June 15, 2016 USL Toronto FC--Toronto FC II vs FC Montreal game review (from uslsoccer.com)
Shorthanded TFC II Draws Even with Montreal 06/15/2016, 1:45pm EDT By CHARLIE CORR - charlie.corr@uslsoccer.com Fraser tallies equalizer in 90th minute at packed Ontario Soccer Centre VAUGHAN, Ontario – Toronto FC II’s Liam Fraser headed home a 90th-minute equalizer as the host side, which was playing down a man, drew 1-1 with FC Montreal in front of a packed house at the Ontario Soccer Centre. The Eastern Conference’s last-place Montreal held a one-goal lead for most of the second half off of an Anthony Jackson-Hamel volley in the 55th minute – the team’s first shot on goal. Toronto would have to play down a man when Bubacarr Jobe picked up his second yellow card in the 82nd minute and subsequently was sent off. TFC II found a late chance as Luca Uccello took a late free kick outside the right of the box and connected with Fraser for a diving header and his first USL tally. Toronto was not out of the woods down the home stretch as Jackson-Hamel headed the ball toward goal in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, only to see TFC II goalkeeper Alex Bono secure it on the final play of the match. Toronto moves to 3-7-4 (13 points) overall and 2-3-2 at home. Montreal falls to 1-10-1 (4 points) and 0-6-1 on the road. Scoring: 55’ – MTL – Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Alessandro Riggi) 90’ – TOR – Liam Fraser (Luca Uccello) Three Things That Mattered: •1. Toronto matches its longest home unbeaten streak (three games), but certainly heading into the game against last-place Montreal, the Reds were hoping for more than a home point, especially coming off perhaps the club’s biggest win in team history, a 2-1 victory against the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos last Saturday. The Reds have yet to post back-to-back victories since joining the league in 2015. Instead, Toronto settled for its third 1-0-2 stretch in club history. The other three-game unbeaten streaks occurred from May 23-June 27 last year and then a 1-0-2 start to the 2016 season. •2. Montreal was caught off guard with two first-half injuries that forced a pair of substitutions before the break. Zachary Sukunda replaced Simon Lemire because of an apparent groin injury in just the eighth minute. Then just before halftime, Austin Jackson-Hamel was brought in for Marco Dominguez, who hobbled a couple times on his ankle but was eventually subbed out. Ultimately, Jackson-Hamel proved to be a game-changing figure with a 55th-minute tally. Alessandro Riggi crossed in from the left with a right-footed delivery toward the far right post and Jackson-Hamel volleyed into the back of the net for a 1-0 Montreal lead. •3. Toronto had the clear-cut advantage in opportunities throughout much of the game. Sal Bernal was arguably the best player on the pitch in the opening 45 minutes, responsible for some of TFCII’s closest sequences toward the net. His best chance came in the 41st minute when he aggressively shot from outside the box, aiming for the upper right corner, but Montreal goalkeeper Max Crepeau stretched with his right glove for the save. Bernal also was responsible for a stellar scoring chance in the 26th minute with an interception, quick spin move to elude a defender and then the dish to Shaan Hundal on the right. Hundal had only Crepeau in his way but fired a shot over the crossbar. Second-half sub Raheem Edwards was Toronto’s best scoring option down the stretch, and in the 76th minute split his way in between the Montreal defense. Crepeau, however, turned away Edwards’ close-range attempt at the near right post. He also nearly found the inside of the far left of the frame in the 88th minute but the shot was deflected away. USLSoccer.com Man of the Match: Anthony Jackson-Hamel, FC Montreal – Though the team came away with just a point, Jackson-Hamel, a late first-half sub, gave Montreal the second-half lead and nearly cashed in with another in the 63rd minute to give some life to an attack that has found goals difficult to come by this year. Upcoming Games: Toronto FC II at FC Cincinnati – June 18, 7 p.m. ET, Nippert Stadium FC Montreal at Pittsburgh Riverhounds – June 18, 7 p.m. ET, Highmark Stadium
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