As Forge FC stepped on to the mellow September grass at ATCO Field Saturday, their mission was clear. Beat the Cavs in this top-of-the-table clash, clinch a spot in the 2026 Canadian Premier League (CPL) Playoffs, and tighten the race for lifting the CPL Shield.
And for a while, it seemed that the Hammers were well on their way to doing exactly that when Noah Jensen gave the visitors the lead after some Levonte Johnson magic in the box.
They were just 10 minutes away from getting the win and reducing the four-point advantage that Cavalry had over them before kick-off down to just a single point.
It would also have been a monumental step in Forge’s quest to do the unthinkable – win the double by lifting both the CPL Shield and the North Star Cup in a single season.
Cavalry, however, had other plans.
Antoniuk does it again as Warschewski sees red
They say change is the only constant in life. But for a resilient Cavalry side, some things never change. Things like Owen Antoniuk stunning Forge with dramatic last-minute goals.
The last time the Hammers were in town, Calgary came from a goal down to win 2-1 courtesy of a staggering Antoniuk strike from distance. This time the 24-year-old played hero once again as he scored a dramatic equaliser right as the clock hit the 90-minute mark.
“In terms of importance, both goals are equally important. I love a tap-in, so maybe it [today’s goal] was a bit more fun. That side of the net has been kind to me. It was a brilliant run from Amer [Didic] to sacrifice the slide and give me the easiest goal ever,” Antoniuk said.
As the goal went in, there was jubilation. There was drama. And there was also a red card shown, which almost went unnoticed amidst all the hullabaloo and frenzy afterwards.
Tobias Warschewski – Cavalry’s stalwart forward, who’s been leading the CPL assists race with nine assists and needed just one more to break the single-season record – was shown a second yellow for excessive goal celebrations after he ran towards the Forge bench.
The replays showed Warschewski sliding in front of the visitors bench and punching the air after his sublime cross led to Cavalry’s equaliser. The red card also means Warschewski will now be suspended for the team’s next match at home against FC Supra du Quebec.
Forge push until the final whistle
The match sure had its moments throughout as both teams tried their best to get the better of each other. However, as is often the case with top rivals, much of the play ended up getting neutralized – a testament to Cavalry and Forge knowing each other really well.
The Hammers have not been able to fare well in Calgary, having not won at ATCO Field since the 2023 CPL Playoffs. Which is why once the Cavs scored the equaliser, Forge threw the kitchen sink at them in a desperate bid to get the win and stay alive in the Shield race.
The visitors took the attack to Cavalry in the dying minutes of stoppage time that saw them have a Football Video Support (FVS) challenge for a penalty denied and see their new marquee Canadian international signing – Lucas Cavallini – get booked on his CPL debut.
“From the bench you can tell that it’s going to be a battle. When I scored, we had to press for another seven minutes because of all the checking going on. It’s a grind. But it was a battle with cards coming on and that’s what you want in a title race,” Antoniuk said.
The forward was also quick to put the moment into perspective, describing the experience of scoring in a title race as something he had dreamed about.
“It’s everyone’s dream to be in a title race. I’ve watched title races from these guys from the sidelines and in the stands as a kid. So, scoring goals in a title race, it can’t get much better than that. Obviously, we want to win. But we’ll take a draw considering the circumstances,” Antoniuk said.
As the seconds ticked on, Cavalry held on to their nerves and sealed out the draw to preserve their four-point advantage at the top.
Forge head coach Bobby Smyrniotis felt his side had done enough to leave Calgary with all three points, but acknowledged the fine margins that could ultimately decide the Shield race.
“It’s a tough one. I think we’ve done everything to get three points in the game,” Smyrniotis said in the post-match interview. “It’s a good effort from the guys, and what we know is somebody is going to have to be very close to perfect in the last six games, and whoever is will come out with the Shield.”
Cavalry head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. remains focused on the bigger prize rather than the advantage of potentially hosting a playoff final.
“It’s not about securing a final at home,” Wheeldon Jr. said. “It’s about the Shield. It’s been won by Forge for two years running now, and it’s time somebody else took it off them. That’s what we’re vying for, and everything else is secondary.”
