MONTREAL (Interstat) — Forge scored the eventual winner after Daniel Rios pulled CF Montreal level and held on for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday in a chippy match that stretched past 111 minutes. Antoine Batisse gave Forge the lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing in the 45th minute plus six. CF Montreal answered early in the second half when Rios scored in the 49th. Forge then restored its advantage and protected the lead through a contentious closing stretch that included extra time and several disciplinary interruptions. The result moved Forge to 1-0 in the competition and 3-0 across all competitions. CF Montreal dropped to 0-1 in the competition and 0-3-1 overall.

Batisse’s opener came just before halftime and changed the match’s shape. CF Montreal pushed for an equalizer after the break, and Rios delivered in the 49th minute from a sequence that involved Fabian Herbers, who was credited with an assist. Rios played 81 minutes before being substituted. Forge’s Noah Jensen also recorded an assist. The visitors’ ability to answer after Rios’s goal proved decisive, even as CF Montreal tried to force another equalizer. Forge’s back line and midfield absorbed pressure, and the match grew increasingly physical as the second half wore on.

Discipline became a major theme. CF Montreal’s Craig was booked in the 18th minute, and Forge’s James followed in the 24th. Cavallini was cautioned in the 27th, and CF Montreal’s Vera was booked in the 32nd before receiving a second yellow card in the 54th, leaving the home side short-handed. Jevremovic was cautioned in the 82nd, and Synchuk was booked in the 100th. The cards interrupted the flow and forced both teams into substitutions and tactical adjustments. Forge made changes at the 42nd, 46th, 70th, 88th and 105th minutes. CF Montreal substituted at the 57th, 81st and 111th minutes.

Forge made substitutions involving Cavallini in the 42nd, Sadek in the 46th, Jensen and Aromatario in the 70th, Bourgeois in the 88th and Jevremovic in the 105th. CF Montreal’s substitutions involved Herbers in the 57th, Rios and Carmona in the 81st, and Craig in the 111th. The teams combined for seven yellow cards in the match, with Vera’s second booking the most consequential.

CF Montreal’s best spell came after Rios’s goal, but Forge kept the home side from finding a second equalizer. The match remained tight into the late stages, with both teams using substitutions to manage fatigue and the disciplinary situation. Forge’s previous results this season included a 2-1 win at Atl. Ottawa and a 5-0 home win over Inter Toronto, and the visitors carried that form into the contest. CF Montreal, which had drawn at Seattle Sounders and lost to Atlanta Utd and Toronto FC earlier in the season, could not turn its second-half pressure into another goal. CF Montreal is scheduled to host Nashville SC in MLS next.

Forge’s attack found enough separation despite the tight scoreline, while CF Montreal’s search for a late breakthrough fell short. The home side’s frustration showed in the booking count, and Forge managed the closing minutes well enough to preserve the result. The visitors also protected their unbeaten start across all competitions, while CF Montreal remained without a win in its young campaign. The result left Forge unbeaten in its first competition match and CF Montreal still seeking its first win in the competition. The match’s key performers included Rios and Batisse on the scoresheet, with Herbers and Jensen providing assists.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Forge 3, CF Montreal 1, and its ELO system had projected Forge with a 62.7 percent probability to win. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.