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Quentin Westberg made big saves as Toronto FC wins the Voyageurs Cup

HAMILTON, ON – Quentin Westberg was the best player for Toronto FC as they secure a penalty shootout win thriller at Tim Hortons Field. This means that TFC has won their eight-straight Voyageurs Cup.

Quentin Westberg is the hero in the Voyageurs Cup win

Three keys to the game:

First half

Quentin Westberg made an easy save in the fourth minute of play. Terran Campbell drew a foul from Michael Bradley in the sixth minute. Tristan Borges shot was saved by Westberg in the seventh minute. Hamilton had a good chance in the eighth minute, but the shot was stopped. Borges, with his first time shot, was off-target in the ninth minute. David Choinière’s shot was stopped by Westberg.

TFC got a free kick in the 14-minute, but Pozuelo’s shot was blocked. They also held their line to create an offside in the 14-minute. Choinière’s shot was easily stopped in the 15-minute. Bradley’s go-for goal was off-target in the 16-minute. Alejandro Pozuelo intercepted the ball in the 18-minute.

Choinière drew a foul for Forge that allowed them to possibly take the early lead. Fortunately, for Toronto, Tristan Borges did not take advantage. He made Westberg guess the wrong way, but his shot hit the crossbar and out of the net.

Pozuelo with a terrific cross, but Ashtone Morgan made a terrific defensive play to clear the ball for a corner. Triston Henry makes an easy save in the 30-minute.

Jayden Nelson’s shot was blocked by Johnsson in the 37-minute. Campbell with a great shot in the 39-minute, which is stopped by Westberg. Ayo Akinola’s cross in the 40-minute was not met by any player. Great pass to Deandre Kerr, whose shot was blocked.

Second half

Shaffelburg delivered a great pass to Pozuelo, but his shot was blocked by a Forge FC player in the 48-minute. Henry gets ahead of Akinola to make sure he did not score in the 49-minute. Lukas MacNaughton clears the ball in the 50-minute. Jimenez’s shot was blocked.

Even though Forge FC was the better team, it was Toronto FC who struck first. Pozuelo’s goal was similar to the game-winner against the Chicago Fire FC. From long range, Pozuelo was able to put the ball into the back of the net. Jesús Jiménez did a good job getting past Hamilton’s defence, but he was stripped in the 56-minute of play. Choinière’s right-foot shot missed the target in the 57-minute.

 

Forge FC though quickly rebounded. Three minutes later Aboubacar Sissoko assisted with a great cross to Tristan Borges. This time Borges makes sure the ball goes into the back of the net. It is now a tie game.

A great cross to a Forge FC player in the 71-minute as Pacius’s shot was blocked. Kosi Thompson made a good block in the 72-minute.

Kadin Chung did a good job in drawing the foul in the 80-minute. Jimenez was unable to keep the ball in play in the 82-minute. MacNaughton blocks Pacius shot in the 83-minute. Shaffelburg gets a big run into Hamilton’s half. However, Hamilton ends up clearing the ball and getting a chance of their own, which was defended well by TFC.

The penalties were back-on-forth, with Toronto FC’s Deandre Kerr having the first missed penalty shot. However, Forge FC ended up having one of their shots stopped, and a shot that hit the post, as Toronto FC won their eighth Voyageurs Cup.

Game Summary

Forge FC was the better team, especially in the first half. That penalty shot by Tristan Borges penalty miss in the first half could have changed the narrative of the game. Borges made Westberg guess the wrong way, but the shot hit the post.

Alejandro Pozuelo was one of the standouts for TFC. He scored his third goal in two games (scoring two against the Chicago Fire FC) in open play with a fantastic shot that beat Forge FC goalkeeper, Triston Henry. TFC would then win in penalties and win their eighth Voyageurs Cup.

The team from Hamilton will host Pacific FC on Sunday, July. 12 at 4:00 p.m. ET. They will then travel to Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax to face the HFX Wanderers FC on June 19 at 2:00 p.m. ET. That game will take place at Wanderers Grounds. This is while TFC gets a break until July 18.

They travel to Red Bull Arena on June 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET. They will then host Canadian Classique rivals, CF Montreal, at 7:00 p.m. ET at BMO Field. This game will be a Canadian Championship semi-finals game, with the winner facing either the Vancouver Whitecaps FC or York United FC on the road. The two Forge FC games and the Canadian Championship game will be shown live on OneSoccer and Telus.

Three Takeaways as Quentin Westberg played well:

Forge FC continues to have trouble with penalties. This is the third game, where the team from Hamilton lost in penalties. The first was against Arcahaie FC in the 2020 Concacaf League and the second was against CF Montreal in the Canadian Championship last year.

Quentin Westberg stepped up. Westberg was forced to make seven saves in normal play to extend the game to penalties. He then made one key save in the penalty shootout that allowed Toronto to claim its eighth Voyageurs Cup.

The Canadian Premier League can compete with Major League Soccer. Despite the large salary difference, CPL sides have shown that they can hang with the Canadian MLS teams, especially at home. The problem has been capitalizing on those scoring chances or preventing late goals. However, it does show the progress CPL has made in a short period of time.

Photo Credit: Brandon Taylor of Forge FC on Saturday, June. 4, 2022.

 

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