Stingers 1, Patriots 2: The Stingers fall out of playoff contention after another loss

The Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team drop their sixth game in a row

SportsNazgol Mohammadi — Published September 30, 2026 0 minutes

Both teams struggled to find the rhythm of the game in the beginning. Long passes dominated the match. During this spell, the Patriotes had more offensive positions as the Stingers held a tight defensive line. 

Goalkeeper Massimo Schiavoni made several crucial saves in the 22nd and 25th minutes. Despite Schiavoni's efforts,  Patriotes forward Mouhamed Ndiaye scored the first goal in the 34th minute. 

“I think we had moments where we lacked focus,” assistant coach Strauss Mueller said. “Or we lacked a little bit of technical edge.” 

Both teams recovered and built momentum in the second half, which allowed the Stingers to attack more. Stingers forward Michael Valentino Santella scored the equalizing goal in the 48th minute. 

“We showed some fight," Stingers forward Kevin Zhou said. "We were better in the second half; we showed some hope.”

The match picked up in pace after the score was equalized, since both teams had to defend and attack. Several substitutions also took place for both teams. Several fouls and mistakes were committed by both teams during the second half, and the referee showed several yellow cards to both the players and the Stingers' bench. 

The referee’s decisions drew reactions from the crowd, who felt the decisions were unfair to the Stingers. 

“Honestly, it was really hard; we bounced back and got a goal,” Stingers defenseman Olivier Nukia Langué Dubé said. “In the future, I would like to stop making as many mistakes, but we found a lot of passion and energy, so that’s positive." 

A couple of seconds before the second Patriotes goal, Stingers midfielder Anthony Franze was injured, leading to the second Patriotes goal in the 82nd minute, scored by forward Xavier O’Dwyer. 

Around the 84th minute, Franze had to step off the field and returned after receiving treatment. After the second goal, the Stingers kept attacking but did not have enough time to equalize.

“We give up goals far too easily; every time the other team goes up, they end up scoring,” Stingers head coach Mario D’Otolo said. “Even the second goal we’ve fought, fought, fought and give up a goal that’s out of nothing.”  

For the upcoming matches, Langué Dubé promised they will come back Tuesday to train harder, prepare and bounce back. 

“I think we played a good game,” Mueller said. “We had a good attitude and a good approach to the game, and the result didn’t go our way, but other than that, happy with the effort of the team.”

Despite the result, both teams fought well, as head coach Mario D’Otolo also mentioned. 

“We played a good team, and we fought; we were in the game, ultimately got a bit unlucky at the end, but there was a reaction which was good,” D'Otolo said. 

The Stingers’ next upcoming game will be away against the Université de Laval Rouge et Or at the Telus-Université de Laval Stadium on Oct. 4.