, but replays showed Blackmon had timed his first run impeccably and was simply left wide open by the Forge defence.

The Whitecaps turnaround was complete in the 29th minute and Blackmon had a hand to play in it once again.

The centre back brought the ball forward before playing it outside to Jayden Nelson, who whipped in an inviting ball across goal for White to slide in and tuck away.

At this stage, it felt the Whitecaps were in control and could add to their tally, but another moment of self destruction put the tie right back into the balance and Vancouver’s lead only last five minutes.

The Whitecaps had been playing a lot closer to Boehmer than we are used to seeing from them with Takaoka in goal. Sorensen revealed postmatch that this was not by design and they were punished for it in the 34th minute after Forge’s pressing reaped its reward.

Boehmer rolled the ball out to Utvik, who took a heavy first touch allowing the ball to run away from him. Seeing this, Ampomah responded quickly, superbly pouncing to win the ball back from the home side before centering it to a wide open Wright, who had the easy job of stroking it home eight yards out and we were tied up once again.

That was to be it for the goals and pretty much most of the goalmouth action as the tie became a lot cagier, with neither team wanting to go into next month’s second leg trailing.

The only other real moments of note came in the second half.

The first in the 51st minute when White was concerningly subbed off with hamstring tightness, which was followed four minutes later by a trademark long range effort form Kyle Bekker that Boehmer tipped over.

Forge had what looked like a clear penalty when Blackmon challenge Wright in the box, not connecting with the ball. Was Wright already on his way down?

That was also to be pretty much it for the action, and the game ground out to a bit of an anti-climax after a blistering start.

The teams now head to BC Place in five weeks time to do it all over again in the second leg. Will Forge still be unbeaten? Will the Whitecaps have found some form? How will the newly arrived Thomas Müller factor into everything? We’ll have a long wait to find out but that second leg should be an absolute cracker and is not to be missed.

FINAL SCORE: Forge FC 2 – 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

ATT: 8,324

FORGE: 1.Jassem Koleilat; 24.Rezart Rama, 5.Daniel Nimick, 13.Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson, 3.Marko Jevremović; 21.Alessandro Hojabrpour, 10.Kyle Bekker; 11.Nana Ampomah (17.Hoce Massunda 69’), 19.Tristan Borges (22.Noah Jensen 75’), 7.David Choinière (18.Molham Babouli 69’); 9.Brian Wright (12.Maxime Filion 75’) [Substitutes not used: 29.Christopher Kalongo, 8. Elimane Cissé, 32.Zayne Bruno, 36.Dino Bontis, 41.Amadou Koné]

VANCOUVER: 32.Isaac Boehmer; 18.Édier Ocampo (2.Mathías Laborda 59’), 33.Tristan Blackmon, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 13.Ralph Priso, 26.J.C. Ngando (59.Jeevan Badwal 59’); 14.Daniel Ríos, 24.Brian White © (11.Emmanuel Sabbi 52’), 7.Jayden Nelson (17.Kenji Cabrera 85’) [Substitutes not used: 30.Adrían Zendejas, 12.Belal Halbouni, 27.Giuseppe Bovalina, 42.Nelson Pierre]

SCORING SUMMARY:
10’ – FOR – Nana Ampomah
18’ – VAN – Tristan Blackmon (Bjørn Inge Utvik)
29’ – VAN – Brian White (Jayden Nelson)
34’ – FOR – Brian Wright (Nana Ampomah)

STATS:
Possession: FOR 49% – VAN 51%
Shots: FOR 8 – VAN 12
Shots on Goal: FOR 4 – VAN 7
Saves: FOR 5 – VAN 2
Fouls: FOR 12 – VAN 10
Offsides: FOR 2 – VAN 1
Corners: FOR 3 – VAN 4

CARDS:
31’ – FOR – David Choinière
75’ – VAN – Tristan Blackmon
83’ – FOR – Noah Jensen

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

JESPER SORENSEN

On the match:

“It was a little bit wild in the first half. They [Forge FC] came and got an early goal, and then it opened up. Then, I think we gained control over the game, and did well, and had some good opportunities, and profited from a couple of them. Then of course, we gave away a [second] goal that kind of put them back into the game. It’s the first of two legs, and we just were a little bit too open in the first half. We closed it a little more down in the second, and there were not that many chances in the second half. It was a typical scrappy game when you play away against a good opponent, and now we have to win at home, and I hope we’re able to do so.”

On the first leg result:

“It’s not a bad result either. We have been playing a lot of two legs – games, competitions – this year. And we usually start off with a draw. So, it’s not that bad either.”

On Brian White’s goal:

“A great goal. I think, for once, we played underneath them. And we didn’t do that enough. We struggled a little bit with doing the things that we’ve been doing well over the season. And we don’t really have that rhythm at the moment. But in this occasion, we moved the ball well, and played underneath, and then Brian came in, like he’d done so many times before, and attacked that space.”

MIDFIELDER RALPH PRISO

On the match:

“I think the first half – the first 10 to 15 minutes – were a bit hectic. [We] didn’t do a good enough job of just putting our foot on the ball and controlling the game. I think we got better in the end of the first half. And then the second half, I think, both teams were a little bit more compact, and smart, in terms of trying to get pressure. So that made the game a little bit more close.”