Forge FC got a boost in advance of Wednesday's CONCACAF Champions Cup game against Mexico's CF Monterrey with news that influential midfielder Alessandro Hojabrpour is back in the fold.
The 25-year-old from Vancouver has signed a multi-year contract to remain with the Canadian Premier League team. Hojabrpour's previous contract expired at the end of the 2024.
Hojabrpour was nominated for both the CPL Player of the Year award and the league’s Players’ Player of the Year Award last season when he was named to the CPL's Best XI.
Forge coach and technical director Bobby Smyrniotis calls Hojabrpour "the engine of our team."
"He's fantastic player who's been great for our team for three years," he added.
Only Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson played more league minutes for Forge last season than Hojabrpour's 2,259.
Hojabrpour, who joined Forge ahead of the 2022 season from Pacific FC, has been training with the team the last few days and is "in good fitness," Smyrniotis said.
"Just like he was when he left in November. He's ready to go."
In other personnel news, Smyrniotis said a deal to move defender Malik Owolabi-Belew to an overseas club fell apart Monday "on their end." He offered no update on forward Beni Badibanga.
Forge qualified for the Champions Cup by finishing atop the 2024 CPL regular-season standings at 15-8-5. It marks Forge's third appearance in the competition — and sixth in a continental tournament including the now-defunct CONCACAF League.
Forge lost 5-2 on aggregate to Chivas Guadalajara in last year's Champions Cup and 4-1 to Cruz Azul in its tournament debut in 2022.
Forge made to the semifinals of the 2021 CONCACAF League, a second-tier continental competition, losing to Honduras' Motagua on away goals.
Monterrey finished fifth in the Liga MX Apertura and sits 10th in the early days of the Clausura at 1-3-1. It has won the CONCACAF competition five times, most recently in 2021.
"We have to neutralize what they bring," said Smyrniotis. "And they bring a lot of good things."
"They're more match-ready, more prepared," he added. "That means tactically you have to be spot-on."
After the opening leg at Hamilton Stadium, formerly Tim Hortons Field, the two teams will meet again Feb. 11 at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
The forecast calls a low of minus-seven C and cloudy periods with 60 per cent chance of snow Wednesday evening in Hamilton.
"That's what you get in February in Canada," said Smyrniotis. "It's cold. And the colder the better.
"Is it the ideal situation for either team? No. But it's something that we're used to."
In contrast, Wednesday's high in Monterrey is said to be 28 C.
Forge, which opened camp Jan. 4, spent two weeks in Cancun, Mexico, where it played four friendlies as part of its preparations for cup play.
CPL champion Cavalry hosts Mexico's Pumas UNAM on Thursday in Langford, B.C.
The Forge-Monterrey winner will face either the Vancouver Whitecaps or Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa in the round of 16. The Cavalry-Pumas winner moves on to play Costa Rica's Alajuelense.
The 22-team tournament kicked off Tuesday with Haiti's Real Hope FA hosting Mexico's Cruz Azul in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
The 2025 champion earns a berth in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
