Latest news with #JalenNeal
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Defender Jalen Neal flourishing in starting role with CF Montreal
MONTREAL – CF Montreal's sporting project aimed at developing and showcasing young talent has had mixed results over its five years. Fortunately, the Major League Soccer club has been able to balance that by finding success in the trade market. Montreal has repeatedly converted undervalued or misused pieces in other squads to useful players in Montreal. The most recent example is newly acquired central defender Jalen Neal. With a lingering thigh injury keeping George Campbell out of the lineup, Neal has emerged as an able replacement over the last two games and the club pick up its first win of the season and draw the Columbus Crew in back-to-back contests. Before last week, Neal had only amassed five minutes of game time this season due to a knee injury sustained in a pre-season camp with the United States national team. 'I had a lot of weeks of training before actually starting to get some playing time, so I think I had time to get used to the play and all the tactics,' said Neal, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Galaxy on Jan. 6 for allocation money and an international roster spot. 'Since Day 1, everybody made me feel like I belonged here, and the chemistry is great between the guys.' Having come through the Galaxy's academy system, Neal arrived at training camp an already highly touted prospect and one of the most effective ball-playing defenders in MLS at just 21 years of age. Initially brought in to be a part of then-head coach Laurent Courtois's back five defence, he has pivoted quickly into looking at ease in a back four. He was even briefly slotted in at right back and used as an extra midfielder while in possession due to his ability on the ball. In the last two games he has started for Montreal he has completed 89 per cent of his passes. 'He's really impressed me. Jalen had to step in and has done an incredible job,' said captain Samuel Piette. 'I heard about him before when he was at Galaxy. He's a great kid and a good guy to have in the locker room.' Neal is not the only former member of the Galaxy's MLS Next Pro side e in Montreal. as assistant coach David Sauvry previously worked for L.A. Galaxy II. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Neal is living away from home for the first time — in a different country and a city with a different predominant language, no less. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I think I've gotten really used to the city and the club. I really like the city, the culture, how it looks,' said Neal, who trained in the snow for the first time in his career last month. 'The weather wasn't great when I first got here, but it's gotten a little better now so that's picked up my mood a little bit.' As a homegrown Galaxy player, Neal is no stranger to important rivalry games, with El Trafico — the match between the Galaxy and crosstown rival Los Angeles FC — becoming one of the most heated derbies in MLS. This Saturday, he will partake in the oldest active North American soccer rivalry between Montreal and Toronto: The Canadian Classique. The footballing history between the cities go back to 1971, when the Toronto Metros and Montreal Olympique both played in the North American Soccer League. TFC and CF Montreal, then the Impact, first played in the inaugural Canadian Championship in 2008. 'I've always liked rivalry games, whatever reason to bring more intensity to the game. I've heard of the magnitude of this rivalry by many people at the club […] but I'm happy to be on the Montreal side,' said Neal. 'You can't get too caught up in the emotions and intensity of the match, you still have 90 minutes to play.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2025.
Mint
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
CF Montreal try to build on first win of 25 in rematch with Crew
Coming off their long-awaited first win of the season, CF Montreal could have enough momentum to avenge an earlier loss to the Columbus Crew. Two clubs at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings square off Wednesday night in Montreal. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy remain winless after Montreal (1-8-3, 6 points) pulled out a 1-0 victory at New York City FC last weekend. Prince Owusu's goal right out of halftime proved to be the only offense of the match and was just the sixth goal this season for Montreal, which has suffered six one-goal defeats in 2025. "We knew we had to do better, but we never really got too down on ourselves, even when we weren't getting positive results," Montreal defender Jalen Neal said. "... We really wanted to show that we really care about this club, that we care about this season." One of those close Montreal defeats came 2-1 at Columbus on April 5. Owusu, who's posted half of his side's goal total in 2025, also scored in the 50th minute of that contest. But Montreal was already down 2-0 following first-half goals from Aziel Jackson and Jacen Russell-Rowe. That triumph was part of a season-high three-match winning streak for the Crew (7-1-4, 25 points), who sit second in the East but are tied with first-place FC Cincinnati on points. While Montreal is 0-2-1 at home this season, Columbus is 3-0-2 on the road. Sean Zawadzki's goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time allowed the Crew to salvage a point via a 2-2 draw at Philadelphia last weekend. "We respect every opponent but fear no one," Columbus coach and ex-Montreal boss Wilfried Nancy said. "We know that every game is important." With two scores this season, Zawadzki is one of five Crew players with multiple goals. Russell-Rowe has just one goal in five matches after he notched his fourth of the year and earned an assist versus Montreal last month. Columbus is 4-0-2 against Montreal since a 2-1 home loss in August 2022. The Crew's most recent defeat at Montreal came in 2019.
