CHESTER, Pa. – All Canadian clubs have been eliminated from Leagues Cup play after CF Montreal fell Friday to the Philadelphia Union 2-0 in the tournament’s round-of-32.
Both Philadelphia goals came in stoppage time, with forward Tai Baribo scoring both — one in the dying minutes of the first half, the other in the game’s 96th minute.
Philadelphia outshot Montreal 13-8 in the match, with seven shots on goal versus only two for the Canadian club. Montreal did have the advantage in possession with 53.7 per cent.
Union goalkeeper Andre Blake recorded the clean sheet in the win, the third of his career in Leagues Cup play.
The Union will face FC Cincinnati in the next round of the Leagues Cup knockout stage on Aug. 13, while Montreal will resume the Major League Soccer regular season Aug. 24 at home against the New England Revolution.
Montreal’s loss comes one day after Toronto FC fell to Inter Miami 4-3 in the knockout round and two days after the Vancouver Whitecaps were stifled 2-0 at home against Mexican club Pumas UNAM.
Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said after the game that he thought his club “had created enough offensively” despite Blake’s clean sheet.
“We lacked lucidity at key moments,” Courtois said in a statement issued by CF Montreal.
“Tonight, there were clear opportunities with few opponents in front of goal,” he said. “We need to create more. We were able to do that a few times.
“Tonight, we were less inspired at times than the week before. But there’s also the type of opponent you have to take into account.”
Courtois also said the club is now hoping the break between now and the match against New England will put the team “back on the right track.”
The Leagues Cup features 47 teams from both the MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX competing for a prize pool of US$40 million and three berths in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2024.
