PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania – FC Montreal lost 2-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.
The Riverhounds were the first to score in the game. Jack Thompson passed to Kevin Kerr behind the Montreal defence. Kerr, alone against goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, scored with a shot in the top of the net in the 18th minute.
Montreal equalized in the 26th minute, when forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel took advantage of a bad control from the defender to steal the ball from him and take a low shot into the right corner from outside of the box. This was his second goal in two USL games this season.
Pittsburgh took the lead right back in the 27th minute. On a deep clearance, Corey Hertzog’s first touch put him in a good position in the box before he scored with a shot in the top of the net.
In the 62nd minute, Alessandro Riggi passed from the right flank to Mastanabal Kacher, who was in a good position in front of the net. The defender put his body in front of him to block the shot.
“We had a bad first half, although we had a better second one,” said head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “We deserved at least a point in this game. We hope to go to Harrisburg and take back the points that we dropped.”
“The first half wasn’t good enough,” said Maxime Crépeau. “We keep making the same mistakes. There’s always a lack of attention or focus that means that we miss the plays. We’re in a men’s league, and we need to play like men to go and get results. It’s frustrating because we have a better team than our opponents, but when the time comes to make a move, we don’t do it. It’s all in the execution.”
FC Montreal will play its next game on Tuesday, June 21, at 7pm, against the Harrisburg City Islanders at FNB Field to end its series of four away games in 11 days. The team will be back at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex on Sunday, June 26, at 3pm to face Orlando City B.
LINEUPS
FC Montreal: Maxime Crépeau; Zachary Sukunda, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Janouk Charbonneau, Aron Mkungilwa; Louis Béland-Goyette (Philippe Lincourt-Joseph 75’), Mastanabal Kacher, Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (Heikel Jarras 83’), David Choinière, Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla (Alessandro Riggi 46’); Anthony Jackson-Hamel* (Yacine Ait Slimane 58’)
Subs not used: David Paulmin, Brandon Onkony, Nevello Yoseke
*MLS players
Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Mauricio Vargas; Marshall Hollingsworth (James Bissue 76’), Karsten Smith, Sergio Campbell, Willie Hunt; Michael Green, Lebo Moloto (Drew Russell 66’), Kevin Kerr; Zach Boggs (Nick Thompson 70’), Corey Hertzog (Stephen Okai 96’), Jack Thompson (Alex Harlley 66’)
Subs not used: Hunter Gilstrap, Jordan Murrell
GOALS
PGH: Kevin Kerr 18’
MTL: Anthony Jackson-Hamel 26’
PGH: Corey Hertzog 27’
CAUTIONS
PGH: Lebo Moloto 54’
PGH: Nick Thompson 72’
MTL: Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé 75’
