Gloomy Loss for FC Montreal at Home

New York Red Bulls II’s Brandon Allen Banks Hat Trick In 4-2 Win

SportsTristan D’Amours — Published July 9, 2016

A hat trick by the team’s leading scorer Brandon Allen and a goal from forward Junior Flemmings was what lead the New Yorkers to victory. On Montreal’s side, Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla and Janouk Charbonneau were able to find the bottom of the net.

“It’s a game in which we came out a little shy, I find,” said Brandon Onkony, who started in his first professional game at the centre-back position. “From the left side, we never got to find the right side.”

New York got the advantage early on as Fabrice Mbvouvouma was caught with a hand ball in the box, giving a penalty to the Red Bulls II at the 18th minute. Leading scorer Brandon Allen took the ball to the spot and gave the visitors the early lead.

The New Yorkers added to their lead at the 24th minute when the team got a free kick from outside the box. The ball came to Allen who once again found the back of the net for the seventh time this season.

“That’s a team that is really strong and the way it is organized, they defend by going forward,” said FC Montreal head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “And now, we have a team that doesn’t have confidence on our side. When plays like [the penalty] happens, it knocks them out of their balance.”

Without a dangerous chance during most of the first half, FC Montreal managed to find a way to cut the score to one at the 41st minute. Midfielder Yacine Ait Slimane took a run on the right side and crossed to a wide open Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla who leaped to head the ball past New York goalkeeper Ryan Meara.

The hope that Montreal would get back in the game in the second half crumbled only one minute after the opening whistle. Red Bulls II forward Junior Flemmings let the hosts know they would not equalize in this game.

Allen then added to that tally by completing his hat trick at the 70th minute and sealing the deal for the New Yorkers by the same token.

“I want to stress on the quality of the opposition that is good physically, on the structure, and for us even if we are better offensively it’s still not enough,” said Eullaffroy. “When we have our backs against the wall and we have to react to score, we are a little more intense. We get forward more and it makes for something better to watch and more dangerous for the opposition.”

Montreal managed to find a goal late in the game at the 84th minute. Defender Janouk Charbonneau scored his first professional goal assisted by Benreddine Boulajoul, a striker freshly acquired from the Impact under 18 team who had just stepped on the field.

“Sometimes we say some are strikers just for the name and others only think about goal, [Boulajoul] only thinks about goal,” said Eullaffroy. “We saw that he didn’t let others get to him. He got in and took his chance because what he wants is to score and it is a good example certain kids could take from.”

The next stop for FC Montreal is a visit to their rivals from the south, the Rochester Rhinos, on July 16. The next home game will be on July 30 as Montreal hosts the Charlotte Independence.