Two goals down at the break and looking every bit like a side sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference, CF Montreal produced a sharp second-half turnaround to draw 2-2 with New England Revolution at Saputo Stadium. Brayan Vera and Prince Owusu struck within seven minutes of each other after the interval to cancel out a Carles Gil penalty and Dor Turgeman goal that had given the visitors a comfortable advantage. For interim head coach Philippe Eullaffroy, the point offers modest encouragement; for Marko Mitrovic’s Revolution, who came in third in the East, it is another dropped result on the road.
Key Moments
- 30′, Carles Gil steps up and converts a penalty to put New England in front, giving the visitors the first goal of the afternoon.
- 36′, Dor Turgeman doubles the Revolution lead with a normal finish, making it 2-0 and earning goalkeeper Sebastian Breza a yellow card in the process.
- 46′, Montreal make an immediate halftime adjustment, bringing Matthew Longstaff off at the start of the second half.
- 52′, Brayan Vera pulls one back for CF Montreal, cutting the deficit to 1-2 and breathing life into the home side.
- 59′, Prince Owusu levels at 2-2 just seven minutes later, completing Montreal’s comeback and silencing what had been a comfortable Revolution afternoon.
Tactical Breakdown
New England had the better of the opening 45 minutes on nearly every measure. The Revolution controlled 54 percent of possession, completed 89 percent of their passes, and generated an xG of 4.03 across 21 shots, a figure that paints a picture of a side that should have killed the game well before the interval. Their 4-2-3-1 allowed Gil to operate between the lines and link with Turgeman effectively in the first half, creating overloads Montreal’s 4-3-3 could not contain.
The substitution of Longstaff at halftime was the visible turning point. Montreal became more direct and compact in the second half, and their urgency around the box paid off quickly. Vera’s goal at 52 minutes gave the crowd something to hold on to, and Owusu’s equalizer at 59 sealed a seven-minute spell that completely reversed the result. New England’s removal of Turgeman and Polster in the 73rd minute, perhaps with an eye on rotation, ended up looking premature as Montreal pushed for a winner.
Despite the impressive first-half display, New England’s xG of 4.03 against just two goals and a goalkeeper saves tally of six for the Revolution’s Matt Turner tells a story of offensive wastefulness. Montreal’s Breza made only three saves, but the home side converted two of their eight shots on goal when the pressure was at its highest. New England were flat after the hour mark and never threatened to reclaim the lead.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The draw leaves CF Montreal on 16 points in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, still well adrift of the playoff positions but at least with a morale boost from their second-half display under interim boss Philippe Eullaffroy. New England stay third on 30 points, seven behind Inter Miami, and will be frustrated to have dropped two points from a position of strength; Nashville SC’s lead at the top of the East continues to look commanding at 40 points.