Five straight losses had made Saputo Stadium a miserable place to be, but Owusu flipped the script on Friday night. The forward scored twice in the 72nd and 75th minutes to turn a tight game into a comfortable 3-1 victory over FC Cincinnati, ending CF Montreal’s run of poor form according to local12.com. Rios had given the hosts a first-half lead, and despite Tom Barlow pulling Cincinnati level, Owusu took over to seal three points for interim coach Philippe Eullaffroy.
Key Moments
- 11′, Early disruption for Montreal as Ceballos was forced off, bringing Herbers into the game ahead of schedule.
- 25′, Rios broke the deadlock with a goal to put CF Montreal ahead, no assist recorded.
- 64′, Barlow leveled for FC Cincinnati, converting a move set up by Valenzuela to make it 1-1.
- 72′, Owusu restored Montreal’s lead from the penalty spot, putting the hosts back in front.
- 75′, Owusu made it 3-1 two minutes later with a second goal, this time assisted by Rios, to put the result beyond doubt.
Tactical Breakdown
FC Cincinnati dominated possession at 55% and registered 18 total shots to Montreal’s 15, but efficiency was the story. The visitors put only 4 shots on target compared to Montreal’s 5, and goalkeeper Breza made 3 saves to keep the hosts in it during a spell of Cincinnati pressure. Pat Noonan’s side created chances but too often went wide, recording 11 shots off target on the night.
The match turned around the 70-minute mark. Cincinnati goalkeeper Celentano picked up a yellow card in the 71st minute, and within 60 seconds Montreal had converted a penalty through Owusu. The combination of that decision and the goal seemed to deflate Cincinnati, and when Rios turned provider for Owusu’s second just three minutes later, Noonan responded by sending on Fletcher and Smith at the 77th-minute double change, but the deficit was already too large to recover.
For Cincinnati, the early substitution of Jabbari at the 58th minute disrupted what little attacking rhythm they had built after Barlow’s equalizer. The back three of Gidi, Hagglund and Hadebe struggled to contain Montreal’s forward runs in the final 20 minutes, and Hadebe’s yellow card in the 86th minute reflected a difficult evening for the visiting defense. With the Eastern Conference playoff picture tightening around 10th place, Cincinnati’s road form will concern Pat Noonan heading into the final stretch.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
CF Montreal sit 15th in the Eastern Conference on 24 points, and while the playoff picture is bleak, ending a five-game losing streak at least restores some confidence under Philippe Eullaffroy’s interim charge. FC Cincinnati drop to 10th on 33 points after a fourth loss in their last five matches, putting their postseason ambitions under pressure with the standings around them tightening.