Men's Soccer | 10/29/2017 6:41:00 PM
MONTREAL -- It was a case of taking one step back but two steps forward.
Mitchell Sylla scored the lone goal as the third-place UQAM Citadins blanked McGill 1-0 in a must-win season finale to close out the RSEQ men's soccer schedule on a rain-soaked artificial field at Stade Saputo, Sunday.
But the Redmen (4-5-3) had an ace in the hole and maintained their grip on the fourth and final playoff berth when sixth-place Concordia (3-8-1) did McGill a huge favour and toppled fifth-place UQTR 2-1 in Trois-Rivieres, resulting in the Patriotes finishing at 4-6-2, one point in arrears of the Redmen. So McGill will be making their firstpost-season appearance since 2014, when they were shutout 2-0 at UQAM.
That said, it was a costly victory for McGill as they will be without fifth-year striker
Mohamed Kleit for Friday's RSEQ semifinal against the division-leading Montreal Carabins (8:15 pm) as the fifth-year veteran was issued a red card for arguing a handball called by the referee in the 50th minute of play.
Ten minutes later, the Citadins were able to capitalize with the manpower-advantage, when Sylla -- the younger brother for former McGill hoops ster
Mariam Sylla -- converted a pass from
Felipe Costa de Souza.
UQAM goalkeeper
Valentin Lamoulie was called upon to make only one save for the shutout. At the other end of the field, senior
Antoine Marchal started between the pipes for McGill and turned aside both shots faced in the first half. He was replaced at halftime by
Theo Farineau, who went on to save six of seven shots, including a big stop on a penalty shot in the first minute of the second half.
Farineau, who was charged with the loss, earned McGill player-of-the-game honours for his efforts, while defender
Chakib Hocine merited the award for UQAM.
So that sets up Friday's semifinal, where McGill will be attempting to defeat the first-place Carabins (10-1-1) for the first time since since a 2-1 victory on Sept. 21, 2014. UdeM is guided by former Redmen bench boss
Pat Raimondo, who owns a 23-5-11 overall record against the Redmen -- including a current 5-0-2 undefeated streak -- since he took over the U de M coaching reins in 2001. This season, Montreal blanked McGill 2-0 at Molson Stadium in the first meeting of the season on Sept. 15 but the Redmen battled their bitter rivals to a 0-0 draw in the rematch at Stade CEPSUM on Oct. 20.
Friday's other RSEQ semifinal, also on Nov. 4, features third-place UQAM (7-4-1) visiting second-place Laval (8-2-2).
LINK TO RSEQ BOXSCORE
| 2017 RSEQ Men's Soccer Standings (FINAL) • Classement final de la saison régulière du RSEQ |
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