Alexis Sánchez's CF Montreal lost 2-1 to Toronto FC in the Canadian derby in MLS (Major League Soccer, the league in the United States and Canada). The team was leading 1-0 before collapsing in stoppage time in a matchday 28 game played in Toronto.
According to BioBioChile, the defeat keeps Montreal bottom of the Eastern Conference and further complicates its chances of reaching the playoffs. The sources do not identify the goalscorers or give the exact times of the comeback goals.
The "Niño Maravilla" started and played until the 69th minute. When he left the field, his team was still leading 1-0.
After the match, French coach Philippe Eullaffroy criticized his players' lack of composure. "We lost the match because of how we managed our emotions during stoppage time. Between the fear of losing, and perhaps even the fear of winning, we made bad decisions in those tense moments," he said.
The coach added that the team lacked experience in those situations and paid dearly for it. He also criticized individual decisions late in the game: "There were individual errors by players who wanted to press even more instead of being a little more conservative. They punished us."
His tactical assessment was clear. In Eullaffroy's view, Montreal should have dropped back and protected its lead instead of persisting with a high press. "Instead of wanting to keep attacking, we should have stayed more compact to manage those final minutes better," he explained.
The coach also addressed the fans' anger and said he shared it. "I understand them, because I am also a fan and I am very angry. The disappointment is even greater when we consider how the match unfolded, especially because it was played in Toronto," he concluded.
With this defeat on matchday 28, Montreal remains bottom of the East and has fewer and fewer matches left to fight for a playoff spot.
