Match Thread: Voyageurs Cup - Quarter-Finals - Leg 1 - Forge v CF Montreal - May 7, 2024

[Kent]

I understand why a season ticket holder or just any fan with a job that they couldn't take a day off for whatever reason would be disappointed, but I have to say the game with 14,923 fans attending was great to see after the previous round where there were only 2,471.

Forge played well. Like Ozzie, I thought it should have been a penalty in the first minute. Montreal actually won a very similar free kick in the second half, just a step or two outside the box. If it's a foul in the second half it should be a foul in the first minute, in my opinion.

[phil03]

I was concerned about this game considering the circumstances: a double PR mess (around the renewal of the contract of the club's star player and the departure of a beloved sports director) that was bound to distract players and the wave of injuries mentioned above (taking down the club's three best strikers and three key offensive pieces in the midfield) there was a lot to deal with. We also didn't help our case... 

As much as I respect Courtois overall keeping Piette, Sirois, Lassiter, Duke and Campbell out of the starting XI and putting Iliadis, Breza, Zouhir and Sabang instead was hubris in the circumstances. Hell, against Forge its probably hubris broadly speaking! There is CPL clubs you can do that against, Valour or even York and VFC. Against Forge, Cavalry or ATO its asking for trouble though.

Still, at the end of the day you can only play who was fielded against you. We will see how it will go when we will be in Montreal, Courtois will have hopefully learned his lesson, Opoku is hopefully back and the players have had the time to get back in the right headspace after the PR mess but still, all due props to Forge for getting the result!

The one thing that kinda get to me now is how both my national team and my number one club keep getting into off the pitch mess. Loosing is OK, that's part of the game and when ATO (my CPL club) failed to make the playoffs because they played badly that was that. Even waves of injuries happen, altough its definitely a bummer the Impact are dealing with it for a second year in a row. But off the pitch messes are definitely taking the joy out of the game sometime... Like, I just want my sport to be about, you know, sport! Its that really too much to ask?

[gator]

It was a very entertaining game and worked out well with a big crowd, kids can really ramp up the decibel level and the Battalion Section did their part albeit with a smaller gathering! Forge really played with confidence and maybe just edged the match but Montreal were always going to be a tough opponent no matter who they put on the pitch! Skill wise there wasn't't a great disparity between the sides and Forge had the benefit of playing a familiar 11, I hope they can give the hosts a game in the return leg!