USL Game Report

Sunday, July 12, 2015

MONTREAL – FC Montreal scored a season-high four goals and defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4-2 on Sunday at Stade Saputo.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel led the Montreal attack with two goals – one in each half – and Marco Dominguez and Alessandro Riggi also contributed a goal apiece. The win improved Montreal’s record to 2-11-2 on the season.

Boris Zivanovic and Rob Vincent were on target for Pittsburgh to pull the Hounds level twice after conceding early goals in each half. The Riverhounds moved to 7-6-4.

Montreal jumped ahead though via a sharp counter attack in the seventh minute. Romario Williams carried the ball at a shorthanded Hounds back line before slipping Jackson-Hamel through on the left of the 18-yard box for a cool finish into Calle Brown’s far corner.

Pittsburgh bounced back on 14 minutes when Zivanovic notched his first Hounds goal to complete an excellent, lengthy passing sequence. Space arose for Willie Hunt to advance on the right side after the Hounds had recycled possession. He found Vini Dantas in the clear further up the wing. The Brazilian forward drove in a low cross that Zivanovic converted at the back post on the slide.

The Hounds fell behind again two minutes after the interval when Montreal left back Zachary Sukunda pushed forward before finding Dominguez at the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder thumped a scorching drive off the underside of the crossbar that landed over the goal line before bouncing out.

Pittsburgh again responded quickly to draw level. Fejiro Okiomah’s long cross-field switch in the 56th minute found Vincent in a 1-v-1 against Janouk Charbonneau. The Englishman cut inside the penalty area and drew a foul that gave him the chance to net a penalty kick against Montreal for the second time in three weeks.

Vincent stroked his kick low to the goalkeeper's left during Pittsburgh's 1-0 win at Highmark Stadium on June 20. He found the same spot to tie the score at 2-2.

Montreal took the lead for the third time in the 72nd minute after a scramble in the Hounds’ penalty that was not cleared. Brown made a superb save from an early effort before Riggi tucked the ball away inside the near post.

With two minutes remaining, Jackson-Hamel stroked home a second goal to complete the scoring.