Montreal was preparing to play the perfect shot. To topple the championship leader. But in the penultimate action of the match, that feat gave way to a refrain that was a little too familiar.
At 95H In the 80th minute, goalkeeper Jonathan Sirius clumsily threw himself at Dominique Badjie inside the area. The penalty imposed on FC Cincinnati was clear and unambiguous. The visitors tied 1-1 thanks to Luciano Acosta in the penultimate round of the match.
Thus, Montreal loses two more important points in its race to the playoffs, as happened last Saturday against a very weak Fire.
“It breaks my heart when I see the players giving everything they could until the end and not being rewarded,” Hernán Losada said in a post-match press conference.
It is true that Montreal played a strong and difficult match against the best team in the league. Particularly defensively, with Sirius master of his area, and with a Waterman-Campbell-Corbeau trio that is strong and confident.
Their performance combined with Kwadwo Opoku’s magic wand in the 53rd roundH To open the scoring with a long shot gave Montreal hope. To make this match accessible to everyone.
“Why did you say this match was available?,” Losada asks the representative Journalism.
Because you were driving 95H minute.
Yes, okay, but when you play against the first player, it’s not like that [un match] Accessible. Yes, obviously if you score in the last minute, there will be a feeling that the game is over. But it’s not over yet. You play games until the end.
Hernan Losada, head coach of Montreal
He later added: “When you play against the best team in the league, this kind of thing can happen.” We focused until the end, but we did not reap the fruits of our efforts. »
Sirius “the most useful player”
It appears that the technician disagreed with the referee’s decision to award the penalty kick to Cincinnati. “For him, there was no doubt that she was in the box, not next to the box.”
The sequence occurred as follows: A long, lofted ball descended into the Montreal area. Budgie jumps up to grab him by the chest. Sirius comes behind him, jumps in turn, the connection is strong, over the line. Clearly inside the penalty area, according to the official. It’s not that clear, according to Losada.
whatever. “Yes, it was risky,” admits the coach. But at that moment he made that decision, and we support Joe’s decision 100%. He saved us and gave us a lot of points with his performance. He broke the shutout record this year, so if we start criticizing our No. 1 player, that would be very bad of me. »
Same story from Joel Waterman.
“At the end of the game, I told him he was our most valuable player this season,” the Canadian defender reveals. That didn’t change tonight. We support him with all our hearts, because we know that he will help us again in the next five matches. »
Without Opoku, nothing at all
The CF Montreal staff would like to remember the positives of this draw snatched away by the championship leaders. The fact remains that without a flash of genius from Opoku, the team didn’t go far offensively on Wednesday night.
At 53H, Opoku stepped forward in the pivot. He got rid of the first defender. He put the ball towards his left foot. Then he shot the ball a few meters from the penalty area. Leather made his way into the left corner of Roman Celentano’s net and barely beat him.
This decision came after a boring and frustrating start to the match on both sides. It took that push to finally unlock the game, and that’s what happened.
“I try to help the team as best I can,” the Ghanaian said, with everyone smiling after the match. I can take the initiative and help him this way. With God’s grace, he shot the ball into the goal. »
Hernan Losada revealed that a virus spread within the team this week. Zachary Brault-Guillard was not in the lineup at all, after looking good last Saturday. This is an additional challenge for CFM, which will play its third match in a week on Saturday evening, in Atlanta.
to rise
Kwadwo Opoku
Photo by Dominique Gravelle, Press
Kwadwo Opoku
He wasn’t perfect, and neither were any of his fellow forwards, but his attacking commitment makes him the most exciting asset in Montreal these days.
In decline
Mason Toy
If the first half has the effect of a sleeping pill, it will at least confirm the observation that Mason Towey is still not the attacking solution CFM seeks. He made himself invisible during the opening minutes of play from July 22, in the League Cup.
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