Wanyama Watches from the Sidelines as Montreal Impact Suffers Heavy MLS Defeat
Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama found himself on the sidelines as his team, FC Montreal, suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat against FC Cincinnati in an MLS match on Saturday night.
Wanyama, who has participated in 12 league games this season, remained on the bench throughout the entire match, despite expectations that he might play following the recent departure of midfielder Mathieu Choinière to Switzerland.
Choinière had been a key figure in Montreal’s midfield, earning the confidence of both former coach Hernán Losada and current manager Laurent Courtois. His consistent performances had relegated Wanyama to limited appearances, mainly as a substitute since late last season. With Choinière’s exit, there was hope that the Kenyan midfielder would have more chances to play regularly.
In the match, Cincinnati’s Kevin Kelsy opened the scoring in the 35th minute, netting his sixth goal of the season. The visitors doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Luca Orellano converted a free kick from 24 yards out. Orellano struck again later, completing his brace with a spectacular shot from within Cincinnati’s half, bringing his season tally to seven goals.
Substitute Sergio Santos added Cincinnati’s fourth goal in the 71st minute, effectively sealing the victory before Montreal managed a consolation goal in the 81st minute.
Ayunga’s Cameo as St Mirren Draw with Dundee
Meanwhile, in Scotland, Jonah Ayunga made a late appearance for St Mirren in their 2-2 draw against Dundee in a Scottish Premiership match on Saturday. Ayunga, who has made eight appearances and provided two assists this season, came off the bench but didn’t have enough time to make a significant impact on the game. The Kenyan international, who has been called up to the Harambee Stars squad for their upcoming fixtures against Zimbabwe and Namibia, will be eager to prove his worth and contribute to Kenya’s success.
Dundee, playing without Luke McCowan following his deadline-day transfer to Celtic, looked lively throughout the match but struggled defensively, particularly during a chaotic first half.
St Mirren’s Toyosi Olusanya capitalized on a defensive mistake by Antonio Portales to score from a tight angle, giving the visitors the lead. However, a similar error at the other end allowed Curtis Main to equalize for Dundee with a clever lob over the goalkeeper. The action continued as Mikael Mandron restored St Mirren’s lead with a brilliant strike, but Dundee responded once more with Lyall Cameron setting up Ziyad Larkeche for a well-taken equalizer.
The draw nearly turned into a victory for Dundee, but St Mirren’s goalkeeper, Ellery Balcombe, made a crucial point-blank save to deny Simon Murray in the final moments of the game.
