MONTREAL – Striker
Mouad Ouzane of Morocco, scored the winning goal as the league-leading Montreal Carabins edged visiting McGill 3-2 in men's university soccer at Stade CEPSUM, Sunday.
The result extended McGill's winless streak against the defending national champions to 0-11-2 since a 2-1 win on Sept. 21, 2014.
The Carabins improved to 8-1-1 and sit atop RSEQ standings with two games remaining. Montreal had a 21-11 advantage in shots attempted, a 15-9 margin in shots on target and a 10-2 edge in corner kicks.
It was a testy affair that featured 27 fouls, five yellow warnings and two red cards.
For the second time this season, McGill took an early lead against the Carabins but could not hold on.
Dalin Saheb gave McGill a 1-0 advantage in the 16th minute but
Pierre Lamothe countered with a 45th-minute spot kick to equalize for Montreal.
The offensive talismans for both sides exchanged fire in the second half. Forward
Guy-Frank Essomé-Penda made it 2-1 for Montreal in the 57th minute with his league-leading seventh goal in 10 games. But McGill's
Mehdi Ibn-Brahim replied in the 68th to knot the score at 2-2. It was his third marker in two games and the senior is now tied for second in the conference scoring race with six goals in eight contests.
Ouzane then struck his game winner in the 74th minute.
Two red cards in quick succession forced McGill to finish with 10 men. The aforementioned Saheb received his marching orders in the 82nd minute for arguing a call by the referee and
Florian Betelli was ejected five minutes later after receiving his second yellow infraction.
Lamothe received the only caution for his side despite Montreal committing 18 fouls to McGill's nine.
Bulgarian backup 'goalkeeper
Mario Raytchev merited the win in his first appearance for Montreal this season and kicked out six of eight shots. McGill keeper
Théo Farineau made eight saves on 11 shots in a losing cause.
With three games remaining, McGill (3-4-2) now sits tied with UQAM (3-5-2) for the fourth and final playoff berth in the seven-team Quebec league. But the boys in red will be without the services of four starters when they travel to Trois-Rivieres to take on second-place UQTR (7-2-0) at Stade Gilles-Doucet on Friday Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m. Saheb, Betelli and
Michael Makepeace (3 yellows on the season) will all be serving automatic league-imposed suspensions, while senior
Ramdane Tafer will be required to complete a medical school stage in Val d'Or, Que.
The same day, Montreal (8-1-1) will host fifth-place UQAM (3-5-2) at Stade CEPSUM.
After the coming week, McGill closes out their schedule with games at Sherbrooke (Oct. 18) and at home to Laval (Oct. 20). UQAM, which has played one more game, will wrap up their calendar by hosting Sherbrooke on Oct. 20.
BOXSCORE
2019 RSEQ MEN'S UNIVERSITY SOCCER STANDINGS
