ANALYSIS + HIGHLIGHTS: Forge FC 🇨🇦 hold Tigres UANL 🇲🇽 to 0-0 draw in 1st leg of Concacaf Champions Cup matchup

Forge FC made history in the opening match of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday, as they collected their first ever draw in the tournament with a 0-0 result in Hamilton against Tigres UANL.

The Hammers held off the Liga MX giants over an outstanding 90 minutes, becoming the first Canadian Premier League team to keep a clean sheet in the Champions Cup.

Despite frigid conditions in Hamilton, the visiting Tigres played a remarkably strong side, including eight of the 11 players who started their Liga MX match on Saturday. That included soon-to-be Canadian international Marcelo Flores (making his first professional appearance in Canada), as well as legendary French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac.

Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis, taking charge for an eighth year at the helm of the club (and a fourth Concacaf Champions Cup campaign), offered some surprises in his own starting XI. He opted to play with a back five — using Ben Paton and Rezart Rama as wing-backs — and Tristan Borges as a false nine attacker between energetic young wingers Hoce Massunda and Ismael Oketokoun.

The two attackers kicked off with energy, clearly trying to establish a high press in the opening 10 minutes before settling into the defensive structure.

As the first half unfolded, Tigres began establishing their own possession play, but Forge's defensive shape proved difficult to pick apart. More often than not, they forced Tigres to play along the touchlines via Flores and Diego Lainez, but with the five-man backline Forge were able to crowd the passing lanes and keep the ball to the perimeter of their box.

The biggest story for Forge in the first half, however, was goalkeeper Dimitry Bertaud. The DR Congo international, who has spent his pro career to date with French top-flight club Montpellier, got his first game between the sticks at Hamilton Stadium.

Bertaud made four exceptional saves toward the end of the opening half, turning away Gignac more than once as well as a powerful attempt from Flores. He would finish the game with seven total saves.

It was, therefore, a frustrated Tigres side who went to the dressing room at 0-0; for Forge, it had gone largely to plan, although they'd had a couple close calls of their own in the attacking end.

Tigres made a couple of changes at halftime, taking Gignac out of the game, and Forge once again came out of the gates aggressively. They created a flurry of excellent chances — Hoce Massunda coming closes with a shot that Nahuel Guzman shrugged off — and put the Mexican side under enough pressure that they had to go to their bench again.

While Tigres boss added 2022 FIFA World Cup champion Ángel Correa to the game, Forge made a couple subs of their own: recent Ontario Premier League MVP Anthony Aromatario (currently with the team on a short-term contract) and striker Brian Wright. 

The visitors gave the Hamilton Stadium crowd a scare just after the hour mark, when Juan Brunetta finally snuck past the defence and smashed a loose ball past Bertaud — but he was just offside, and the VAR booth disallowed the goal.

Reinvigorated by the reprieve, Forge managed to turn the tide and began searching for more chances of their own. As time ticked down, and they sensed a potential opportunity, Forge became more aggressive, pushing Rama and Paton further up the pitch to try and create their own overloads. Rama nearly scored for Forge, getting on the end of a good flat cross by Paton, but his header soared just over the crossbar.

Ultimately, the goal eluded both sides, and this round one tie will have to be settled in Mexico next week.

Forge, undoubtedly the happier of the two sides for this result, were full value for the scoreless draw. To a man, they were fully focused in almost every single moment and fought for every ball.

Now, having proven to Tigres that they're capable of shutting down their best, Forge will attempt to do so once again next week.

This time, they'll have to do it at El Volcán.

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Forge FC: Bertaud; Rama, Nimick, Batisse, Jevremović, Paton; Bekker, Babouli (Aromatario 60'); Borges (Jensen 74'), Oketokoun (Wright 60'), Massunda (Filion 74')

Tigres UANL: Guzmán; Garza (Correa 60'), Purata, Zwarg, Loroña; Gorriarán, Vigón (Rodríguez 75'); Lainez (Herrera 46'), Brunetta, Flores (Sánchez 75'); Gignac (López 46')

Goals

None

Discipline

48' — Yellow: Ismael Oketokoun (Forge FC)

CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match

Dimitry Bertaud, Forge FC

The new Forge keeper introduced himself to the Hamilton faithful in style, making seven saves (some of them exceptional athletic reactions).

What’s next?

The tie now shifts to Nuevo León, where these sides will do battle at the Estadio Universitario next Tuesday, Feb. 10 (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Watch all 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup matches live in Canada on OneSoccer.