CSMRO Griffons: Points Dropped With Late Gatineau Goal

Frederico Moojen Scored 94th Career Goal in Draw

SportsAlexander Perez — Published June 5, 2017

The CSMRO Griffons conceded a late goal in their 1-1 draw. Frustrations were evident after the game—the result, according to defender Stephen Meterissian, left a sour taste in the team’s mouth.

“We lost the points,” said head coach Luc Brutus. “When the players don’t play the way we ask them to we have a problem. So if they’re not disciplined, this is what happens.”

The Griffons started the game slow, and were outpaced by Gatineau’s defender Serafin Dikenketa and midfielder Zie Mohamed Dagnogo. Both teams struggled to break the deadlock but as the first half was coming to a close, Griffons defender Kevin Le Nours’s free kick was met by forward Frederico Moojen, putting his team in the lead. The Canadian futsal international reeled away in celebration—It was his 94th career goal in the Première Ligue de Soccer du Québec.

Moojen’s goal would change the face of the game as momentum tipped into the Griffons’ favour. With a strong second half performance, the three points looked all but settled for CSMRO, but a late goal by Gatineau’s Sergio Josue Garcia Lobo would spoil the party.

Lobo’s effort came from distance. His low shot hit the post and snuck it’s way past the Griffons goalkeeper, Nizar Houhou. Delighted after scoring the tying goal, he ran in celebration, only to be met by a sea of yellow jerseys jumping for joy.

“We didn’t play a great game today and then we just didn’t know how to close the game,” said Moojen. “10-15 minutes left, we’re supposed to keep the ball and make [Gatineau] come out and then try to counter attack with the fast players we had up top and we just didn’t do that.”

CSMRO lacked a potent offence moving forward, with only a handful of opportunities throughout the 90 minutes.

“A 1-0 lead in soccer, it’s nothing,” said Meterissian. “I think we had two or three really top notch chances to score. That’s the thing, we didn’t score that second goal.”

Meterissian acknowledged that the team’s lack of intensity in the first half was to blame. The former Stingers defender stressed that the team has to come in the game with the same intensity they displayed in the second half.

“We’re not in the game right away,” he said. “We have a system and we just got to execute from the whistle.”

Although CSMRO did let the game slip away, Moojen didn’t hesitate to credit their opponents. He said Gatineau are a good team, and played an organized game. But he still felt the game was theirs to win. “We just didn’t know how to finish it,” he explained.

Gatineau’s late draw now puts the back to back champions in fifth place in the PLSQ, with only one win in the season so far for the Griffons. CSMRO will look to seal all three points come next Sunday as they face CS St-Hubert.

“We’ve been champions for two years in a row. Guys sometimes get complacent […] nothing’s given to us,” said Meterissian.