CARY - The Carolina RailHawks left WakeMed Soccer Park on Friday in a position they've never been before -- last place in the USL First Division.

The RailHawks lost 2-0 to the Montreal Impact, extending their winless streak to nine matches (0-5-4) in the process. The match also was the fifth time in six outings Carolina has been shut out.

"I think we just lapsed for 10, 15 minutes, and we should stay focused for 90 minutes," said Carolina defender and captain Frankie Sanfilippo. "All together, we create a lot of chances, but we just can't finish. If we stay focused, we can beat anybody in this league. If we don't, something's going to happen to us."

They didn't stay focused Friday, and something happened.

In the 10th minute, Leonardo Di Lorenzo played a ball down the left flank to Severino Jefferson. Jefferson carried the ball down the sideline, beat Carolina defender Mauricio Segovia and then blasted a shot to far post past goalkeeper Chris McClellan.

The shot was one of only two the RailHawks (4-9-9) gave up in the first half.

The Carolina winless streak dates to July 3 -- a 2-2 tie with the Seattle Sounders -- and the franchise has never won a game in which it conceded the first goal Those stats only magnified the RailHawks' distress.

"Two shots in the first half and to be down a goal is tough, especially with our mind-set," Carolina coach Scott Schweitzer said. "It was a tough game."

The RailHawks nearly tied in the 16th minute. From the left flank, Kupono Low hit a free kick toward the near post and forward Dan Antoniuk got his head on the ball, but the shot went wide.

Carolina forward Hamed Diallo, seconds after stepping on the field in the 62nd minute, ripped a shot from 12 yards out just wide of the far post.

Early in stoppage time, Sanfilippo had a header off a corner kick zoom inches high of the frame.

Moments later, Montreal forward Pato Aguilera finished off the RailHawks when he scored on a breakaway.

The RailHawks were in desperate need of a win in order to keep stay out of the United Soccer Leagues First Division basement, but they ran up against an opponent that has had their number.

The RailHawks are 1-4-1 all-time against the Impact (6-9-4) and have been outscored 12-3.

If the loss wasn't frustrating enough, Carolina also will be without defenders David Stokes and Chad Dombrowski when they return to WakeMed Soccer Park next Friday. Stokes was red-carded for a late tackle on Di Lorenzo in the 88th minute, and Dombrowski, who was warming up on the sideline, was shown red for dissent.

"We've got to take a breath, analyze ourselves," Schweitzer said. "On Monday, we'll start all over again. Mathematically, we're not out of it. We're not going to quit not matter what."

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