July 12, 2026
CF Montreal knocks Vancouver FC out of Canadian Championship
The Canadian Championship brought Vancouver FC to Stade Saputo for the second leg quarterfinal match-up between host CF Montreal and the visiting Vancouver FC.
Montreal came into the fixture holding a one-goal aggregate lead, having earned a 2-1 victory in British Columbia on July 8th, but Vancouver FC weren’t about to roll over and play dead, and Montreal seemed determined to give Vancouver every chance to frag themselves back into the fold.
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CF Montreal have undergone a few line-up changes since they lasted Took to the pitch at Stade Saputo, having returned loanee Ivan Jaime to FC Porto and Mahala Opoku transferred to Panetolikos FC. Then, Montreal acquired midfielder Dani Pereira from Austin FC, extended the load for goalkeeper Thomas Gillier and signed Luca Petrasso to a contract extension.
Yet, some things don’t change. Such as CF Montreal’s incredible ability to struggle against lower league teams. Despite eventually winning the match and eliminating Vancouver FC from the Canadian Championship, they had to do so down a player, thanks to a silly challenge by Efraín Morales that was award a straight red card. Silly games, silly prizes. And then there’s the fact that CF Montreal were eliminated from the tournament two years in a row by the Hamilton Forge.
Four days ago, CF Montreal found themselves down a goal at Willoughby Community Park, and had to rely on a Vancouver FC equalizer and a penalty spot goal from Prince Owuzu to leave with a win.
Perhaps it’s more a testament to how fast the game is growing in Canada, and how good the Canadian Premier League teams have become.
Early on, CF Montreal were swarming all over Vancouver FC, causing them issues and earning chances that goalkeeper Callum Irving had to deal with. Montreal were controlling the game, held the majority of the ball possession and were pressing hard, allowing Vancouver FC very little and dealing with their counterattacks well when they found them. Until Morales committed to a slide tackle from behind that was always going to see him sent to the showers.
The second half began with Vancouver FC up and a man and pressing hard against CF Montreal. Suddenly, the roles from the first forty-five minutes of play had been reversed, and now Montreal were on their heels, forced to defender a ferocious and hungry Vancouver onslaught.
Once again, it was a foul that were alter the course of the match. Tom Field committed a foul of Montreal’s Prince Owusu just outside of the penalty box, earning himself a yellow card and setting up Montreal with a pristine chance at goal. One that Brendan Craig capitalized on. Craig chipped a shot over the wall that curled into the bottom right corner of the goal, beyond a diving Irving. Suddenly, CF Montreal had snatched the lead despite having just ten men to battle with.
Vancouver FC began to push back, harder than at any other time in the contest and while they came close to drawing level, having a goal called back for a handball, their aggression ultimately cost them, when the vision of Luca Petrasso saw Daniel Rios all alone down field, and sent a perfect volley his way. Rios caught the ball perfectly, and instantly chipped the ball high and over the Vancouver ‘keeper who was way out of position up field, trying to help his club apply pressure.
Helplessly, all Irving could do was watch the ball sail over him and right into the back of his goal. Montreal now held a two goal lead, and a four to one aggregate lead.
Vancouver Fc though, weren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet – and kept pressing, looking for anything they could get to help them crawl back into the fight. That effort paid off in the 79th minute, when a shot ricochet into the path of Morey Doner, who had a wide open net to fire the ball into, and so he did as CF Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza could do nothing more than watch it unfold.
Read More:
>> Maxime Crepeau rescues Canada versus Ireland
>> FC Supra roll past Woodbridge Strikers at the Canadian Championship
>> CF Montreal demolish Calgary Blizzard in Canadian Championship
While the journey has come to an end for Vancouver FC, CF Montreal now await the winner between tomorrow night’s match up between the Vancouver White Caps and Cavalry FC. Having knocked out CS Saint-Laurent earlier today, Forge FC now await the winner of the FC Supra and Aletico series which begins tomorrow an concludes on August 11th.
The chase for the Voyageurs Cup is far from over, with the semifinals waiting to determined. Then, the cup final will take place on October 21st a yet to be announced stadium.
