Forge FC returns to Calgary on Saturday, riding a 20-game unbeaten streak in Canadian Premier League play since losing the championship game to Cavalry FC there on Nov. 9.
As four-time league champions — as well as twice runners-up — Forge has a tradition of excellence under head coach and sporting director Bobby Smyrniotis.
But the Hamilton-based side is on a record run this season, which started in early January when Forge players reported to camp ahead of CONCACAF Champions Cup play.
Forge (13-0-7) leads the CPL standings by six points over Atletico Ottawa (11-2-7) and 16 points over third-place Cavalry (8-6-6). And it is rewriting the CPL record book, erasing its own mark of 14 consecutive league games without a loss in mid-July.
And it has kept going.
Forge enters weekend play on a six-game winning streak, having outscored the opposition 14-2 since a 1-1 draw July 12 in Ottawa. A victory Saturday and it will tie Cavalry for the league record for most consecutive CPL wins, set in the first seven games of the league's inaugural 2019 season.
Smyrniotis is enjoying more than the results these days.
"These guys have the special ability to keep on pushing me also tactically," said Smyrniotis, voted the league's coach of the year in 2024. "They're a group that loves to try new things … Their work rate within training is fantastic.
"And then on the flip side, it's the attention to detail, the information that they want. I think as coach, that's the most you can ask for … It's a group that enjoys being in the facility each and every day and enjoys tactical nuances."
Midfielder Noah Jensen points to weekly practices where one side will line up as Forge and the other tries to break them down.
"Bobby lets us have a little bit of freedom. And as the defensive team we try to figure out a game plan of what would work against Forge so that Bobby has an idea of what the other team would potentially do," he said. "I think that kind of shows that a lot of us in the locker-room are always thinking about the solutions and how to figure things out on the field.
"And without a doubt there's guys in our locker-room who are going to be fantastic coaches."
Forge goalkeeper Jassem Koleilat leads the league with 10 clean sheets this season, with six of those coming on the road where the team has only conceded five goals.
Forge has given up just four second-half goals in 20 matches this season, outscoring the opposition 19-4 after the break.
Dan Nimick and Alexande Achinioti-Jönsson form an elite centre-back partnership in front of Koleilat although Achinioti-Jönsson is equally comfortable playing further up the field. Captain Kyle Bekker and Alessandro Hojabrpour are key links in the midfield, helping feed the likes of attackers Tristan Borges, Mo Babouli, David Choiniere and Brian Wright.
Forge has outscored its opponents 38-13 in league play, holding the opposition to one goal seven times.
York United (2-2 on April 27 and 2-2 on June 29) and Ottawa (2-2 on May 13) are the only teams to score more than one goal on Forge in league play.
Forge has not lost since Feb. 11 when it was beaten 3-0 by Mexico's Monterrey in CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round play. Monterrey won the first leg 2-0 Feb. 5 in Hamilton.
While Jensen says it has already been a "special season," he says the team doesn't really talk about going unbeaten the whole campaign. Instead he sees the unbeaten run as a means to an end.
"At the end of the day, the only thing that's going to get us closer to lifting the regular-season championship is picking up three points on the weekend," he said.
Forge and Cavalry have met twice already this season, both times in Hamilton, with Forge winning the April 5 season opener 1-0 and the teams drawing 1-1 May 31. They are slated to meet again Oct. 10 in Calgary.
Forge remains in contention in the Telus Canadian Championship, tied 2-2 with the defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps going into the Sept. 16 second leg of the semifinal at B.C. Place. Forge has already dispatched Halifax Wanderers and CF Montreal in the 15-team cup competition.
Atletico Ottawa hosts Vancouver FC (2-13-5) in Saturday's other game. Pacific FC (5-11-4) visits Valour FC (4-13-3) on Sunday while Halifax Wanderers welcome York United in a battle of 8-7-5 teams on Monday.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
