Before leaving his CF Montreal teammates to meet his fellow Hondurans in the Gold Cup, Romell Quioto reminded everyone that the player that Montreal fans saw last year, in his first season with the team, still existed.
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Quioto capped a strong game by scoring in the 73e minute of play and CF Montreal snatched a 2-1 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday night in a home game played at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.
Quioto’s goal was his second of the season, and his first since the opening game on April 17.
« [Mon but] was no more important than the three points. I felt that the goals were coming, but what makes me happier on the eve of leaving to join the national team is to have been able to get the three points, ”said Quioto.
Suddenly, Wilfried Nancy’s men signed a second straight victory for the first time this season, and played a fifth consecutive game without defeat.
We have to go back to July 2016 to retrace the last streak of five games without a setback by the Montreal team.
Mason Toye, on his first career penalty in MLS at the 43e minute, scored the other goal of CF Montreal (5-3-4), which totals 19 points and shares third place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Union, who have an identical record.
PHOTO JASEN VINLOVE, USA TODAY SPORTS
Mason Toye (13)
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Keaton Parks gave New York City FC the lead, beating goaltender James Pantemis, who blocked three balls for his third win this season.
In addition to extending its current streak of success, CF Montreal ended a series of nine games without a win (0-5-4) against the New York team. The Montreal team’s last – and only – victory against New York City FC was in the 1is August 2015.
CF Montreal will finally return home to hold their next training sessions between now and their next game, on Saturday July 17 against FC Cincinnati – the last club to have defeated the Montreal team – in a local stadium which remains at determine.
Action on both sides
While some early matches may test the patience of fans eager for action and highlights, Wednesday’s would have probably satisfied them.
After the first 20 minutes of play, each of the two teams had attempted three shots towards the opposing net. This does not include that of Quioto who beat goalkeeper Luis Barraza in the 45e second before the streak was canceled due to an offside, depriving the Honduran of his first goal since April 17.
Quioto also had an excellent first half and had two other great opportunities to rock the strings, but without success.
It was ultimately New York City FC that opened the scoring, at the 29e minute, when Parks recovered a ball at the entrance of the penalty area and beat Pantemis with a low shot, to the right of the Quebec goalkeeper.
PHOTO GARY MCCULLOUGH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Keaton Parks
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It was the first time this season that Nancy’s troops conceded the first goal of a match in the first half.
The Montreal team, however, responded with two minutes to play at the half thanks to Toye, who converted the penalty caused by Djordje Mihailovic by being caught in the penalty area.
Quioto was finally rewarded for his efforts in the first half by breaking the tie after a pass from Mihailovic.
“Since returning from the days off that we had, I can feel it,” Nancy said of Quioto.
“Since returning, we have worked well, he has worked well, he feels good. So today he had an interesting game. He works a lot in training, so it pays off. ”
After this goal, CF Montreal held on for the last 17 minutes of regulation time plus some six minutes of stoppage time. But once again, it was not easy.
In the dying moments of stoppage, Nancy and her players almost conceded a penalty, but the streak was canceled due to an offside called against the NYCFC, after verification with video referee assistance.
By her own admission, Nancy was raging with anger, inside, as he waited for the outcome of the video verification. As if he was afraid of seeing other precious points in the standings fly away.
“I was really angry because it came out of nowhere. I know my group is young, I know it is lacking at times of experience, but the experience starts with repeating games which are difficult, ”said Nancy.
“It was hard, I won’t hide from you that it was hard. I said to myself, over, over, over and over again. And the offside saved us. I would like to end a game a little quieter, but for the moment, it is not relevant. So we’ll see later, ”he added with a sneer, no doubt in relief.
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