2021 Canadian Premier League final explained

2021 Canadian Premier League Final
Event:2021 Canadian Premier League season
Team1:Forge FC
Team1score:0
Team2:Pacific FC
Team2score:1
Date:December 5, 2021
Stadium:Tim Hortons Field
City:Hamilton, Ontario
Weather:Cloudy / Windy
1°C
75% humidity[1]
Referee:Yusri Rudolf
Attendance:7,488
Previous:2020
Next:2022

The 2021 Canadian Premier League Final was a soccer match which determined the winner of the 2021 Canadian Premier League season. It was played on December 5, 2021, in Hamilton, Ontario, between Forge FC and Pacific FC. Those teams qualified as the winners of their first round playoff matches.[2] Forge FC were the defending champions.

Pacific FC defeated Forge FC 1–0 to claim their first CPL title.[3] Alessandro Hojabrpour scored the game's only goal in the 59th minute and was named man of the match.[4] Winning the championship earned the club the right to compete in the 2022 CONCACAF League where they ultimately reached the round of 16.[5]

Path to the Final

See main article: 2021 Canadian Premier League season.

Playoff semi-final results|}

Forge FC

Forge FC entered the Final as the two-time defending league champions, having defeated Cavalry FC in the 2019 Finals and HFX Wanderers FC in the 2020 Final. On October 26, Forge clinched a playoff berth while inactive and then secured 1st place in the regular season following a win on November 9.[6] Forge advanced to the finals by defeating 4th ranked York United FC at home in the semi-finals.

Pacific FC

This was Pacific FC's first Final, improving from a fourth place finish in 2020. On October 24, they became the 2nd team to qualify for the playoffs by virtue of a York United draw against Atlético Ottawa. Pacific finished 3rd in the regular season and advanced to the finals by defeating 2nd ranked Cavalry FC on the road in the semi-finals.[7]

Head-to-head

This was the fourth meeting of the year between the two clubs with Forge having won all of the previous three games. Forge had the advantage in the all-time series with 8 wins, 1 draw, and 0 losses.[8]

Forge earned the right to host the Final by having the better overall record in the regular season.[9] Pacific entered the match on two weeks of rest since their previous match in the CPL semi-final. Forge had played two CONCACAF League matches following the semi-final, including an away match in Honduras four days before the CPL Final.

Match details

Details

Forge FC
width=25!width=25
GK 1 Triston Henry
RB 8
CB 23
CB 4 Dominic Samuel
LB 6 Kwame Awuah
CM 13 Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson
CM 10 Kyle Bekker (c)
RW 99
AM 19
LW 18 Molham Babouli
CF 14
Substitutes:
GK 31 Baj Maan
MF 7
FW 11 Chris Nanco
DF 15 Maxim Tissot
FW 17
MF 24
FW 25
Manager:
Bobby Smyrniotis
Pacific FC
width=25!width=25
GK 13 Callum Irving
RB 2 Kadin Chung
CB 6 Lukas MacNaughton
CB 26
LB 3 Jordan Haynes
DM 21
RW 11
CM 22 Jamar Dixon (c)
CM 34 Manny Aparicio
LW 14 Terran Campbell
CF 24
Substitutes:
GK 31 Isaac Boehmer
MF 8
MF 10 Marco Bustos
DF 12
MF 19 Matteo Polisi
MF 20
MF 23 Ollie Bassett
Manager:
Pa-Modou Kah
Man of the Match:
Alessandro Hojabrpour (Pacific FC)
Assistant referees


Gabrielle Lemieux
Stefan Tanaka-Freundt
Fourth official


Pierre-Luc Lauzière

Match rules[10]
  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • Maximum of five substitutions, with a sixth allowed in extra time

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weather History for CYHM . . . December 5, 2021 . December 6, 2021.
  2. Web site: Jacques . John . Forge Hammers Way To Final In Playoff 905 Derby . Northern Tribune . 22 November 2021 . 21 November 2021.
  3. News: HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC crowned Canadian Premier League champions with 1-0 win vs. Forge . Charlie . O'Connor-Clarke . canpl.ca . . December 5, 2021 . August 23, 2022.
  4. CPLsoccer . 1467665106200899590 . December 5, 2021 . The @Gatorade Man of the Match is @ahojabrpour . December 6, 2021.
  5. News: RECAP: 10-man Pacific fall to Herediano on penalties in gutsy Concacaf League performance . Charlie . O'Connor-Clarke . canpl.ca . . August 23, 2022 . August 23, 2022.
  6. Web site: Urciuoli . Anthony . Vying for 3rd straight title, Forge FC Hamilton guaranteed home-field advantage throughout Canadian Premier League playoffs . insauga . December 5, 2021 . November 10, 2021.
  7. Web site: Jacques . John . Pacific Powers Way To 2021 CPL Final . Northern Tribune . November 23, 2021 . November 20, 2021.
  8. Web site: O'Connor-Clarke . Charlie . PREVIEW: Forge FC vs. Pacific FC -- 2021 CPL Final . Canadian Premier League . 5 December 2021 . 4 December 2021.
  9. Web site: CPL reveals 2021 season format: 28-game schedule to conclude with four-team playoff for championship . Canadian Premier League . June 24, 2021 . June 24, 2021.
  10. Web site: November 17, 2021. 2021 CPL Final: Tentative dates set for championship match next weekend. November 18, 2021. Canadian Premier League.