CF Montreal left Columbus with three points on Wednesday night after a performance that will baffle coaches and analysts alike. Philippe Eullaffroy’s side managed just 38% possession, generated more than three times Columbus’s expected goals (1.16 to 0.30), and still found a way to win 2-1 at Lower.com Field. Prince Owusu opened the scoring inside five minutes, Thomas Gillier’s own goal drew the Crew level, and Noah Streit settled it with 12 minutes to go.
Key Moments
- 3′, Columbus were put on the back foot immediately when Rudy Camacho picked up a yellow card, leaving the Crew’s backline disrupted before the game had barely started.
- 5′, Prince Owusu put Montreal ahead almost straight away, finishing past Patrick Schulte to give the visitors an early advantage.
- 14′, Camacho, already booked, was substituted off by interim coach Laurent Courtois before the situation could worsen.
- 20′, Thomas Gillier put the ball into his own net to level at 1-1, handing Columbus an equalizer they had barely worked for up to that point.
- 78′, Noah Streit restored Montreal’s lead with a late goal, and was himself substituted a minute later with the job done.
Tactical Breakdown
Columbus had everything in their favor on paper. They held 62% of the ball, completed 600 of 663 passes at 90% accuracy, and generated five corner kicks to Montreal’s three. But their six total shots, just two on target, and an xG of 0.30 tells the real story: the Crew circulated the ball without creating genuine danger. Patrick Schulte had to make five saves behind them, which speaks to how little control Columbus actually had when Montreal pushed forward.
The match turned on Camacho’s third-minute booking and his subsequent forced substitution at 14 minutes. Laurent Courtois had to reorganize his back line almost before the game started, and the Crew never fully settled into their intended 4-4-2 shape. Columbus made three substitutions at the 56-minute mark in an attempt to inject energy, but the changes did not shift the territorial advantage they already had into actual shooting threat. Streit’s winner came from Montreal’s 14th shot, compared to Columbus’s six, a volume gap that the scoreline eventually reflected.
Columbus’s weakness was conversion rather than structure. An xG of 0.30 against a side ranked 14th in the Eastern Conference is damaging, and the own-goal that leveled things at 1-1 flattered their attacking output. Eullaffroy’s side stayed compact, transitioned quickly, and punished the Crew twice from a relatively small number of clear looks.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
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Verdict
Montreal move to 23 points with the win and climb above Columbus in the Eastern Conference standings, though both clubs remain well outside the playoff places in a conference led by Nashville SC on 46 points. Columbus stay on 20 points, now having lost 10 of their first 20 regular-season matches. For Eullaffroy’s side, it is back-to-back away results to build on; for Courtois’s Columbus, the inability to translate possession into shots will need addressing before their situation drifts further.
CF Montreal
Columbus Crew