MLS Superdraft #3 pick and former HVFC player, Romario Williams, helped FC Montreal win its first USL game by the score of 1-0 over the Charleston Battery on the synthetic field at Stade Saputo on Thursday afternoon.
In the 28th minute, winger Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle passed the ball deep down the left side to Impact forward Romario Williams. He moved forward with the ball before passing back to midfielder Louis Béland-Goyette. Without hesitation, Béland-Goyette shot low to beat the goalkeeper and score the only goal of the game, leading to a first win.
“Like my first USL goal, the winger played well and got the best of the defender before passing back,” said midfielder Louis Béland-Goyette. “I worked hard on my finishing.”
FC Montreal had a few other chances to score in the beginning of the game. In the 5th minute, midfielder Philippe Lincourt-Joseph had the ball in the centre of the field. He saw Lajoie-Gravellle and passed to him in behind the defenders. The keeper saved the shot.
Charleston’s midfielder Sebastien Thuriere also had a good chance to score in the 8th minute. Taking advantage of confusion on Montreal’s back line, while Impact goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau charged out of his net, he shot quickly towards the open net, but hit the post.
In the second half, Williams continued to create opportunities for the Bleu-blanc-noir. In the 65th minute, on a clearance from Maxime Crépeau, he controlled the ball before sending it deep to Lajoie-Gravelle. Alone against the keeper, Lajoie-Gravelle’s shot was saved.
The team fought hard defensively in the end of the game to close the door to the Battery’s forwards and get a first clean sheet on top of the three points.
“It represents a lot for us defensively against a top tier team,” said defender Mélé Temguia. “All the players are concerned and it’s a strong performance defensively while respecting our attacking principles. We are happy for us but also for the people who come and watch us.”
“This victory is premeditated,” explained head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “It’s happiness and a reward for the players. It shows the work that was done in the first month and a half against a strong, undefeated team in the second place in the standings.”
The next FC Montreal game will be played away on Sunday, May 24, against the New York Red Bulls 2 at Red Bull Arena.
LINEUPS
FC Montréal : Maxime Crépeau* ; Jonathan Grant (JanoukCharbonneau 73’), Chakib Hocine, Mélé Temguia, Zachary Sukunda ; Louis Béland-Goyette (Marco Dominguez 70’), Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé* ; Romario Williams*, Philippe Lincourt-Joseph (Nazim Belguendouz 86’), Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle (Fabio Morelli 73’) ; Anthony Jackson-Hamel* (Victor Omar Ndiaye 56’)
*Joueurs de l’Impact de Montréal
Battery de Charleston : Michael Linch ; Zachary Prince, Shawn Ferguson, AJ Cochran (Justin Portillo 72’), Taylor Mueller ; Sebastien Thuriere (Forrest Lasso 80’), Jarad van Schaik, Dante Marini, Jose Rodriguez (Austin Savage 66’) ; Ricardo Garbanzo, Dane Kelly
Source: Impact Montreal official website