Forge FC faces an uphill task in Mexico on Tuesday when it looks to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg of its CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round series with CF Monterrey.
Forge can take solace from the fact that it had its scoring chances against the Mexican powerhouse in a 2-0 loss in the first leg last Wednesday at Hamilton Stadium. It also had more of the ball (52.6 per cent) than Monterrey despite the fact it was playing its first competitive outing since Nov. 9 when it lost the Canadian Premier League final 2-1 to Cavalry FC.
"That brought a lot of confidence going into this next one," said Forge attacker Tristan Borges. "It wasn't the result that we wanted and we know it's going to be a tough one (Tuesday) but for sure the confidence is within the group."
Still, Monterrey outshot Forge 19-7 (7-3 in shots on target) in the first leg. That shot total was Monterrey's second-highest on the road in CONCACAF Champions Cup play since 2019 (the Mexican side attempted 21 shots at Inter Miami in 2024).
Second-half goals by Nelson Deossa and Jordi Cortizo helped Monterrey dispatch Forge in cold, slippery conditions in the opening leg at Hamilton Stadium, formerly known as Tim Hortons Field. Monterrey has now scored in 20 consecutive games in CONCACAF Champions Cup play (16-2-2), the longest active run in the competition.
The weather will be far more hospitable Wednesday.
It was minus-six Celsius (feeling like minus-11) at kickoff last week in Hamilton. The evening forecast for Tuesday's return leg at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey calls for a low of 17 C.
Monterrey finished fifth in the Liga MX Apertura at 9-4-4 and sits 13th in the early days of the Clausura at 1-2-3. It has won the CONCACAF competition five times, most recently in 2021, and made it to last year's semifinals — knocking off Lionel Messi and Miami along the way — before losing 5-2 on aggregate to the Columbus Crew.
"These are the games you want to play in," said Forge coach and technical director Bobby Smyrniotis, noting it is Forge's 22nd match in CONCACAF competition since the CPL kicked off in 2019.
"We have a tough battle ahead of us (Tuesday) but our heads are high. The game plan is there … We believe in the players we have," he added. "We don't play these competitions happy to be here, happy to play in a stadium. We play these competitions to win matches — in difficult venues, sometimes against very difficult teams."
Monterrey has since added veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos to its roster.
The 38-year-old spent 16 years with Real Madrid, winning 22 trophies including five La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues. Ramos left the Spanish powerhouse in the summer of 2021, signing with Paris Saint-Germain before joining Sevilla, his boyhood club. His contract with Sevilla expired last summer.
"Sergio Ramos isn't a player we really think about. He just showed up (Sunday)," said Smyrniotis.
Forge qualified for the Champions Cup by finishing atop the 2024 CPL regular-season standings at 15-8-5. It marks Forge's third appearance in the competition — and sixth in a continental tournament including the now-defunct second-tier CONCACAF League.
Forge lost 5-2 on aggregate to Chivas Guadalajara in last year's Champions Cup and 4-1 to Cruz Azul in its tournament debut in 2022.
Forge made it to the semifinals of the 2021 CONCACAF League, losing to Honduras' Motagua on away goals.
Forge, which does not start the CPL regular season until April 5, opened camp Jan. 4 and spent two weeks training in Cancun, Mexico, where it played four friendlies as part of its preparations for cup play.
In other Canadian action in the 27-team CONCACAF tournament, Calgary's Cavalry plays Pumas UNAM on Thursday in Mexico City's Estadio Olímpico Universitario, looking to build on its 2-1 upset win Thursday on Langford, B.C.
The Forge-Monterrey winner will face either the Vancouver Whitecaps or Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa in the round of 16. The Cavalry-Pumas winner moves on to play Costa Rica's Alajuelense.
The 2025 champion earns a berth in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press