Forge FC shuts out Atlético Ottawa to win CPL Final

• Forge FC 2 (Hojabrpour 28, Choinière 78’), Atlético Ottawa 0
• Forge overcomes absence of suspended Kyle Bekker to win championship
• Ashtone Morgan, Jordan Hamilton 1st players to win CPL and MLS title

From Forge FC killer to hero: It’s been a remarkable 11-month period for Alessandro Hojabrpour.

In last year’s CPL Final, Hojabrpour’s goal via a header was the difference in Pacific FC’s 1-0 upset win at Tim Hortons Field, denying Forge its third consecutive league title.

Fast forward to Sunday’s CPL Final when another headed goal by Hojabrpour, who joined the Hamilton-based club in the off-season, stood up as the winner in Forge’s 2-0 victory over Atlético Ottawa at TD Place Stadium. David Choinière also scored for Forge before a CPL season-high crowd of 14,992 spectators.

With the win, Forge hoisted the North Star Shield for a third time in four years, having previously won the league championship in 2019 and 2020. Surely, we can now talk without reservation about a Forge dynasty, and a Hamilton outfit that is unquestionably the best team in CPL history.