Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis shared his thoughts on tonight’s Canadian Championship final against CF Montreal. The two teams will be vying for the Voyageurs Cup.
Tonight’s matchup takes place at Stade Saputo and will air on TSN. The matchup will also be streamed live on OneSoccer.
Forge will look to make history by becoming the first CPL team to lift the Voyageurs Cup. The Hamilton, Ontario-based club has excelled at league level and has even held its own against MLS competition.
Montreal, meanwhile, will look to ensure it is not on the wrong side of history. The MLS side has a much higher total player salary at its disposal. Montreal’s squad is experienced and features the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Samuel Piette.
Forge, meanwhile, also has experienced players, including Lucas Cavallini. In addition, the club has seen the emergence of Anthony Aromatario, who has established himself in midfield in his first CPL season.
Bobby Smyrniotis Shares Honest Take Ahead of Forge FC vs. CF Montreal Matchup
Bobby Smyrniotis believes a Voyageurs Cup victory would be a giant step forward for the CPL. While Forge enters tonight’s matchup against CF Montreal as the underdog, the team has a lot of momentum on its side.
Forge has played well in the CPL, while Montreal sits last in the MLS Eastern Conference. Montreal pulled off an upset by eliminating the Vancouver Whitecaps en route to the final. However, the team has struggled in MLS league play.
Smyrniotis admitted that the CPL sides will always be an underdogs in the Canadian Championship competition. But he emphasized that the discrepancy in salary cap is meaningless if the players do not perform.
“I always understand it from the outside. You know, we don’t look at it that way because this is our expectation as a club. And sometimes maybe we’re dreaming big but that’s why I’ve thought is the best way of doing it. So, of course it’s immense, of course there’s a discrepancy in salaries and different things,” Smyrniotis told OneSoccer.
“As I’ve said in the past, money doesn’t score goals. Players do. So, we expect our guys to go out there and put the ball in the back of the net.”
Smyrniotis Reveals What Voyageur’s Cup Triumph Would Really Mean
Smyrniotis also revealed what winning the Voyageurs Cup would mean to the CPL, and soccer in Hamilton.
Forge has been the most successful CPL team and a fixture at the top of the table. The squad is well-coached and has the ability to pull off an upset over Montreal.
Smyrniotis feels that winning the 2026 Canadian Championship will prove that Forge can achieve more. A victory could give them more confidence heading into the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“This is the one[trophy] that’s missing. Our league has put out three versions of trophies. We have all three of those downstairs. This is number four, that’s missing. So we go for this and then we can start dreaming bigger.” Smyrniotis told OneSoccer.
Forge Coach Smyrniotis Shares Honest Take Ahead of Canadian Championship Final