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FC Cincinnati ends drought, beating Montreal Impact 2-1

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CINCINNATI — Allan Cruz and Fatai Alashe scored Saturday to help expansion FC Cincinnati end a five-game losing streak in interim coach Yoann Damet's debut, a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact.

Cruz broke FC Cincinnati's 528-minute scoreless drought when he opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Darren Mattocks sent in a cross from the left and Cruz converted off the underside of the crossbar. The scoreless stretch was the sixth longest in MLS history.

Alashe made it 2-0 for FC Cincinnati (3-7-2) in the 62nd minute, tucking it home from the top of the 18-yard box to finish a counterattack. Orji Okwonkwo scored in the 75th minute for the Impact (6-5-2).

Impact coach Remi Garde thought his team deserved better.

"I don't know how we lost this game. We should've left with at least a point," said Garde. "I'm very proud of what they were able to do on the pitch and of the pressure we put them under, especially at the end. I'm confident we'll bounce back."

Midfielder Samuel Piette felt the same way.

"I don't think we had a bad game," said Piette, who made his 50th consecutive start with the Impact. "We fought until the end. There was a lot of fatigue on our end and motivation on theirs with a new coach. It wasn't our day either. I don't think we need to see this loss as one that will hurt us in the long run."

The 29-year-old Damet was already the youngest assistant coach in MLS before assuming head coaching duties after the dismissal of Alan Koch on Tuesday.

The Associated Press

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