Men’s Soccer: Down and Out

Concordia’s Losing Streak Continues After 4-1 Loss to UQTR Patriotes

SportsNick Pevato — Published October 19, 2015

“It’s frustrating. Obviously things aren’t going right at the moment,” manager Greg Sutton said after the match.

On Friday night versus McGill, the Stingers conceded an early goal only 15 minutes into the match. In Sunday’s game, they conceded one in 15 seconds. Nassim El-Fodil scored the opening goal before most of the spectators could even find their seats, and the Stingers were in a hole before most players touched the ball for the first time.

Things would go take a turn for the worse for the Stingers with five minutes before the half. After being taken down by an aggressive tackle, which the referee called a foul, midfielder Amadou Lam retaliated and kicked a Patriotes player. The official, who had a clear view on the incident, reached straight for a red card, expulsing Lam from the match and reducing Concordia to 10 men.

“I didn’t see what happened,” veteran midfielder Jose Prida said about the incident. “But already being down a goal, and then going down a man, it gets tough.”

In the following minutes after Lam’s dismal, tensions were high on the field. Concordia’s assistant manager was also expelled from the game after arguing a non-call moments after. The teams would enter the break on the 1-0 score line.

Concordia did create a few offensive chances in the first 20 minutes of the second half, despite being shorthanded. However, UQTR’s Noah Lapierre was had the ball alone on a breakaway and beat goalkeeper Wes Aucoin in the 65th minute to make it 2-0.

“That one was difficult to give up. We could have done better getting back and all of a sudden, after a little pass play, we are down by two goals,” Sutton said.

Only two minutes after, the Patriotes extended their lead to three, when Dino Bikic finished off a cross. The Bosnia and Herzegovina native took advantage of another lack of concentration by the Concordia defense, and scored his team’s third goal of the game.

In the 87th minute, substitute left back Julien Cantin was whistled for a foul in the box and UQTR was awarded a penalty kick. Aucoin was up to the task, however, and saved the shot to his left. Just a minute after Aucoin’s save, Stingers forward Gabriel Quinn finally got his moment. The fourth year midfielder scored his first tally of the year to break Concordia’s goalless drought of 449 minutes, which stretched back to September 25.

However, the Patriotes would again reinstate their three-goal lead when Guy-Alain Fahé scored on a fast break in the 90th minute.

The game would not end without a bit of controversy, however. In the last minute, Concordia player Nick Sisti took down Fahé with an aggressive tackle. As the two players tumbled to the ground, Fahé forcefully and purposefully grabbed Sisti in a rather sensitive area.

Occurring on the sideline, and only feet from the main grandstand, it was in clear view of the fans. They erupted in loud jeers to denounce the action. However, the referee did not have the best line of sight on the play, and after a discussion with his assistant official, he found the infraction only worthy of a yellow. The game ended moments after.

Concordia will resume action against the UQAM Citadins next Sunday.