Stingers 4, Citadins 0: Concordia dominates home opener

Concordia bounces back from a 3-0 defeat with a commanding 4-0 win over UQAM in front of their home crowd

SportsWassim Batal — Published September 10, 2025 0 minutes

Sunday’s matchup marked Concordia’s second game of the 2025-26 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec university soccer season. After falling 3-0 to Sherbrooke in their season opener, the Stingers were under pressure to respond. 

The team mainly focused on building up from the back. They also played the ball out wide to the full-backs, who provided width and attacking support, stretching UQAM’s backline. Another recurring pattern was centre-half Zackiel Brault occasionally launching direct balls for striker Malick Diakite to chase in behind.

The early stages were tightly contested, with both sides generating chances and both goalkeepers being tested. Concordia number one Milosh Tubic made six saves throughout the game while UQAM’s shot-stopper Elliot Bouhours ended the game with 11 saves.

Despite the balanced start, Concordia gradually settled into its rhythm. The breakthrough came just before halftime when centre-back Amadou Alioune Diop rose above the defence to nod home a set piece, scoring Concordia’s first goal of the season and shifting the momentum.

“I feel great, and I’m gaining confidence for the next game,” Amadou said post-match. “That 3-0 loss really hurt, but bouncing back like this is huge—it can make a big difference in the end of the season.”

The Stingers came out flying in the second half, and it showed immediately. Within the first minute after kickoff, Nareg Kalloghlian doubled the lead with a composed penalty kick. Just three minutes later, Diakite made it 3-0 with a composed finish in the bottom corner. 

UQAM had a chance to claw one back after Amadou conceded a penalty, but the shot was a mishit and flew wide, preserving Concordia’s clean sheet.

In the 82nd minute, Concordia’s No. 9 Christopher Calin added the final goal of the afternoon, sealing a dominant 4-0 result.

Captain Lundon Durand Browne was very proud of his teammates—especially coming out of halftime—as a key factor in the win.

“We stayed sharp from the first minute to the 90th—no lapses in attention,” he said. “Those first 10 to 15 minutes of the second half made all the difference. This is what we did better than last game.”

Despite the dominant scoreline, head coach Kouyabe Ignegongba was measured in his response.

“We didn’t change that much, just managed the game better,” he said. “We’ve been working hard since pre-season, but it’s only one game—we’ve got 10 more to go and we are going to take it game by game. We just need to stay true to our identity and show character, resilience and confidence.”

The Stingers now shift their focus to a tough opponent in the Université de Montréal Carabins, who have netted six goals in their opening two games.

Kick-off is set for Sept. 12 at 8:15 p.m. If Concordia can build on this performance—and remain consistent, as their captain and coach insist—they may have the tools to make a serious run this year after over a 33-year championship drought.