Hamilton Forge FC beats CF Montréal on penalty kicks to win Canadian pro soccer championship

Hamilton Forge FC made Canadian professional soccer history Wednesday night, becoming the first Canadian Premier League club to capture the TELUS Canadian Championship following a penalty shootout victory over Major League Soccer’s CF Montréal.

The match took place at Stade Saputo in Montreal.

The home side dominated possession in the first half, but Forge broke the ice just before the break when Antoine Batisse headed home a corner kick from captain Noah Jensen.

Four minutes into the second half, Montreal found the equalizer when Daniel Rios headed a ball past Forge goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud.

A pivotal moment came in the 54th minute when Montreal’s Bryan Vera was sent off after receiving a second yellow card that sent the team down to 10 men.

Despite this, after two hours of play the Voyageurs Cup championship would have to be settled on penalty kicks.

Hamilton’s Forge FC won 4-2 on penalties.

“To reach this moment, competing against an established MLS club and winning a national championship, speaks to the work that has gone into building this team and the progress of our league. It’s an incredible achievement for our players and everyone associated with Forge FC,” said Bobby Smyrniotis, ​head coach and sporting director.

The victory also secures Forge FC a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, the international competition featuring leading clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean, and part of the qualification pathway to the FIFA Club World Cup.

Forge FC’s pursuit of more silverware continues as the club looks to secure the CPL Shield, awarded to the first-place team in the regular season, when it faces Pacific FC on Oct. 25.

Forge will then host a CPL playoff match at Hamilton Stadium, with the date and opponent to be determined following the conclusion of the regular season.