POST-GAME ANALYSIS: Toronto FC vs. Forge FC | 2024 TELUS #CanChamp

John Herdman and Toronto FC who were the first finalists in The 2024 telis Canadian championship they wait to find out the winner of white caps in Pacific but it's all parties tonight at bbo Fields big win for Toronto FC they have earned themselves a birth in the Tes Canadian championship final some spicy moments though between these two teams in both leg one leg two forg 2-1 Victors in leg one but 1 nil the final here for Toronto FC what do you make of how this all played out wheels well uh I think we were robbed of what could have been an incredibly dramatic finish if the away goals Rule still wasn't in place like this was the reason why UEFA got rid of it just in favor of overall score line in in terms of a proper aggregate the away goals enough here for Toronto FC they plenty of chances to put this game to bed make it much more easy on themselves missed a lot of chances Forge simply ran out of gas I think that this man right here Bobby smotes would be proud of what his team was able to put in no quazy poku was a real difference the player was just sold to Belgium uh last week they missed that Dynamic player with a little bit of pace it could have caused problems up top up top but on top of that all he will feel like his side should have had a second half penalty after they went one down it looked pretty clear to me from where we were sitting that feder Rico berneski fouled Daniel para at that time if Forge ends up scoring that goal TFC would have needed one to make it to penalties two to go and win it outright there was no guarantee the way that the game played out for Toronto FC so yeah I think that smeir neotis will say why didn't we get a penalty in that moment moments like that Define this tie the foul that led to the auu goal in the first leg and then the non- penalty given here no doubt tonight TFC was the better side not debating that but these moments are the ones that decide the way that things go and it simply didn't work in forge's favor it was clear and obvious like for me when you dissect and you look back on a football match that penalty or the the non- call for a penalty that is a penalty that's that's the one right there that is 1-1 if they get the opportunity for Forge so I'd be gutter if I was a forge FC F player right now do we have I mean I don't know if that's rolled up yet maybe we'll we'll we'll show that okay so we'll show that video in just a moment because we keep referencing it I want to make sure you at home can see it as well what we're referring to here but let's bring you the Canadian championship bracket so Toronto FC facing two Semi-Pro teams then they met with Forge here lost the first game won this uh second game but to your point their wheels because they got that away goal this one nil was enough for them so they've earned uh their birth into that final which will take place September 25th we're working our way towards the second semi-final game that's between Pacific FC Vancouver White Cap so don't go anywhere because we have plenty more coming up right here on one soccer meantime let's go back inside beo field all over plat alongside berneski better It Go how's it feel to be going back to the Canadian championship final W it's amazing he special we wanted we wanted this game we we want we wanted to go through to the final uh we really want and uh we we are very happy right now it's a beautiful goal between yourself and Lorenzo can you talk us through what you saw on that goal yes yes was was an amazing goal great great play to me to L but the the works of the team is important today we all together we suffered we played an amazing game wasn't wasn't easy honestly but we have to to be continuous like that how difficult did Forge make it for you over two legs no no it's it's difficult uh we miss a lot of chance to score honestly uh especially uh right now but in the first leg two we miss three four big chances in this game you have to take your opportunity if not you will suffer what would it mean to be able to bring a trophy back to these fans here in Toronto no it's it's amazing honestly it's uh at home we go to the final the club deserve the people the fans all the fans the C uh we we deserve this thank you P enjoy the celebrations badesi all over the pitch tonight no doubt he is our Gatorade performer of the match and let's take a look at that goal that OE was referring to the lone goal of this game The Two Italians linking up on this one and it really was a thing of beauty here with ins s's finish jordo it was served on a platter and we said it pregame if there's someone that's going to cut up for FC's defense and and and bring Toronto FC to life it would be Bernard deski and all game he was the one that had the ball at his at his feet and looked dangerous but Forge when you look at this this is something they're going to want back the fact that they had so many opportunities to clear this ball and to really take care of things you see right there just like running away before you even win it and then now you're in a situation where they have more numbers than than Forge does and even though when they play it back they they're patient here Wheels but look at this pass by by asorio where it's just a bit of bit of space that they finally get in the middle and it once it played through it's good ball great ball but now look who's open bernardes is free you have to slide he's able to just find inor back post and it looks like a easy finish Wheels but laces into the ground to go for a corner that's a that's a that's a beautiful finish White open I mean I mean inia couldn't miss that that's a great ball by Bernard deski but look the ball's loose and then everyone just you know get sucked into where the ball is and that's the danger man right there and matusa just can't get out there in time to close him down just a little like kind of an Olay challenge there and insia was never going to miss that I mean he is wide open on the far post that is an excellent Ball by berneski the most influential player by far the best player by far on the field here tonight I set in the pre-match handy you want more moments like that because there was a lot of times he was dangerous and threatening but the final ball or the Final Touch just isn't there when it comes to berneski but that's all it took um just cannot leave a player like that wide open and uh well done to berneski for that for the service something and and syy not afraid to mix things up with Forge either I mean we saw in leg one how Betty banga was getting under his skin we saw it here as well where inia ends up picking up a yellow because he Yanks at uh Benny's beard can't do that gets the goal and then goes right up to the forge bench so creating some drama for the viewers but I don't think Forge appreciated that about that later we'll talk about that a little later but let's get to that non- call that you were referring to because berneski was also all over the pitch maybe even in a controversial way here jordo this one I think par just does more than enough to get himself in a threatening position but this is a pen all day every week he takes this touch right in front of berneski that's in front of him like I I don't understand how the referee vill waiver is right at it eight yards away and waves it off immediately for me that is 100% a penalty you cannot bump someone in the back and people say oh it's shoulder to shoulder that was shoulder to back he hit the seven on his jersey and he's wearing number 17 for me he should have pointed a spot it's a clear as day that's a penalty it's a shocking Miss it's a shocking Miss call like I I don't I it's more shocking than the foul call that wasn't given on the goal that Toronto FC scored in the first line cuz there's so much that happened in that bodies everywhere this is clear and obvious that there's an infraction aen and the referee has a good angle on it as well like I'm not sure what he looking at just because a player doesn't dive in and happens with the legs doesn't mean that it's not a penalty he just barged straight through the back of the player thought that par did well getting the ball of his feet he felt the pressure coming cuz I'll give berneski credit like he worked his socks off to get back but at the end of the day he didn't get there in time and he hit the back of the player you said he hit the number seven on the back of his jersey how that's not a penalty I I would just I'd love to hear what the ref's interpretation of that is if we had V in this competition that was certainly one that would have been in my opinion been given a penalty also we just have to quickly say what does berneski touch what does he touch when when you get into the box you have to at least poke get the ball first what does he touch great trap back but he doesn't touch anything other than the player that's a pen yeah Herman knew that they were vul vulnerable at the time you heard on the call he was yelling at his players to get back forg did so well off that set piece to manipulate that space and bringing down that left hand side simply not rewarded that's how the game goes sometimes sometimes you get the call sometimes that you don't that isn't why Forge uh lost the game tonight but for me that is the reason why they lost the tie that's reason decisions that didn't go their way yeah it is a little frustrating when we are talking about some non calls and how that completely changed the complexion of the game and speaking of complexion like I said things got spicy a lot of that had to do with bab banga and in which started in leg one uh here tonight we see in get the yellow card but let's go back to leg one and I and I know it's going to be hard and and I'm gonna still ask it though if you're Forge in some way Jordan do you take pride in that you know you got under tfc's skin like and S is trying to be cute here like let me see your number CU I have no clue who you are type of thing but he knows who he is and I mean Forge got under tfc's skin and outside of the goal in these two games B um insan hasn't been as good as Benny metab banga has been like there's no bias about it I think in impactful Benny has kept up and and been there for a squad you see even here this tackle like this is one time hustling he just lining up in and it's not a foul but inia wants to go and play and this is this is what he was trying to play into Wheels he got frustrated he's pulling beard he's telling players on the bench to shut up he's in Bobby SP on his faces like for me it it just wasn't good enough from from that young man today I don't have a reference point for if I've ever seen a player pull another player's beard before so he gets a goal I mean it's on a platter if you're a $15 million player and a player that's won the European Championship you expect them to score a goal like that don't love the celebration right in front of the forge bench as well like this is a guy that again was a top top player in his day do you know what he isn't right now for Toronto FC a top top player uh he goes over just laughing at the bench I mean for me it's just childish childish stuff from a grown man who should be better than that a former captain of Napoli pulling another man's beard like it it's it's just not very good sportsmanship to be honest with you Andy I don't think that Toronto FC supporters like that stuff either I don't think that they like the lack of effort that you know is a reg regular a regular characteristic of his output and stuff like that you know I born and raised in Toronto it's not what Toronto crowds appreciate do gos not fix things well I give berneski a lot of credit for that goal that he should finish a chance like that wonderful player he's had a great career this is not it this is is isn't it for me I I I I just go back again where it's stinging right now because you're not moving forward if you're Forge I think you can look back at calls that didn't go your way and and you know you are left with what if but this is a CPL side that rattled an MLs side um we're also hearing there was no handshake between between the coaches pregame where Bobby was looking for it Herdman apparently wanted nothing to do with it I I would hope that they shook hands after the game but the footage showed Herdman sprinting onto the pitch before going to to B like there was some gamesmanship happening here where an MLs side was rattled by a CPL side they were and I think Forge there's a lot that they could be proud of in the in this two-leg affair because they were there I think tonight they just absorbed a little bit too much pressure but absolutely when you're looking at the match they frustrated tonc and many moments in this match yeah I just looked at that just at the end of the game we remarked after the first leg it seemed like it was a frosty handshake between Bobby smotes and John Herdman I mean we didn't see one maybe Herdman caught up with Bobby in the middle of the field but typically coaches show respect for one another immediately following the final whistle and before they go on and do an elaborate celebration running to their own fans in the South End of the stadium they have the courtesy to go up and say good good game sportsmanship good match good and the fact that the head coach of Toronto FC decided to run straight away to the fans first I think that says a lot about where things stand well we're going to find out more about the atmosphere that was inside beo field here tonight Toronto FC walking away with the 1 nil Victory all of plat in attendance we'll hear from him next here as Toronto FC is off to the telis Canadian championship final you're watching Match Day Live on one soccer Toyota's electrified vehicles are for everyone every chauffeur snack connoisseur every scenery Soaker practical joker every road Tripper tow Dipper every nto5 every long driver starting over 20 years ago with the Prius we now have the largest lineup of electrified vehicles in Canada because this journey belongs to everyone where are [Music] you when the stakes are high only the telis 5G Network delivers [Applause] thank you Canada for making dreams come true we're with you all the way [Music] [Music] Toronto FC winning here tonight 1- nil over Forge FC they're off to the telis Canadian championship final we head inside beo field Oliver plat joining us now and Oli before going on a break we were talking about how Forge managed to get under the skin of TFC it appeared so especially Lorenzo and S and it sounds like things continued to boil over after the match yeah just a few moments ago we thought it was all over it wasn't quite Nan Ander and Lorenzo and S I believe were exchanging words some minutes obviously after the the full-time whistle now on the pitch andom was told by a TFC security staff member to get down the tunnel basically get off the pitch insign came chasing along after him uh and I didn't get a great look through the melee but it seemed like there was some pushing and shoving going on in the tunnel uh where the forge locker room kind of breaks off and where the TFC players break off in other direction so Lorenzo and S just at the center of a lot of this stuff tonight yeah for the guy who ends up getting the only goal the winning goal here that sends TFC to the final he seems to be bothered by a lot of other things as well happening off the pitch but take us back on the pitch and what you made of how things transpired in this one I mean Toronto FC clearly all over Forge Forge absorbing it defensively but did it seem to become a little too much for Forge I I think so the night yeah and and I think Forge will say and I just spoke to Kyle Becker and they'll feel that they can play better than this and that they have better football in them than maybe they show tonight but you have to give credit to Toronto FC for the reason for that right I I think that just getting Richie laa back I think Coy Thompson has really grown into his role in the Midfield as well Henry wingo's coming now too it's given them a different level of athleticism I think in in the side and ability to press teams and smother teams and Forge just really struggled to get out all game long tonight so it was difficult for them aside from few moments to really play the football that I think they would have wanted to play and then it was just the case of if Toronto FC were going to take their chances or if you know they were going to continue to go to waste the way that Prince Aus did in the first half so in the ends they they got their goal and that was enough to to win them this tie but Forge pushed them all the way you know Oli quickly here you could never be Grudge a team for for selling a player but did they really miss Forge quacy poku here tonight yeah it's it's hard to avoid that conclusion um like they did the right thing by the player by allowing him to pursue that opportunity and take that next step in his career and it's part of why the CPO exists right is to give players like that opportunities and then hopefully to push them on to the next level but there's no question that their attack looks different with his Pace up front Taran Campbell I think would have played a bigger part in this game surely if he was fully fit to do so uh I have to think that that wasn't the case and in the end it was a a little bit more of a blunted attack as much as Benny B Banger tried to make things happen Schwan air I thought was full of running and full of endeavor uh it just didn't quite happen for them in terms of getting into the final third on a consistent basis tonight they just needed that one goal uh they did have a couple opportunities but yeah just couldn't finish in that final third olly we'll be hearing your interview a little later on in the show with Kyle Becker that's Oliver plat inside beo field speaking of CPL teams match week 21 we have Forge taking off Pacific Cavalry against Valor time running out for Valor here to make the playoffs Ottawa Vancouver and then Halifax will round things out on Monday against York United that's all right here the home of the CPL on one soccer will continue to break this game down this is the first of our double header here tonight berneski in it's a goal Toronto FC moving on you're watching Match Day Live it's the Tellis Canadian championship on one soccer [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you [Applause] [Music] for sport played with our feet funny how lending a hand takes us further together [Music] here's a look at your full-time stats history will have to wait for Forge they were looking to defeat Toronto FC and earn their way into the Canadian championship final the traditional way um but as you can see Toronto with most of the possession in this one seven shots on target to forges one Forge needing that goal that did not come here's their Captain Kyle Becker who caught up with Oliver plat earlier Kyle that was hard for all the way to the ends just what's the overriding emotions coming out of that one yeah I think we were a little sloppy in our buildup and we allowed them to kind of step up a little higher in the game we never really got in a rhythm in that and it just allowed them to kind of put the pressure on us so we didn't really get into into the Rhythm on the ball and I think you've seen us just give away a lot more sloppy balls in the middle of the field than we're probably used to credit to them and it's difficult you know you're playing a game with the away goals they get that thing we tie and AG on uh on the end of the day but just wasn't enough is there a different challenge coming here to maybe facing them at in hton field yeah I mean it's uh it presents its own challenges in itself obviously they're a good team they have good players regardless of the form they've been in they have quality players and they're expected to win so we knew they were going to come out and throw everything at the game and uh that's what we got they got pretty heated in moments as well do you take that as a compliment as to how far you've just pushed this team yeah I guess so man if they're doing all that when uh when they score a goal it is what it is there's got to be some positive in that what will you take out of this for the rest of the season as you look to compete for two trophies still on the table for you guys yeah at the end of the day we've had four I would say really good performances obviously today uh we we felt like we we didn't have our best stuff but uh the three leading up to it were fantastic so we know we got guys who can play at a top level we just got to keep going keep motivating ourselves and now we got to switch over to domestic league and and see it out thank you car done tonight well that Canadian championship the voyagers cup will once again allude for jeffc this year Bobby smotes has been very open in saying that's the one we want they want that they've won the the CPL four times they want that Canadian title but it will have to wait and it is a game where maybe they could have done things differently maybe I the stats bear it out Toronto FFC were by far the better team here tonight and it wasn't just forge being sloppy I thought that Toronto FC's approach was very good to this game they kind of forced them into I think they learned something from the first leg understanding that Forge is comfortable on the ball and they want to work it out of the back so TFC set up traps in the Midfield and far too many times Forge played into it I mean Toronto FC could have had four or five in this game here tonight Jordan the fact that they didn't finish Ian It's a combination of Prince auu just having a nightmare and maybe just not having enough Cutting Edge in attack and that's what John Herdman knows he needs to take this Toronto FC team uh Toronto FC team forward he needs a top-notch number nine to reward them so look uh Forge just didn't have the legs just I thought TFC were just by far the better team here tonight yeah I would agree with you for sure I specifically about baiting them into certain passes but Forge are sloppy some of the sloppy passes that I've seen and I think that had to do with the way they had to defend all night and when you have to when you're defending so deep and then you have to go and try to play their football you see passes that they're trying to make that they wouldn't normally make and lose look at this Prime situation where You' never see Kyle Becker really turn into pressure in the Midfield and then oh look this man right there Bernard deski running at a back three not even a back four because Forge were thinking that they're going to go forward and that should be a goal by Prince Russo so for me evaluating this match there are too many self-inflicted wounds look at this one again hjor for me is the best defensive Midfield in the Canadian premier league and he knows those moments when to hook it long or when to play Simple and short and he guess that one wrong right there all of these mistakes come from them trying to play you know maybe a little bit far too cute far too much out of the back typically when you see teams from uh you know a lower league they don't try to maybe play like that all the time that's in the Forge DNA SM not and this team not to play one way and that's the way and I think that team TFC again learned something from the first leg and kind of adapted the one thing I wonder if SME neus may have changed or would change if he could do it all over again is olabi bellu playing at left back and maybe having par a more advanced role gives you a little bit more protection par was adventurous going forward leaving a player like berneski who was the best player in the field tonight with just far too much space because Ola olabi bellu much more stay-at-home uh defensive minded did a great job against him the first first leg could be some minor alterations that they could have done differ I think the biggest alteration he would have made and this is obvious like an obvious thing to say but it's when you have a striker in form and you take them out of your squad and a crazy poku you see the detriment that added tonight they needed someone to run in behind they needed someone to win those fouls they needed someone to do the work that they've been doing for the past two months and they just didn't have it and it really cost them on the back end yeah there were just moments where you felt like getting to a pass like you have to go to the pass waiting for it to come to you well Toronto just swooped on in and took it thank you very much right everything just seemed to slow down a little bit Snowball Effect after that yeah in that offensive third um but you know what you're right credit to Toronto FC they came out looking completely different than they did in leg one also had different players that's a huge reason why so we know they're in the final who's going to join them well coming up we're going to get you ready 1000 p.m. ET for Vancouver White Caps Pacific FC the White Caps have won the last two Voyager cups they are looking for a three Pat only Toronto FC has has done that when we return though we know that the Canadian men's national team will be back in action in just a few weeks they have a couple friendlies in September September 7th and 10th against the USA and Mexico their roster was released today let's talk about that next on the [Music] show Canadian soccer fans we're different we cheer on the Reds while cheering out our mother lands and each other