NEW YORK, New York – The Bleu-blanc-noir lost 3-0, Wednesday night against an New York City FC team who remains unbeaten at Yankee Stadium this season, having won nine of 10 games at home. Jesus Medina, Ronald Matarrita and Jonathan Lewis scored for the hosts.
“We lost against a team that was better than us tonight, throughout the entire game,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “We tried to resist and to be a little heavier offensively in the second, but I think tonight, we had a little less of a repertoire to do what we’ve been doing in recent games. I didn’t want us to lower our collective spirit, and I must say I wasn’t disappointed. The result was logical tonight, unfortunately for us.”
In the middle of a difficult series consisting of seven games in 22 days, an altered line-up kicked off the game on Wednesday night. Young Canadian Shamit Shome started his first ever MLS game, while Michael Petrasso, Víctor Cabrera, Raheem Edwards and Anthony Jackson-Hamel were all back in the starting 11 chosen by Rémi Garde.
Impact holds on in the first half
Even if NYCFC boasted an almost perfect record at home since the beginning of the season, the Impact didn’t seem impressed in the beginning of the game, still leaving its opponent with two thirds of the possession.
The best opportunity in the first half came in the seventh minute, when Thomas McNamara’s attempt from just outside the box missed inches wide on the opposite side.
Breakthrough at the hour-mark
After three key saves from Evan Bush on attempts from Alexander Callens, Ben Sweat and Maxi Moralez, it was finally Jesus Medina who managed to beat the American goalkeeper, right before the hour-mark, with a left-footed shot from outside the box.
Then, in the 65th minute, Ronald Matarrita doubled New York’s lead thanks to a failed cross that finally made its way in the goal, tricking Bush.
New York added another in the 76th minute, when Matarrita’s cross was headed in by Jonathan Lewis.
In the 88th minute, NYCFC came close to scoring another, but Lewis’ shot rattled the post to Bush’s left.
“We expected to be a bit better,” said Bush, already starting his 20th game of the season. “I think the energy was good, the spirit was good, and the effort was there. At times, we were a bit hesitant to step up on guys at the right moments or to take advantage of spaces at the right moments. We wipe this one clean and we focus on Saturday.”
“It was difficult tonight,” said midfielder Samuel Piette. “We weren’t used to this smaller field, and the grass is a little longer here. But those aren’t excuses because they were better than us tonight. We can’t let this result break our spirit.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will be back at Stade Saputo this Saturday, July 14, at 7:30pm, to host the San Jose Earthquakes during the fourth and last 25th anniversary thematic game, which will celebrate the club’s international connections (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). Montreal will then kick off its road to the Concacaf Champions League, with the first leg of the Canadian Championship semi-final against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at Stade Saputo on Wednesday, July 18 at 7:30pm (TICKETS).
LINE-UPS
MTL – G-Evan Bush; D-Jukka Raitala, Víctor Cabrera, Rod Fanni, Michael Petrasso; M-Samuel Piette (Ken Krolicki 82’), Saphir Taider, Shamit Shome; A-Ignacio Piatti, Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Alejandro Silva 59’), Raheem Edwards (Daniel Lovitz 59’)
Unused substitutes – Clément Diop, Chris Duvall, Jeisson Vargas, Matteo Mancosu
NYC – G-Sean Johnson; D-Anton Tinnerholm, Sebastien Ibeagha, Alexander Callens, Ben Sweat; M-Alexander Ring (Kwame Awuah 81’), Ebenezer Ofori, Maximiliano Morález, Jesús Medina, Rodney Wallace (Ronald Matarrita 62’); A-Thomas McNamara (Jonathan Lewis 67’)
Unused substitutes – Brad Stuver, Maxime Chanot, Saad Abdul-Salaam, James Sands
GOALS
NYC – Medina (Morález) 60’
NYC – Matarrita (Medina) 65’
NYC – Lewis (Matarrita, Morález) 76’
CAUTIONS
NYC – McNamara 11’
NYC – Tinnerholm 21’
MTL – Edwards 23’
