MONTREAL 鈥� Ariel Lassiter scored in the 88th minute to give CF Montreal a 2-1 lead over visiting Orlando City, but the victory party was spoiled when Ivan Angulo scored two minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 Major League Soccer draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening.
Mason Toye also scored for Montreal (3-3-2) while Facundo Torres found the back of the net for Orlando (2-3-3) in what has become a hotly contested rivalry in recent years.
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked on things in training and were able to do them (last week against Cincinnati) with confidence, but we couldn鈥檛 do that tonight. We just have to accelerate things a little more,鈥� said Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois.
鈥淎s long as the guys go out on the pitch, with the best intentions, create chances, take risks, and try to dominate as much as possible, then I鈥檒l won鈥檛 have much to criticize.鈥�
After a hesitant start from both sides, Montreal began to grow into the game and control possession. After establishing control, they got a breakthrough strike at the 15-minute mark.
Samuel Piette spotted Toye鈥檚 run in behind and played a ball through the heart of the Orlando defence. Toye had timed his run perfectly, leaving him alone with the keeper who he sidestepped before opening the scoring.
鈥淚鈥檝e don鈥檛 (this run) a lot in training, they know my profile and that I like to get in behind when guys have time and space on the ball. We just locked eyes, I spun, and he was able to get the ball off in time,鈥� said Toye, who scored his first goal of the MLS season.
鈥淚t was great, I鈥檝e been working very hard to get myself back into the team. It was a difficult beginning of the season for myself but 鈥� that鈥檚 kind of just the way things go. I鈥檓 just grateful I got the opportunity.鈥�
It would take Orlando just five minutes to respond, however. After being played through on goal, Luis Muriel was brought down in the penalty area by Jonathan Sirois, winning a penalty for the visitors. Torres stepped up and made no mistake, sending the ball into the top left corner.
Orlando would use the equalizing goal to generate momentum as the match headed toward halftime, controlling more possession, and creating several chances.
Montreal appeared to regain its composure after the intermission break, beginning the second half on the front foot, forcing a crucial low hand save from Pedro Gallese just five minutes in.
鈥淚t was almost like a four against two at some points in the first half, so we were a bit outnumbered and that gave them more possession and more options, but there wasn鈥檛 much that was being created from Orlando,鈥� said Piette. 鈥淲e adjusted in the second half and got a lot more aggressive both with and without the ball which let us impose our game a lot more.鈥�
Despite the pressure, Montreal struggled to find a way through until just two minutes from time. On the counterattack, substitute Sunusi Ibrahim fired a powerful shot which forced a save from Gallese that rebounded right into Lassiter鈥檚 path, giving him a wide-open net and his second goal in as many matches.
With eight minutes of added time, Orlando went to work at finding an equalizer and immediately hit pay dirt. A low cross from Martin Ojeda found Angulo at the back post, bringing the game level again.
鈥淲e thought we got through the worst of it, so this feels like a bit of a lesson in humility,鈥� said Courtois. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a lesson for me. When we get into this kind of situation, what can I do differently so that this doesn鈥檛 happen again because this is very frustrating, and it hurts for the guys.鈥�
UP NEXT
Both teams are back in action next Saturday (April 27) as Montreal travels to Columbus to face former head coach Wilfried Nancy and the Crew, while Orlando returns home to host Toronto FC.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2024.
Elias Grigoriadis, The Canadian Press
