Listen to this article
Estimated 5 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The MLS homecoming party for Alexis Sanchez was spoiled as his CF Montreal side needed a late goal to salvage a 2-2 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday.
Daniel Rios and Prince Owusu scored for Montreal (5-10-6), while Ruben Ramos and Maya Yoshida found the back of the net for Los Angeles (6-8-8), extending their unbeaten run to five games in this fixture.
While Montreal is currently on a four-game unbeaten run of its own, life at home has become complicated. The club has failed to win any of their last seven home MLS games, recording five draws and two losses.
With other teams ahead of them in the standings dropping points, Montreal cannot afford to give away draws when three points are within reach. Despite these missed opportunities, just three points separate them from the final post-season spot, currently held by Orlando City SC.
“One point is not what we wanted. Everyone gave everything tonight, players were cramping and running for 97 minutes,” said Rios, who scored his 25th regular-season MLS goal.
“Everyone else is dropping points, but we have to focus on what we’re doing; we will be fighting until the end. Three points away from ninth place … we’re still in the run for this.”
Both teams opened the game cautiously, trading stints of possession, but toward the quarter-hour mark Montreal began exercising control over the ball, while the Galaxy looked to hit back on the counter.
Montreal’s control paid off quickly as the persistent pressure set the stage for Rios to get on the end of a rebound spilled by goalkeeper James Marcinkowski and open the scoring in the 16th minute.
Los Angeles replied almost immediately, using the counterattack to its advantage and jumping on a rebound. After driving the ball through the Montreal midfield, Kyogo Furuhashi’s shot forced Thomas Gillier to spill the ball into the path of Ramos, who made no mistake.
“I told the guys at halftime: ‘We can lose by not playing well, because we can’t always be good, but we cannot lose because we lacked intensity,'” said Montreal head coach Philippe Eullaffroy.
“We are a team that must set the tone … we cannot let the opponent set it, and that happened in the first half.”
Tensions over denied penalty
Tension in the stadium increased even more just before halftime when Matty Longstaff was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee waved play on and declined to award the hosts a penalty.
“There are almost 20,000 people who saw the replay 15 times, and 97 per cent are certain — I took a poll — that it was a penalty. So there are 19,000 idiots in attendance,” said Eullaffroy sarcastically after the game, visibly upset with the officiating crew’s lack of communication.
“We get the impression that [the officials] treat us like less than nothing; there is a total lack of respect. When we get the impression with these guys that we are ignorant of the game, it’s problematic, and it’s not the first time.”
PRO Referees released their reasoning after the game, stating that “Both the referee in real time and the VAR on checking the incident determined that the contact did not constitute an offence of sufficient severity to warrant the award of a penalty kick.”
It took the Galaxy just two and a half minutes to take the lead in the second half, when a defensive mishap following a corner led to Yoshida sending an audacious backheel into the bottom right corner.
Sanchez makes CF Montreal debut
At the hour mark and still trailing by a goal, Montreal brought on Sanchez to the delight of the Stade Saputo crowd for his first minutes with the club at home.
“The impact was immediate. He stepped onto the field and he’s a playmaker, he’s moving around and it’s amazing to have a player like this,” said Rios. “Everyone was very excited to see Alexis, he’s played in some of the biggest clubs in the world.”
Los Angeles’ task of defending their one-goal lead became significantly harder with 20 minutes left when Marcinkowski was sent off for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after bringing down Owusu as the last man back.
Owusu would also be the man to take advantage of the numerical advantage less than 10 minutes later. Montreal’s leading scorer found the back of the net for the fourth straight game when he rose above the defender and met Luca Petrasso’s cross with a perfectly placed header, tying the game at 2-2.
Source link
