Choinière scores twice, leads Montreal over Toronto 3-2
Sun, Aug 20, 2023
Soccer News (AP)
TORONTO (AP) - Mathieu Choinière scored an early goal and an own-goal by Toronto FC defender Aime Mabika aided CF Montreal's cause in a 3-2 victory on Sunday night as league play resumed after a five-week layoff for Leagues Cup play.
Choinière put Montreal (10-12-2) ahead, scoring unassisted in the 18th minute. Mabika's own-goal came seven minutes for a 2-0 advantage.
Toronto (3-12-10) closed to within a goal in the 66th minute when Federico Bernardeschi used an assist from Lorenzo Insigne to score for the fourth time this season.
Choinière gave Montreal its two-goal lead back two minutes later, scoring on a penalty kick after a red card on Toronto defender Raoul Petretta. Choinière entered play with two goals this season.
Bernardeschi scored again in the fourth minute of stoppage time to complete the scoring. Jonathan Osorio had an assist.
Tomas Romero finished with four saves in his second regular-season start for Toronto. Jonathan Sirois saved one shot for Montreal.
Montreal, which had just five road points this season coming in, beat Toronto for a club-record fourth straight time. Montreal is unbeaten at 6-0-1 in its last seven matchups with Toronto, also a club record in the series. Montreal was shut out in nine of its first 12 road contests this season.
Toronto extended a club record with its ninth straight loss in all competitions. Toronto snapped a six-match scoreless streak in all competitions. Toronto set the record with a nine-match drought in 2007. The Colorado Rapids are the only other team with a scoring drought of at least six matches, losing seven straight by shutout in all competitions in 1999.
Montreal is the only club to not drop a point from a winning position this season.
Montreal returns home to host the New England Revolution on Saturday. Toronto travels to play the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
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