September 5, 2015 USL--Toronto FC II vs FC Montreal (by Rocket Robin)

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Result and details of the Saturday September 5, 2015 USL game between Toronto FC II and FC Montreal played at Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 3:00pm.

Toronto FC II (all red, white names and numbers)

.................30 Filippo Di Bennardo
32 Wesley Charpie...33 Skylar Thomas...59 Emeka Ononye...44 Mark Anthony Kaye
61 Bubacarr Jobe...34 Manuel Aparicio...48 Raheem Edwards...58 Anthony Osorio
.............62 Reshon Phillip...41 Molham Babouli

Subs:...40 Quillan Roberts (gk)...31 Sal Bernal (fwd)...42 Massimo Mirabelli (mid)...46 Daniel Fabrizi (def)...51 Robert Boskovic (def)
...56 Malik Johnson (mid/fwd)...43 Andrew Dias (def)
team officials:...head coach Jason Bent

FC Montreal (all blue, white names and numbers)

.......................41 Yann-Alexandre Fillion
66 Janouk Charbonneau...74 Ngoufack Mele Temguia...52 Jonathan Grant...73 Zachary Sukunda
57 Yacine Ait-Slimane...58 Louis Beland-Goyette...50 Marco Leonel Dominguez-Ramirez...53
..............47 Jacque Haman...49 Alessandro Riggi (cpt)

Subs:...65 Andrea Luca Leone (gk)...42 Nevello Yoseke...60 Mitchel Bringolf...63 Charles Joly (fwd)...67 Frederic Lajoie-Gravelle
...72 Fabio Livio Morelli (mid)...79 Fabrice Mbvouvouma (--)
team officials:...head coach Philippe Eullaffroy

Game officials:...referee David Barrie...referee's assistants Peter Pendli and Sean Hornsby...fourth official Alex Vaughan
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 3:14pm...TFC defends north end on this hot and humid afternoon with a bright sun in the west.
13 sec...FCM (TFC own goal) GOAL...TFC Skylar Thomas is pressured by FCM player so taps pass over to TFC Wesley Charpie on left sideline. Charpie at the 35 yard line chips ball back to goalie Filippo Di Bennardo at 15 yards but ball sails over his head and bounces into right side of net.
1 min...FCM Haman low cross from 20 yards on left is cleared by defender at 10 yards in middle.
2 min...TFC Charpie crosses into the box from right is cleared.
3 min...TFC Reshone Phillip GOAL...TFC Anthony Osorio rolls ball from left up middle and Phillip rolls 20 yard shot into left side of net.
4 min...FCM Sukunda 28 yard shot from left between players and bounces to goalie.
6 min...TFC Charpie cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Babouli not quite able to turn header at 6 yards on left post and ball flies wide left.
10 min...FCM Riggi low cross from 12 yards on left is just a step ahead of charging FCM player at 2 yards.
11 min...FCM YELLOW card...Beland-Goyette earns it for slide tackle on TFC Osorio at TFC 50 yard line injurying him.
12 min...FCM Haman is injured at FCM 30 yard line.
15 min...FCM Riggi rush along 20 yard line to center and rolls ball right and low 18 yard shot is wide left of net.
16 min...FCM Sukunda low 25 yard shot from left is picked up by goalie.
17 min...TFC Osorio chips pass down middle but goalie catches ahead of TFC Edwards at 12 yards.
20 min...FCM Dominguez-Ramirez is injured at FCM 40 yard line. The players use the opportunity for a water break.
21 min...FCM goalie runs out to 20 yard line on right to beat TFC Jobe to chipped pass from TFC Aparicio at center line.
22 min...TFC Babouli is fed a through ball pass up right at 20 yards and his 12 yard shotis pushed wide right of post by goalie.
23 min...TFC Babouli cornerkick from right has nearest defender clear ball with kick.
24 min...TFC Edwards steals pass off Imp Beland-Goyette at 40 yards and run up left has low 18 yard shot stopped at 10 yards by diving goalie.
25 min...TFC Babouli 35 yard freekick chip down middle has goalie in crowd of players punch ball away.
26 min...TFC Skylar Thomas GOAL...TFC Molham Babouli cornerkick from left has defender head ball away and TFC Anthony Osorio chips 40 yarder back into box and Thomas leaps and heads ball from 12 yards on right that goalie Yann-Alexandre Fillion flies to left and gets a hand to but only pushes ball further into left corner of net.
30 min...there's now an 'official' water break.
33 min...FCM Sukunda 45 yard shot from left has goalie beat FCM Haman to catch ball at 12 yards charging out to catch.
34 min...FCM sub...Lajoi-Gravelle replaces Ait-Slimane.
34 min...FCM Kacher 40 yard freekick has defender head away on edge of box.
38 min...TFC Phillip receives pass at 38 yards and eludes tug of defender to spin around on edge of box and rolls 18 yard shot that diving goalie saves at 8 yards.
39 min...TFC Edwards can't win freekick on rush into left side of box.
40 min...TFC Babouli 40 yard freekick up middle has TFC Thomas head ball at 12 yards across box but defenders clear.
41 min...FCM Riggi rush to left end line and rolls cross that TFC Thomas almost puts in own net at 1 yards on left post.
41 min...FCM Beland-Goyette cornerkick from left is cleared from box.
43 min...TFC Babouli wins cornerkick on 7 yard shot that deflects off FCM Grant.
44 min...TFC Babouli cornerkick from right has multiple TFC players jump but TFC Thomas heads 10 yarder from down middle off outside of right post near bar.
45 min...FCM Riggi charges forward to get to long cross at 12 yards on left but shoots over net.
46 min...FCM Charbonneau 30 yard shot between players down middle is well over net.
47 min...FCM Riggi rolls pass forward from 28 yards and FCM Haman on edge of box taps ball back and FCM Kacher shoots 22 yarder down middle that goalie catches.
48 min...half ends 4:02pm.

Halftime Entertainment: none

2nd Half:...starts 4:19pm.
halftime sub:...FCM Joly replaces Kacher.
45 min...FCM Joly low 22 yard shot is smothered by diving goalie.
47 min...FCM Beland-Goyette cornerkick is bounced through box.
48 min...FCM Sukunda cross from left end line is well over players in box and out right side.
48 min...TFC Kaye beats offside trap on left but stops at 7 yards and looks to pass back but then sends in low 12 yard shot from near left end line which deflects off sliding goalie at 5 yards for a cornerkick.
49 min...TFC Reshon Phillip GOAL...TFC Molham Babouli cornerkick from left has ball partially cleared and Phillip blasts 18 yarder up middle that FCM Janouk Charbonneau jabs at midair with foot but ball deflects into left side of net.
51 min...FCM Lajoie-Gravelle rush up right and wins cornerkick when FCM Haman is pushed over but defenders clear.
52 min...FCM Lajoie-Gravelle low 7 yard shot along right endline has goalie stop and smother.
53 min...FCM YELLOW card...Haman earns it for head hit on TFC Osorio that injures him at TFC 40 yard line.
54 min...TFC Babouli 40 yard freekick is cleared and TFC Jobe shot from 25 yards from right is wide left.
55 min...FCM Beland-Goyette freekick from 25 yards on right has FCM Grant get foot to at 8 yards on left but goalie smothers.
58 min...FCM Riggi is checked off ball on left side of box after receiving pass.
59 min...FCM Dominguez-Ramirez bashes past players on run but is checked off ball on right side of box.
60 min...TFC Kaye makes big clearance at 10 yards in middle of box to stop FCM threat.
60 min...FCM Sukunda blasts 18 yarder from left that goalie palms over bar.
61 min...FCM Lajoie-Gravelle cornerkick from right is partially cleared and FCM Dominguez-Ramirez blasts 25 yard shot over players that goalie catches.
61 min...FCM Riggi taps pass on edge of TFC box and FCM Lajoie-Gravelle shoots over net.
62 min...TFC sub...Boskovic replaces Ononye.
.........TFC sub...Dias replaces Kaye.
.........FCM sub...Mbvouvouma replaces Dominguez-Ramirez.
64 min...FCM Temguia can't keep ball in play on right end line on pass too far forward for him.
65 min...FCM Beland-Goyette rolls pass from left side of box that TFC Charpie slides and give up cornerkick.
66 min...FCM player's short cornerkick from left is worked out but wasted. TFC Thomas is injured on the play.
68 min...FCM Charbonneau has TFC Thomas check him off ball on slide at 15 yards. FCM Hamman follows up with getting to loose ball at 20 yards and flubbing shot that rolls and goalie dives to smother wide right of post.
68 min...TFC Phillip taps pass to left for TFC Edwards whose 7 yard shot from left is over net.
69 min...TFC sub...Johnson replaces Phillip.
71 min...TFC Babouli cornerkick fromright is rolled out and TFC Jobe from 30 yards on right shoots low through players just wide left of post.
71 min...FCM Charbonneau cross from right 25 yards has FCM Riggi scissor kick over net from 12 yards on left.
73 min...TFC Babouli 40 yard freekick has TFC Edwards not quite able to keep in play on left.
73 min...the referee calls a water break.
75 min...FCM sub...Morelli replaces Beland-Goyette.
76 min...TFC sub...Mirabelli replaces Edwards.
.........FCM sub...Yoseke replaces Temguia.
79 min...TFC Boskovic long pass from 45 yards on left is past defender but goalie gets to it before TFC Jobe can connect on bicycle kick at 10 yards.
79 min...FCM Riggi midair shot from 20 yards down middle after receiving cross from right is blocked by body of TFC Charpie at 10 yards.
80 min...FCM Riggi shoots 18 yarder over net.
81 min...FCM Haman shoots 20 yarder from right on rush well wide right instead of centering pass.
82 min...FCM Riggi low 20 yard shot is through defenders and goalie bats down while on knees and smothers.
83 min...TFC sub...Fabrizi replaces Thomas.
84 min...TFC Mirabelli cross from 12 yards on left is over head of TFC player leaping at 6 yards.
85 min...FCM Riggi pass from 22 yards is too far forward for FCM Joly and goalie picks up ball.
86 min...FCM Frederic Lajoie-Gravelle GOAL...FCM LaJoie-Gravelle receives low forward pass from FCM Alessandro Riggi and tips ball around sprawling goalie at 5 yards and ball rolls just over goalline to right corner of net.
90 min...FCM players can't get away shot after set up on left side of box.
91 min...TFC goalie steps forward and beats FCM Lajoie-Gravelle to getting to FCM Riggi at 20 yards through ball pass down middle at 10 yards in box.
92 min...TFC goalie leaps to catch FCM Riggi's 35 yard high shot from left in front of two FCM forwards.
93 min...TFC YELLOW card...Babouli earns if for delaying a FCM player from taking a throw-in from own cornerflag.
.........FCM YELLOW card...Yoseke earns it for his part in an ensueing pushing match.
94 min...game ends 5:08pm.

Final Score:......Toronto FC II.......3........FC Montreal..........2........

Attendance (which was actually announced today) was 387. Fans entering the gates were allowed to choose a TFC II shirt from different cartons. They came in different sizes and either white or red. It was announced earlier in the week that the first thousand fans would get one. The boxes had disappeared by the end of the game but we were able to grab a few TFC II mini-balls that they had left over from last week's promotion. The Inebriatti supporter's group were not in attendance for this week's game—just like last weekend so with their most popular song "Toronto til I die" I'll have to check the obits.

This was the last home game of the season for TFC II. They have four more road games in cities in the southern US states including their last game on September 19th. They had started their first nine games on the road while the Ontario Soccer Centre was being renovated then had two games at BMO Field and played some more road games until their July 8th opener. Twelve league home games plus a friendly squeezed into two months may have been a bit much to keep the attendance up but playing further into September may have made things worse with the kid friendly atmosphere evaporating with the start of school after this weekend.

FCM pressed in the last twenty minutes but TFC II managed to hang on and get in some counterattacks. There were a lot of FCM players yelling at each other during this time for missed passes and offside calls.

Referee David Barrie gave out four Yellow cards (three to FCM players). There were no outbursts until 90 minutes when there was a dustup deep in the FCM end when TFC stalled FCM's attempt at taking a throw-in and he gave a player from each team a Yellow card. He also scheduled a water break during each half as this weekend the city is in another heat wave.

Both TFC and FCM had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs last week. This may have been the reason why so many new guys were in the teams. TFC defender Andrew Dias had just been called up from the TFC Academy earlier in the week. He saw action when subbed in at 62 minutes. This was the first start by goalie Filippo Di Bennardo with regular (and usual captain) Quillan Roberts listed as the backup. It was the first start for Reshon Phillip on the team and how effective with two goals until he was subbed off at 69 minutes. Some of the callups who didn't get named to today's eighteen may still see action tonight as TFC Academy plays tonight in Pickering against Durham United in League 1 Ontario action.

One player missing from the lineup was forward Jordan Hamilton. I haven't read if he'd be in the TFC MLS squad travelling to Seattle for tonight's game. (with the sudden end of the GOL TV channel the beginning of the week, it makes it harder to pick up these details). ***OK panic over! Hamilton is on the subs bench now the MLS site has posted the roster.

FCM also used today try some new players with Fabrice Mbvouvouma (from Cameroon) and Nevello Yoseke being so new they are not even on the USL team rosters part of their website nor today's game program. Both were used as subs.

TFC II's record improves to 6 wins, 14 losses, 4 ties for 22 points and eleventh place in the twelve team conference. FCM's record falls to 7 winds, 15 losses, 4 ties for 25 points and tenth place having played two more games than Toronto. This was the fourth meeting of the season between the teams with each team winning once at home and once on the road over each other. With the league expecting to expand next season, I'd expect they'd meet less often if the USL wants every team to play at least once home and away against teams in their conference.

I recognized one of the game monitors for a sports betting site at today's game. He said he just started his assignment for a brokerage in Europe last week. Over the years of covering CSL I know these guys have to say "home team danger... and safe" throughout the game. I wonder what the guys in Europe would be thinking about an own goal after 13 seconds or Anthony Totera the PA guy announcing '#44 Mark Anthony Kaye' as scoring the 26 minute goal then finally correcting after five minutes '#33 Skylar Thomas'. They better wait until the game is over to do any payouts.

I expect I'll do a year end review but rolled into the other league's I cover sometime next month because this team is especially intertwined with TFC of MLS and League 1 Ontario and their PDL franchise. However I would like to thank the players and staff of all the USL teams for answering my questions particually when filling in assists to elaborate details of the goals. The YouTube video cut off between 2:30 and 12:30 so missed the tieing goal just like last week when it cut off at 84 minutes and missed the Charlotte final goal so I can't say that's always reliable.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

Toronto FC II starters