LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – The Montreal Impact fell 2-1 to Orlando City SC on Saturday night in Reserve League play at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex under hot and humid conditions.
Lions’ midfielder Brian Span scored a brace (12th and 60th minute) for the home side, while Maxim Tissot replied for the bleu-blanc-noir in the 75th minute (WATCH his goal here).
The USL side, who is in first place with a record of 10-0-3, controlled much of the first half, putting goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau to the test on a number of occasions, including early on when midfielder Austin da Luz found two chances, firing off a long distance effort right that was stopped by Crépeau before he headed a chance on target that forced the keeper to tip the ball over the bar.
“They dominated for much of the first 45 minutes. We had trouble getting out of our zone as we kept giving the ball away,” said Crépeau, making his first start of the year for the first team. “But in the second half, we made adjustments and we were able to create some good chances and push the game forward. For me, the game was a chance to get minutes. It’s a chance for me to play and show my worth.”
After Span scored his second goal for his 2015 MLS expansion side, which deflected off of an Impact defender, the bleu-blanc-noir got one back when Calum Mallace played the ball out to the right flank to forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel Gonzalez who sent a cross through the box to Tissot for the tap in.
Defenders Futty Danso, Mechak Jérôme and Adrian Lopez played their first game with the Impact in 2014, while Academy players Janouk Charbonneau, Victor Ndiaye, Louis Béland-Goyette, Anthony Jackson-Hamel and Charles Joly all saw minutes with the first team.
Lineups:
MTL - GK Maxime Crepeau, D Mechak Jérôme, Matteo Ferrari, Janouk Charbonneau, Futty Danso (Adrian Lopez 64’), M Maxim Tissot, Calum Mallace, Louis Beland-Goyette, Victor Ndiaye (Charles Joly 56’), F Santiago Gonzalez, Anthony Jackson-Hamel
ORL - GK Miguel Gallardo, D Tyler Turner, Brad Rusin, Bryan Burke, Luke Boden, M Anthony Pulis, Adama Mbengue, Yordany Alvarez (Aodhan Quinn 25’), Austin da Luz, Brian Span, F Corey Hertzog (Dennis Chin 75’)
Goals:
ORL - Brian Span (Corey Hertzog) 12’
ORL - Brian Span (Unassisted) 60’
MTL - Maxim Tissot (Anthony Jackson-Hamel) 75’
Cautions:
MTL - Janouk Carbonneau 31’
MTL - Maxim Tissot 74’
MTL - Louis Béland-Goyette 84’
