A McGill goal in injury time of the second half prevented the men’s soccer Stingers from winning their fifth straight game, as Concordia tied 2-2 on Sunday afternoon at Concordia Stadium.
“They played the best they could,” said Stinger coach Vladimir Pavlicik after the game, “and next time, we’ll have to score more goals”.
This was the first time the stingy Concordia defense, anchored by captain Frank Pons, allowed more than one goal in a league game this season.
The previously anemic McGill offense had scored just 3 goals in 5 games prior to this match.
McGill opened the scoring in the 17th minute as forward Kyle Graham received a lob pass from midfield, eluded two Stinger defenders, and unloaded with a low shot that found the back of the net.
The Stingers then seemed to be energized in the McGill zone, with playmaker Stefan Takac dictating the play in the midfield.
After some offensive pressure from Concordia, midfielder Jean-Philipe Julien received a cross from Takac and buried a strike from just outside the 6-yard box in the 26th minute of play to tie the score.
Concordia continued on the attack with some exciting but unsuccessful runs by strikers Ammar Bedawieh and Steven Craig.
The pressure proved fruitful when defenseman Mario Magriplis headed in a magnificent goal following a corner kick from Takac minutes from halftime to put the Stingers ahead 2-1.
After halftime, it became clear that the Stingers were playing to conserve their lead and perhaps to stretch it early on with deft passing by Takac and good effort from Bedawieh, who was being marked closely by McGill defenders most of the game.
The Stinger defense tightened up as McGill became more aggressive in trying to even the score, but Pons, Magriplis and Kevin Fiset showed poise and confidence in turning aside Redmen attacks and springing speedy midfielders Anass Agnoug and Ameen Brereton down the sidelines for counter-attacks.
The final ten minutes saw a flurry of activity in the Concordia zone, with the Redmen pressing hard for the equalizer, as the Redmen’s best player, midfielder Guy Anaba wreaked havoc in the midfield and ran from sideline to sideline after the ball.
The resilient Stinger defense turned aside several corner kicks and a free kick until McGill midfielder Marc Askenasi scored following a frantic melee in front of the Concordia goal with seconds to go on the referee’s watch.
Team captain Pons was visibly frustrated shortly after the final whistle,
kicking a water bottle in disgust onto the field.
The Stingers were the number-10 ranked team in the country going into the game, and the tie pushes their record to 4-0-1, atop the Quebec conference with 13 points. McGill moves to 2-1-3, in third place with 9 points. The Stingers host second place UQTR in their next game, Saturday, October 6th at Concordia Stadium.
“They played the best they could,” said Stinger coach Vladimir Pavlicik after the game, “and next time, we’ll have to score more goals”.
This was the first time the stingy Concordia defense, anchored by captain Frank Pons, allowed more than one goal in a league game this season.
The previously anemic McGill offense had scored just 3 goals in 5 games prior to this match.
McGill opened the scoring in the 17th minute as forward Kyle Graham received a lob pass from midfield, eluded two Stinger defenders, and unloaded with a low shot that found the back of the net.
The Stingers then seemed to be energized in the McGill zone, with playmaker Stefan Takac dictating the play in the midfield.
After some offensive pressure from Concordia, midfielder Jean-Philipe Julien received a cross from Takac and buried a strike from just outside the 6-yard box in the 26th minute of play to tie the score.
Concordia continued on the attack with some exciting but unsuccessful runs by strikers Ammar Bedawieh and Steven Craig.
The pressure proved fruitful when defenseman Mario Magriplis headed in a magnificent goal following a corner kick from Takac minutes from halftime to put the Stingers ahead 2-1.
After halftime, it became clear that the Stingers were playing to conserve their lead and perhaps to stretch it early on with deft passing by Takac and good effort from Bedawieh, who was being marked closely by McGill defenders most of the game.
The Stinger defense tightened up as McGill became more aggressive in trying to even the score, but Pons, Magriplis and Kevin Fiset showed poise and confidence in turning aside Redmen attacks and springing speedy midfielders Anass Agnoug and Ameen Brereton down the sidelines for counter-attacks.
The final ten minutes saw a flurry of activity in the Concordia zone, with the Redmen pressing hard for the equalizer, as the Redmen’s best player, midfielder Guy Anaba wreaked havoc in the midfield and ran from sideline to sideline after the ball.
The resilient Stinger defense turned aside several corner kicks and a free kick until McGill midfielder Marc Askenasi scored following a frantic melee in front of the Concordia goal with seconds to go on the referee’s watch.
Team captain Pons was visibly frustrated shortly after the final whistle,
kicking a water bottle in disgust onto the field.
The Stingers were the number-10 ranked team in the country going into the game, and the tie pushes their record to 4-0-1, atop the Quebec conference with 13 points. McGill moves to 2-1-3, in third place with 9 points. The Stingers host second place UQTR in their next game, Saturday, October 6th at Concordia Stadium.
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