March 29, 2025
CF Montreal earn a hard fought point, drawing Chicago Fire FC in Illinois
It’s no secret that CF Montreal haven’t had the start to their 2025 campaign that they had hoped for – heading into another away game still looking for their first win of the young season.
Not only has CF Montreal struggled to win, they’ve also struggled to score and haven’t found the back of their opponents net now if their four last matches. In fact, through five games prior to tonight’s tilt against Chicago Fire FC, CF Montreal have only scored twice – and both goals came in the first game of the season.
See Also: CF Montreal part ways with coach Laurent Courtois
Montreal’s poor start to the season equals that of their debut season in the MLS, where they lost four of their first five games – earning their first ever win against the Chicago Fire FC.
CF Montreal were thumped away versus Nashville in their last match, three goals to nil. As a result, CF Montreal sacked head coach Laurent Courtois and replaced him with interim coach Marco Donadel – a former player for the club. This is Donadel’s first match as Montreal’s head coach.
Chicago, on the other hand, are coming into tonight’s match having beaten the other two Canadian teams in the league in their last two appearances – Toronto FC and the Vancouver White Caps, and looking to continue their ways against CF Montreal.
Montreal would need something special to stop Chicago’s dominance over Canadian teams.
In the 19th minute, Dante Sealy had the first real chance of the game, cracking a shot from just outside the box that needed a fingertip save from Fire keeper Chris Brady. Prince Owusu testing Brady in the 23rd minute, as CF Montreal entered its four-hundredth minute without scoring a goal.
CF Montreal were looking good early on, but a missed free kick from Bryce Duke lead to Chicago’s first real chance of the game, where goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois made a desperate glove save off of a Mauricio Pineda header that grazed Sirois’ glove and hit the post.
In the 36th minute, Prince Owusu put the ball into the corner of Chicago’s net, but the play was clearly offside.
CF Montreal’s best chance of the opening half came when Bryce Duke sent a perfect cross in for Caden Clark, who completely misplayed the ball, heading it well wide of the target on what looked like a certain scoring chance. Sometimes when goals are hard to come by, players tense too much and over think the plays they’d normally tap in with ease.
Six minutes from halftime, Philip Zinckernagel found himself wide open and with space to fire home his second goal of the season from the dot, off a perfect cross from Andrew Gutman, giving Chicago the early lead. The question now became how would CF Montreal respond from yet more adversity.
Zinckernagel came close to doubling his teams lead when he fired a ball through the box, just missing the far post.
At halftime, CF Montreal found themselves in familiar territory – goalless and trailing in a match where they had been the better team and surely deserved better. They had the better chances in the opening period, but had failed to convert on any of them – whereas Chicago had found the net on their first real drive.
The rain began to fall as the second half got underway, and Montreal got their first chance early on when Gutman earned a yellow card for a foul. Sealy’s free kick drifted into the arms of keeper Brady. A wasted opportunity if ever there was one.
Moments later, Hugo Cuypers riffled a shot just wide of the post, beating an out-stretched Jonathan Sirois but gliding by the outside of the post.
Five minutes into the half, Dante Sealy made up for his botched free kick, threading a beautiful pass from Luca Petrasso hard into the back left post, drawing Montreal level with Chicago and ending his squads goal drought. Sealy’s first game as a member of CF Montreal was a big one that the squad so desperately needed.
In the 76th minute, Prince Owusu fired a golden chance clear over the net on a play that looked like a sure goal. Perhaps the heavy rain had something to do with it, but Owusu needs to do better on chances are good as that.
In the 88th minute, Bryce Duke had a great chance to put Montreal ahead, from the inside the box, but his shot was far too easy for Chris Brady, who deflected the ball away where substitute Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty’s attempt was also saved, leading a Montreal corner.
Alas, the game would end at one goal a piece. Montreal needed to respond following everything that has happened this week, and they did, playing their best game since their season opening match.
Joel Waterman’s returned to the fray following a call up to the Canadian national team seemed to improve Montreal’s back end, as the veteran’s presence was sorely missed during his time away from the club.
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CF Montreal next visits the undefeated Columbus Crew on April 5th, while Chicago Fire FC will travel to New York to take on the New York Red Bulls.
CF Montreal will finally play their first home game of the season when they return to Stade Saputo to take on Charlotte on April 12th. Montreal hasn’t been able to host due to the winter temperatures, and the Olympic Stadium that they normally play in during the cold months, undergoing major construction work to its roof.
