Cavalry FC won the Canadian Premier League title on Saturday afternoon, defeating defending champions Forge FC 2-1.

Tobias Warschewski scored from the penalty spot in the 31st^st minute and Sergio Camargo scored what proved to be the winner about seven minutes later.

After the break, Forge FC cut the deficit in half when Alexander Achinioti-Jonsson redirected a loose ball past Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci into the net.

The Cavalry, however, stiffened in defense and then managed to stop the 2023 champions.

Hamilton’s team pressed and pressed as time ticked down, but were unable to equalize.

The spectators – led by the Foot Soldiers, the official Cavalry FC supporters’ support group – chanted, shouted and sang for the final seven minutes of added time.

The record crowd of 7,052 at ATCO Field roared when the referee blew his whistle seven and a half minutes into added time.

Cavalry players and coaches hugged each other and wiped away tears after “slaying the dragon” and defeating four-time champion Forge.

In 2019, Forge defeated Cavalry in the inaugural CPL Cup Final with a 2–0 aggregate victory in the two-match series.

Then came a 2-1 overtime victory for Forge at Tim Hortons Field in 2023.

Warschewski was named Finals MVP.

Cavalry FC is the third CPL team to win the championship. The others are Forge FC (2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023 and Pacific FC (2021)

The CPL currently has teams in eight cities: Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and Halifax.

Both teams qualified for the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the region’s elite club championship.

With files from The Canadian Press