MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact U21 team tied the Mississauga Eagles FC 2-2, Sunday afternoon, at College St-Jean-Vianney, in RDP.
With the tie, the U21 moves into a tie with TFC Academy for second place in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) with a record of 5-1-4.
“After a good first half in which we led 2-0, we gave up two really late goals,” said Impact U21 head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “Our capacity to push from some of our players and the leadership of others comes into question after this game. Under these circumstances, this was a disappointing result but also one that was educational for the coaching staff.”
The Impact opened the scoring in the 39th minute when midfielder Wandrille Lefevre found forward Alexander King with a cross from the right flank, who tapped the ball past Mississauga goalkeeper Koffi Oppong.
First team defender Calum Mallace, playing his first game with the Academy side, scored in the 44th minute to give the Impact a 2-0 lead. Midfielder Kevin Luarca’s shot ricocheted off the crossbar, where Mallace got onto the rebound with his head to beat the Eagles’ keeper.
Mississauga managed some pressure in the late stages of the game, scoring their first goal in the 87th minute when midfielder Jose Melo headed home a cross past Impact goalkeeper Jason Beaulieu.
Three minutes later, defender Thomas McLean converted on another cross to earn the draw in the game’s final seconds.
The home team came close to opening the score in the 24th minute when King fired a shot from about 18-yards out that was saved by the Eagles’ keeper.
The Impact U21s came close to getting at third marker in the 73rd minute when forward Victor Ndiaye’s header from a cross was stopped by a diving Oppong.
Forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel returned to the Impact U21 lineup following an extended absence due to injury, coming in as a substitute in the 81st minute.
Next game
The U21 team will host Brampton City United, on Sunday, July 21, at the College St-Jean-Vianney.
On the next day, the Impact U21 embarks on a tour of France to play games against the reserve sides of first division clubs from Ligue 1; returning on August 3.
Impact lineup
GK - Jason Beaulieu; D - Francesco Augustin, Amine Meftouh (Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare* 71’), Hugo Lapointe-Sénécal, Kai Morton; M - Wandrille Lefevre (Philippe Lincourt-Joseph 76’), Dominique Morin, Kevin Luarca (Yacine Ait Slimane* 53’), Calum Mallace; F - Victor Ndiaye (Anthony Jackson-Hamel 81’), Alexander King (Zakaria Messoudi 59’)
Unused subs: GK - Hicham Kettani
Impact pro player
**Impact U18 player
Goals :
MTL – King 39’
MTL – Mallace 44’
MISS – Melo 87’
MISS – McLean 90’
Cautions:
MTL – Lefevre 36’
MISS – McLean 27’
