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As is becoming common in CPL action, Forge overpowered their opponents, beating Atlético Ottawa at TD Place 2-1.
Hammers comfortable in today's match
It was a quiet and relaxed day in the office for the boys in orange. Aside from a stoppage-time penalty, Dino Bontis had little to do in goal, as his midfield and defenders did well to limit Ottawa's scoring chances. With quality players such as Kyle Bekker, Nana Ampomah and Brian Wright all on the shelf, this may be the deepest squad in Forge's illustrious history. The Hammers have some very important matches on the horizon, competing for silverware in the form of the CPL Shield and Voyageurs Cup. Forge will continue to rotate their squad, giving Bobby Smyrniotis plenty to consider as he selects his best starting XI for their pivotal matchups.
A player-of-the-match performance from Anthony Aromatario
Take a bow, Anthony Aromatario. The 2025 OPL player of the year did what he does best: controlling the midfield and frustrating opponents with crunching tackles and hard-hitting, blue-collar play. He also completed 86% of his passes and scored in the 33rd minute—his first professional goal. The 23-year-old Woodbridge, Ontario native has been stellar since signing with Forge in the off-season, and Smyrniotis and his staff will keep him in mind as a solid midfield option for their upcoming match against CF Montréal in the Canadian Championship.
Concerns linger for Atlético Ottawa
A considerable void remains for the club representing the nation's capital as play-off time approaches. Although they have good defensive depth, solid midfield play, and serious attacking weapons, this match against Forge proves they are still a notch or two below the league's traditional top two. Despite losing key players such as Nathan Ingham, Sam Salter and David Rodríguez from last year's championship team, as well as manager Diego Mejía, they have also made solid replacement signings in the likes of Chris Kalongo, Nicolas Fleuriau-Chateau and Emiliano García. With the play-offs a mere two weeks away, Gustavo Leal and his staff will have to work harder to get the most out of their side and compete against the CPL's top teams for the coveted North Star Cup.
Other standout performers
The Forge midfield were on their game and played diligently, so Noah Jensen and Antoine Batisse deserve special mention. Forge's attackers also deserve credit: Maxime Bourgeois was a constant threat on the right wing, as usual, and Lucas Cavallini stayed involved in every facet of the game and showed his offensive quality. Levonte Johnson also deserves credit for scoring his first CPL goal in Forge orange. As for Ottawa, there wasn't much to be excited about, but young goalkeeper Tristan Crampton did well, making some good saves and unlucky on the goals he conceded. Julian Dunn also appears to be a solid signing for Gustavo Leal, as the athletic centre-back won his duels and put his body on the line to make important defensive stops.
