Late surge earns Forge dramatic draw with Motagua

HAMILTON, Ontario. – Forge FC of Canada rallied from a late two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Honduran side Motagua in the first leg of the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League semifinals on Wednesday night at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario.

It was a tight opening half between the two teams, with some early pressure from Tristan Borges and Joshua Navarro accounting for Forge’s best looks of the first 45 minutes, while a probing shot from distance for Motagua tested the nerves of Forge GK Triston Henry.

There would be a goal before halftime and it was no surprise to see Motagua stalwart Kevin Lopez doing the damage by controlling a deflected cross in the area and firing into net for a 1-0 Motagua lead in the 43’.

Forge looked to respond in the second half and Navarro was inches away from equalizing in the 51’ when he took a pass from Borges and fired off the post. 

The home side would end up ruing that close call, as Marcelo Pereira made it a 2-0 affair in the 64’ with a header off a free kick.

Forge kept plugging away though and they were handsomely rewarded in the 83’ when Navarro made it 2-1 with a header.

Just when it looked like Motagua would come away with the victory, Kwame Awuah turned in a rebound in the 90+4’ to give Forge the dramatic 2-2 draw.