{"id":1046311,"date":"2026-09-06T05:12:28","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T05:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1046311\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T05:12:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T05:12:28","slug":"match-report-philadelphia-union-2-0-cf-montreal-the-philly-soccer-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1046311\/","title":{"rendered":"Match Report: Philadelphia Union 2 \u2013 0 CF Montreal \u2013 The Philly Soccer Page"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Union returned to Subaru Park on Saturday night looking to build on last week\u2019s 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls and continue their late-season push toward the playoffs. Standing in their way was a CF Montr\u00e9al side near the bottom of the Eastern Conference but coming off a respectable road draw against Vancouver.<\/p>\n

Interim head coach Ryan Richter kept faith with the same starting XI that delivered the victory in New York. Andr\u00e9 Blake wore the captain\u2019s armband in goal behind a back line of Frankie Westfield, Neil Pierre, Nathan Harriel and Kai Wagner. Jovan Luki\u0107 and Danley Jean Jacques anchored the midfield, with Indiana Vassilev and 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan operating in more advanced positions. Bruno Damiani and Milan Iloski once again led the attack.<\/p>\n

On a night when the Union honored the Fearless 43 as part of the club\u2019s annual Kick Childhood Cancer match, Philadelphia survived an early scare before taking control in the second half. Danley broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, Blake preserved the lead with a penalty save, and Sullivan made MLS history by scoring his third goal in as many matches to secure a 2-0 victory.<\/p>\n

The result extended the Union\u2019s unbeaten run to eight league matches and provided further evidence that a season that once appeared lost may still have something left in it.<\/p>\n

How the Match Unfolded<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Half<\/strong><\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al appeared to take the lead less than two minutes into the match when Prince Owusu found the back of the net, but the celebration was cut short when the goal was ruled offside. It was an early warning for a Union defense that had been caught flat almost immediately after kickoff.<\/p>\n

Luki\u0107 picked up the first yellow card of the night in the sixth minute after fouling former Union midfielder Fabian Herbers.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia began to create chances as the half progressed. In the 13th minute, Sullivan forced S\u00e9bastian Breza into a strong save, and Damiani arrived to challenge for the rebound. The Montreal goalkeeper managed to keep the ball out, while Gennadiy Synchuk was shown a yellow card during the sequence.<\/p>\n

Wagner delivered a corner in the 16th minute that found Danley inside the area. Danley controlled the ball and worked his way out of traffic, but his attempted backheel was intercepted before the Union could create a shot.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia nearly paid for another corner in the 24th minute. After Montreal cleared Iloski\u2019s service, Owusu broke quickly in the opposite direction. Damiani stopped the counterattack with a tactical foul and was correctly shown a yellow card.<\/p>\n

Samuel Piette joined him in the referee\u2019s book five minutes later after bringing down Danley.<\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al threatened again in the 31st minute when Herbers delivered a corner toward Owusu, but the striker sent his header over Blake\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n

The Union\u2019s best opportunity of the half came from a clever set-piece routine in the 41st minute. Iloski played the ball short to Damiani, who laid it off for Wagner outside the box. Wagner drove a low shot toward the far corner, but his effort rolled just wide.<\/p>\n

Damiani had another opportunity in first-half stoppage time when he found space in the center of the penalty area, but he pulled his shot wide of the right post.<\/p>\n

The teams went into halftime scoreless. Philadelphia had produced the better chances after Montr\u00e9al\u2019s early disallowed goal, but the Union had once again failed to turn promising possession into a breakthrough.<\/p>\n

Second Half<\/strong><\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al made the first change of the match at halftime, replacing Jalen Neal with former Union Academy defender Brandan Craig.<\/p>\n

The Union came out with considerably more urgency. Iloski nearly opened the scoring in the 48th minute when he ran onto a pass in the middle of the box and unleashed a powerful shot, but Owusu threw himself in front of the effort. Moments later, Iloski connected with a diving header that forced Breza into another save.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia\u2019s pressure finally paid off in the 57th minute. After Montr\u00e9al conceded a foul near the left side of the penalty area, the resulting set piece created a scramble in front of goal. Danley reacted first and finished from close range to give the Union a deserved 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n

The advantage appeared to be in serious jeopardy in the 68th minute when Pierre was called for a foul on Synchuk inside the penalty area. Owusu stepped to the spot with an opportunity to level the match, but Blake read his stutter-step approach and made a tremendous save.<\/p>\n

It was vintage Blake. The Union captain had not been asked to do much for most of the night, but he delivered when the game demanded it.<\/p>\n

Richter made his first substitutions immediately afterward, bringing on Jes\u00fas Bueno and Quinn Sullivan for Luki\u0107 and Vassilev in the 69th minute. Montr\u00e9al responded by replacing Synchuk and Piette with Wiki Carmona and Victor Loturi, who picked up a yellow card for a foul on Westfield in the 73rd minute.<\/p>\n

Two minutes later, Cavan Sullivan put the match away\u2014and made league history in the process. The 16-year-old collected the ball in the penalty area and calmly buried a left-footed finish past Breza to make it 2-0. It was Sullivan\u2019s fourth league goal of the season and his third in as many matches.<\/p>\n

The goal also gave Sullivan a goal contribution in five consecutive regular-season matches, making him the youngest player in MLS history\u2014and the first teenager\u2014to accomplish the feat. He celebrated his first MLS goal at Subaru Park with a LeBron James-inspired chalk toss near the corner flag.<\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al made two more changes in the 79th minute, bringing on Daniel R\u00edos and Noah Streit for Luca Petrasso and Alexis S\u00e1nchez.<\/p>\n

With the Union in control, Richter replaced Iloski and Sullivan with Ezekiel Alladoh and Alejandro Bedoya in the 82nd minute. Seventeen-year-old homegrown forward Malik Jakupovic entered for Damiani in the 90th minute as Philadelphia comfortably saw out the final stages.<\/p>\n

Bueno picked up the final yellow card of the match in stoppage time, but there would be no late drama. Blake and the Union defense completed the clean sheet, while the attack continued its encouraging run of form.<\/p>\n

The final whistle confirmed a convincing 2-0 victory. Philadelphia finished with 19 shots to Montr\u00e9al\u2019s five and thoroughly controlled the second half. More importantly, the Union collected another three points and extended an unbeaten run that is beginning to feel like something more than a temporary improvement.<\/p>\n

Three Takeaways<\/p>\n

PSP\u2019s Three Points<\/strong><\/p>\n