A goal and an assist from Nana Ampomah helped Canadian Premier League side Forge FC open the Canadian Championship semifinals with a 2-2 draw against Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday.

Ampomah capitalized on a failed clearance by Vancouver's Bjorn Utvik in the ninth minute, collecting the ball and firing it in to give the home side an early 1-0 lead.

Tristan Blackmon responded for the 'Caps, scoring in the 18th minute, and Brian White gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead in the 29th minute.

Forge levelled the score in the 34th minute when Ampomah picked up another failed Whitecaps clearance and sent it to Brian Wright, who popped it into the back of the Vancouver goal.

The 'Caps will host the second half of the two-legged semifinal series in Vancouver on Sept. 16.

Hugo Mbongoe's goal in the 69th minute stood up as the game winner as Vancouver FC downed Atletico Ottawa 3-1 in the first leg of their Canadian Championship semifinal matchup on Wednesday.

Michel da Silva opened the scoring for Vancouver in the 21st minute, and Ottawa's Samuel Salter replied with a strike of his own in the 58th.

Vancouver regained the lead thanks to Mbongoe's goal, then added some late insurance when Nicolas Mezquida scored in the first minute of injury time.