FC Montreal will be playing against an old rival, the Rochester Rhinos, this Saturday at 2:30pm, on the synthetic turf at Stade Saputo, for its second game of the season in USL.
It’s also a second game at home for the team, two weeks after losing 2-0 to Toronto FC II, on March 28, at Olympic Stadium.
“We were not satisfied with the result from last game,” explains FC Montreal’s goalkeeper Yann-Alexandre Fillion. “But we know it’s only the beginning. We worked hard to be prepared for our opponents this weekend. We are eager to play against one of the best teams in the league.”
Fillion recognizes that he was caught by surprise in the opening minutes of the game against Toronto FC II.
“I was a bit nervous. It was easy to notice in the first half,” said Fillion. “But back on the field, I was more confident with the pace of the game and I want to keep that going for the next game.”
On Rochester’s side, the Rhinos tied their first game 0-0 against the New York Red Bulls II on the road, followed by its first victory, winning 2-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on April 4.
The Rhinos are now in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s a well established team that was successful and still is,” said FC Montreal head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “We know they will be well organized. We play against a team that does more then fights for the playoffs every season, they fight for the championship.”
Eullaffroy keeps in mind the strength and reputation of the team, but his preparation stays the same.
“Whether it is Rochester or another team, we won’t change our game plan,” he says. “The challenge might be more difficult, but we will prepare the same way.”
The team will try to correct one aspect that wasn’t used enough in the first game.
“After watching the game against Toronto, we noticed that we didn’t play enough on the wings,” said midfielder Philippe Lincourt-Joseph. “We must occupy the width of the field against Rochester.”
Admission to the game is free. The Olympic Stadium parking lot will be open at the regular price.
The game will also be streamed online at: www.impactmontreal.com/fcmontreal.
FC Montreal will play its following game on the road, on Saturday, April 18, at 7pm, against the Harrisburg City Islanders, at the Skyline Sports Complex.
