MONTREAL, QC – CF Montreal booked a spot in the postseason after a late comeback and was able to secure a draw in front of their fans at Saputo Stadium.
A CF Montreal late comeback with two-late home goals
Postgame scenes 📸
Un bel après-match!#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/PWcS20AXUV
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 10, 2022
A tight first half
In front of a sellout crowd on Friday night at Saputo Stadium CF Montreal hosted the Columbus Crew looking to clinch a playoff spot with a win or a draw. James Pantemis made a great diving save in the 8th minute off a shot from a distance from Cucho Hernandez for his first save of the night.
He did it again three minutes later this time denying Hernandez again as went to the ground again and deflected the ball with his hand. He continued to shut the door as this time made an incredible save on Jonathan Mensah and on the ensuing play Mason Toye finally got Montreal first shot on target but was saved by the Columbus keeper Eloy Room.
Victor Wanyama tested Room in the 21-minute but once again the Crew goalkeeper was able to make another save to keep the game scoreless. In the 33-minute, it was Toye connecting with a header on target but Room made the save to deny him again.
Djordje Mihailovic had a great chance in close in the 45-minute but another quick save from Room to keep his clean sheet alive. After three minutes of added time, the teams went into the locker room deadlocked at 0-0 with 45 minutes left to play.
A crazy second half
Two minutes into the second frame it was Quioto with a shot from just outside the box but again right into Room who was able to make another save. Quioto had another chance six minutes later with a powerful shot but right into the hands of Room.
Five minutes later it was Mihailovic from in close as he tried to head the ball into the net but again Room denied him as Montreal was on a full attack. The visitors broke the deadlock in the 66-minute as Mensah was able to get a header on target off a free kick to make it 1-0 for Columbus.
Wilfried Nancy made his first change of the game bringing in Kei Kamara for Toye looking for some fresh legs on offense. On the ensuing play, the Crew doubled their lead as Lucas Zelarayan volleyed the ball in mid-air and into the same spot where Mensah scored.
Things turned dramatic in the 75-minute as Luis Diaz got into it with Kamara and VAR demanded the ref take another look and after review, the ref decided to show a red card to Diaz putting the Crew down to 10 men with 15 minutes to go.
89' Victor qui dévie le tir de Matko et compte!@VictorWanyama 👊#MTLvCLB | 1-2 | #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/hJV4a8VP07
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 10, 2022
Montreal got on the board in the 89-minute as Matko Miljevic who came on as a sub was finally able to beat Room thanks to a lucky deflection when his shot bounced off a Columbus defender and into the back of the net.
OMG @ZacharyBrault!!!
DEUXIÈME BUT VOILÀ.#MTLvCLB | 2-2 | #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/S5g32sxsPD
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 10, 2022
Four minutes into stoppage Zachary Brault Guillard tied the game with a shot from just outside the box. After six minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and Montreal had salvaged a draw after a late comeback to seal a spot in the playoffs.
Nancy “I am incredibly proud of this team”
COACH 💙 #CFMTL https://t.co/AaP4XDE6vL pic.twitter.com/3L3qxKBL2A
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 10, 2022
Head coach Wilfried Nancy spoke about how proud he was of this team and their effort tonight to come back and get a crucial point.
” You have to live the moment and the guys didn’t stop, they kept going and I didn’t know how but there was always a positive energy and they always play for each other and they always want to fight and that’s what they did tonight”.
Pantemis “We are a mature team”
James Pantemis was asked about the major difference between the team this year and last year which missed the playoffs by three points.
“We put a system into place last year that the coach wanted and we were close but we made some mistakes and this year we’re closing out games as opposed to last year where I feel we didn’t and I feel were much more mature than last year and it shows on the field and I hope we continue to move forward”.
Their will to never give up is a given reason Montreal is in the MLS Cup Playoffs. They also came back from behind on the road to a 4-3 CF Montreal win over Toronto FC at BMO Field. CF Montreal will be back in action on Tuesday night as they will host the Chicago Fire at Saputo Stadium with kickoff scheduled at 7:38 p.m. ET.
Photo Credit: CF Montreal’s Twitter Account on September 9, 2022.
