CF Montréal Salvages Draw in Dramatic Match Against New York Red Bulls

CF Montréal found themselves in a whirlwind of events during their match against New York Red Bulls on a stormy Wednesday night. Despite their own shortcomings, they capitalized on Red Bulls’ mistakes in a 2-2 draw that was far from deserved but gladly accepted.

The standout performer of the match was Josef Martínez, orchestrating a Montreal heist amidst a series of blunders by the Canadian side. Trailing 1-0 after a lengthy weather delay, Montreal emerged from the pause with renewed vigor, with Martínez playing a pivotal role in twice equalizing the score.

A pivotal free kick won by Mathieu Choinière after his return to the starting lineup under Laurent Courtois, alongside Samuel Piette and Joel Waterman post-Copa América, allowed Josef Martínez to find the net in the 67th minute, leveling the score with a deflected shot.

However, Choinière went from hero to villain as he inadvertently scored an own goal from an unnecessary corner conceded to the Red Bulls, putting New York 2-1 ahead in the 75th minute and seemingly sealing Montreal’s fate with another away loss.

Nevertheless, two minutes later, Sean Nealis gave Montreal hope by conceding a penalty and receiving a red card for his challenge on Jules-Anthony Vilsaint in the box. Martínez calmly converted the penalty to make it 2-2.

Montreal pushed for a winner until the final whistle, with Ruan‘s disallowed goal in stoppage time denying them the victory.

Despite a lackluster first half performance, Montreal’s renewed attacking display in the second half, exemplified by the introduction of new strikers like Martínez and Vilsaint, showcased their resilience in salvaging a point.

The match illustrated Montreal’s struggles with turnovers in their own half and a disjointed midfield in the first half. Wikelman Carmona capitalized on a Montreal mistake to give New York the lead in the 18th minute, highlighting Montreal’s defensive vulnerabilities.

While the second half showed signs of improvement, Montreal’s recurring poor starts remain a cause for concern. With this draw, CF Montréal now sits 9th in the playoff race.