MONTREAL – FC Montreal conceded a second half goal, falling 1-0 to the Charlotte Independence Wednesday night at Stade Saputo.
In the 73rd minute, Paolo Del Piccolo crossed the ball into the box for Caleb Calvert, who just got into the game. Calvert’s header found the back of the net and put the Independence ahead. Charlotte held on until the final whistle to win their first away game of the season.
In the first half, goalkeeper Yann-Alexandre Fillion was forced to make a few saves to keep FC Montreal in the game.
In the 43rd minute, on a cross from the right flank, Enzo Martinez redirected the ball with his head towards the top of the net, but Fillion jumped to push the ball over the goal.
At the beginning of the second half, FC Montreal pushed to take the lead. Midfielder Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé took a strong left footed shot from 20 yards out, but the ball touched the crossbar before going out of play.
A few minutes later, winger Alessandro Riggi dribbled down the left side before passing for midfielder Zakaria Messoudi, but his low shot was blocked by goalkeeper John Berner, who dived to his right.
Montreal now has a 7-13-4 record this season, still 10th in the Eastern Conference.
“It was important to come out strong in the second half, because the first one wasn’t good,” said midfielder Louis Béland-Goyette. “We had more intensity, but it wasn’t enough to score.”
“It looked a lot like the Wilmington game,” said head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “Now, we look at the journey we had. More than the result, it’s quality on the field that we want to see. We are more disappointed by the performance then by the result.”
The next FC Montreal game will be played on August 29, at 7pm, against the Harrisburg City Islanders, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
LINEUPS
FC Montreal: Yann-Alexandre Fillion; Aron Mkungilwa, Jonathan Grant, Mitchel Bringolf, Zachary Sukunda; Louis Béland-Goyette, Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (Marco Dominguez 82’), Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle (Fabio Morelli 35’), Zakaria Messoudi (Yacine Ait Slimane 67’), Alessandro Riggi; Romario Williams (Jacques Haman 67’)
Subs not used: James Pantemis, Mélé Temguia, Yoseke Nevello,
Charlotte Independence: John Berner; Mechack Jerome, Patrick Slogic, Bilal Duckett, Henry Kalunge; Andrew Ribeiro, Enzo Martinez (Jack Metcalf 84’), Dominique Badji (Raphael Cox 65’), Paolo Del Piccolo; Carlos Alvarez (Daniel Jackson 65’), Tomasz Zahorski (Caleb Calvert 72’)
Subs not used: Eric Ati, Jack Thompson, Michael Bustamante
GOALS
CHA: Caleb Calvert 73’
CAUTIONS
MTL: Zakaria Messoudi 45’
MTL: Alessandro Riggi 63’
MTL: Jacques Haman 90’
