MONTREAL – FC Montreal won 2-1 against the Charleston Battery this Wednesday afternoon at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex after being reduced to 10 men in the second half. The club’s second team has now posted a 5-1-1 record in its last seven games.
First-team striker Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Jimmy-Shammar Sanon scored the Bleu-blanc-noir’s two goals, while Jeremy Ebobisse replied for Charleston.
FC Montreal took the lead in the 14th minute. Janouk Charbonneau crossed the ball into the box for Jackson-Hamel, who controlled it before taking a strong shot that beat goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper.
The Battery equalized in the 40th minute, when Ebobisse cut inside from the right before dribbling past a defender and scoring with a curling shot into the top left corner.
Just after halftime, Jackson-Hamel almost scored his second of the day when he hit Heikel Jarras’s cross towards the top of the net with his head, but Cooper jumped to push the ball over the net.
In the 56th minute, Aron Mkungilwa got a red card for a tackle on a Battery player. Even down to 10 men, FC Montreal still pushed to get the three points.
In the 80th minute, on a counterattack, Sanon cut inside before taking an amazing and powerful shot into the top of the net to give another lead to Montreal, who kept it until the last whistle.
“The character and competitiveness of the players made the difference,” said head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “This was a superb team effort, with nice goals. We will be able to breathe a little more now because we’ve played many games in few days. We will be able to prepare well for the last two games of the season. Jimmy reminded us of his qualities with his goal.”
“We had a good first 20 minutes, then 25 bad ones,” said defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère. “But we had more strong moments then weak ones, and that’s what helped us win the game. I give the credit to the substitutes, who gave everything they had.”
FC Montreal will take advantage of a 10-day period before its next game against New York Red Bulls II on Saturday, September 17, at Red Bull Arena.
LINEUPS
FC Montreal: David Paulmin; Aron Mkungilwa, Kyle Fisher, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Janouk Charbonneau; Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, Nevello Yoseke (Mele Temguia 90’), Yacine Ait Slimane (Jimmy-Shammar Sanon 67’), Heikel Jarras (Zachary Sukunda 61’), David Choinière* (Philippe Lincourt-Joseph 67’); Anthony Jackson-Hamel* (Badreddine Boulajoul 87’)
Subs not used: Luca Leone, Jems Geffrard
*MLS players
Charleston Battery: Odisnel Cooper; Quinton Griffith, Taylor Mueller, Forrest Lasso, Emmanuel Adjetey; Maikel Chang, Zachary Prince (Chris Tsonis 87’), Dante Marini (Andrew Carleton 70’); Ataulla Guerra, Romario Williams (Heviel Cordoves 80’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Ricardo Garbanzo 61’)
Subs not used: Alexander Tambakis, Shawn Ferguson, Justin Portillo,
GOALS
MTL: Anthony Jackson-Hamel 14’
CHS: Jeremy Ebobisse 40’
MTL: Jimmy-Shammar Sanon 80’
CAUTIONS
MTL: Nevello Yoseke 48’
MTL: Kyle Fisher 58’
CHS: Ricardo Garbanzo 66’
EJECTION
MTL: Aron Mkungilwa 56’
