FC Montreal Extend Win Streak to Three Against Bethlehem
Aron Mkungilwa’s Go-Ahead Goal Clinches Montreal’s Win
For the first time this season, FC Montreal came from behind to win.
On a pouring Sunday afternoon, two late unanswered goals from central defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and left back Aron Mkungilwa put Montreal ahead 3-2 against Bethlehem Steel FC.
“We [were aggressive] and when we took the momentum back, we were efficient,” said FC Montreal head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “They had the merit of believing in it and they were rewarded.”
Not only was that Montreal’s first come-from-behind win, it was also a first win against one of its newer rivals Steel FC.
After losing their season opener to Bethlehem at Olympic Stadium in March, the team travelled to the Lehigh Valley on May 25 to play Steel FC on the road. After leading 1-0 for most of the game, Montreal conceded two penalty kicks to lose 2-1. Now in late August, Eullaffroy’s squad earned a comeback of their own.
“We had a bad taste in our mouths [in Bethlehem]. We didn’t want this to re-occur and this bad taste was replaced by something better,” said Eullaffroy. “But it really was a team in which we had a feeling to take points from them at heart.”
After sealing a third straight win, confidence is high amongst the Montreal locker room. The team doesn’t hide the fact that they want to finish the 2016 United Soccer League season strong.
“I think we will win all the next ones,” said Meilleur-Guiguère, who scored his first professional goal to tie the game at two. “We have a good schedule and I think we are in a good stint.”
After taking pressure from Bethlehem early in the game, Montreal opened the score. At the 32nd minute, FC Montreal took advantage of the heavy pressure coming from Bethlehem’s right flank. Defender Aron Mkungilwa sent a long through ball down the flank which Steel FC players weren’t prepared for.
Forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel took was at the other end of that ball and beat Steel FC goalkeeper Samir Badr, who hesitated to bring himself forward, before sinking his shot from a difficult angle.
A free kick opportunity to Bethlehem brought the score back to level pegging shortly after. At the 40th minute, midfielder James Chambers beat Montreal goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau on the lower right side with a free kick from distance to bring the score to 1-1.
Soon after the teams got back from the locker rooms Bethlehem took the lead. After making a save following a corner kick at the 50th minute, Crépeau lost the ball and Steel forward Cory Burke took the rebound to score one of the many goals Montreal has suffered shortly after the half this season.
“We tell them about it but it’s youth,” said Eullaffroy. “They don’t always listen to the older ones so there are still things to learn.”
Montreal regained the momentum late in the game after a Bethlehem domination for most of the second half. At the 82nd minute, a corner kick situation saw Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla send the ball from the corner spot to Meilleur-Guiguère who brought the score back to a tie game with his first goal in the USL.
“It feels good to score. I had chances this season but I didn’t get them,” said Meilleur-Guiguère. “On free kick I often didn’t find myself quite good but now I think this will give me confidence for the next ones.”
Finally, in stoppage time, midfielder Philippe Lincourt-Joseph sent a through ball on the left side for left back Aron Mkungilwa. The defender continued on to beat Badr and give his team a third straight win.
“It wasn’t a high quality game but good thing emerged from it,” said Eullaffroy “It’s also interesting to have two defenders scoring.”
FC Montreal will try to extend their winning streak to four games on August 28 against their rivals Toronto FC II at the Ontario Soccer Centre. The next FC Montreal home game will be held on August 31 where they will host the Wilmington Hammerheads.
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