Philadelphia Union scored twice in the second half but had to settle for a 2-2 draw against CF Montreal on Saturday evening at Subaru Park.
The scoreline wasn't the only thing tied up as both teams finished the match with 10 on the pitch after Ariel Lassiter and Jack Elliott were sent off. After Montreal’s Sunusi Ibrahim opened the scoring inside the opening minute, the Union rallied back in the second half with two goals in three minutes. Daniel Gazdag netted his record-tying 50th league goal from the penalty spot while Quinn Sullivan threaded a perfect pass to send Mikael Uhre into the a scoring position which he converted. Montreal found an equalizer shortly after the Union lost their center back with a ball off the post put in by their captain Samuel Piette.
Head Coach Jim Curtin opted for fresh legs in the team’s third game in a week, shaking things up with a new-look lineup shared differently from the typical diamond. Curtin turned to a back three with Jack Elliott flanked on opposite sides by Damion Lowe and captain Jakob Glesnes in front of goalkeeper Oliver Semmle. Defenders Kai Wagner and Olivier Mbaizo were tasked providing offensive width while José Martinez, Leon Flach and Jack McGlynn occupied the middle of the pitch. With Julian Carranza out for a second straight match, Daniel Gazdag joined Mikael Uhre as a second striker.
Montreal matched the Union in the tactical formation of a back three with their biggest chang coming in net as Canadian backup Sebastian Breza earned his first Major League Soccer start in 2024. After getting bounced in the Canadian Championship, Montreal came to the City of Brotherly Love with positive momentum after snapping a nine-match winless run with 4-2 victory over D.C. United on Wednesday. That featured a brace off the bench from Sunusi Ibrahim. The X-year-old forward kept the scoring going as he found the back of the net just 48 seconds into the contest. While the Union settled into their new look, Montreal’s Ruan darted down the right side to find midfielder Dominic Yankov which drew a trio of looks from the Union. The ball ended up at the feet of Ibrahim, who opted to shoot from distance and beat Semmle with a blast that added up to their only shot on goal in the entire half.
Montreal’s goal was no shock for the Canadian side as it notched their 13th goal in the opening half to put them just behind the league lead.
Down a goal very early on, Philly nearly found an equalizer in the fifth minute from Uhre. The Danish forward took an upfield pass from El Brujo then had a perfect touch to his left to shake his defender for a chance to shoot. Breza dove to get a hand on it, sending the ball out of play for a Union corner. A Wagner service created a few looks for the Union in the box, starting with Martinez, but a final boot from Glesnes sent the ball just wide of the net.
Union fans began celebration in the 15th minute, but their cheering dissipated when a Union goal was called offside. Mbaizo tapped the ball back to McGlynn after the homegrown tossed it in on the right sideline, and when he got it back, he powered it toward the net from far outside the box, catching Montréal’s keeper off guard for a score. However, Daniel Gazdag made a cut into the box, and the ball went through his legs; even though he didn’t touch it, he interfered with the play, causing the official to rule the effort offside.
The Boys in Blue continued to try and break down the patient CF Montreal side that was more than willing to concede possession and allow the home side to operate out on the flanks. In the 24th minute, the team’s all-time leading goal scorer put Breza to the test after José Martinez calmly passed to him despite two Montréal opponents coming crashing toward him. Upon collecting the pass, Gazdag took a powerful shot from outside the box forcing the keeper to jump for a save that kept the Canadians ahead.
Frustration brewed around the 30-minute mark, as the Union’s Supporter’s chants grew louder in hopes of an equalizer, and they had a good chance to find it in the 35th minute when xxx took down Martinez driving toward the net. The official blew his whistle, giving Philadelphia Union a free kick chance. In an attempt to shake Breza, the team’s pair of Jacks in Elliott and McGlynn each appeared ready to take the shot, but the Homegrown lefty ultimately ripped the shot, but it landed in Breza’s chest. Eight minutes later another caution was issued when Wagner took a corner kick that found McGlynn’s head. He nodded it toward Gazdag, who fell to the ground after close collision with Breza, but his fall spurred the official to deal a yellow card to the Hungarian for simulation. Montréal’s Yankov joined the list in the 41st minute and then Ariel Lassister was called for a yellow just before the break. The Video Assistant Referee intervened before play resumed for the play between Martinez and Lassiter. After a 30 second check, the referee changed it to a red card for violent conduct as the forward used his elbow in the process.
Down a man but up on the scoreboard, Montreal sunk deeper into its defensive bunker to see out the first half and succeeded after the Union were unable to solve the puzzle in the opening half.
The situation and scoreline called for a change and both coaches did just that as Laurent Courtois swapped brought on another defender in the form of Joaquin Sosa for the attack minded Yankov. Curtin shifted back to the diamond with Glesnes and Flach taken off in place of homegrown Quinn Sullivan and team captain Alejandro Bedoya.
With a preference to lean on the counter attack, the Union continued to dominate possession with Montreal opting to rely on its nine field players to withstand attack after attack. Forced out to the wide areas, the Union hoped for set piece chances to find an equalizer but were unable to break through despite two opportunities early on. Wagner got on the ball in the 53rd minute with a flick into the red zone that connected with Uhre however the headed chance went right to the keeper.
Uhre took another shot in the 56th minute, and when Gazdag followed through for the rebound, he was taken down, giving him a chance from the spot. Like clockwork, Gazdag’s shot caused the keeper to dive left and he instead placed the penalty right, hitting the back of the net for the equalizer, sending Subaru Park into celebration. On Alumni night, his goal tied Union legend Sebastian LeToux’s for all-time MLS goals for a total of 50.
Two minutes later, Mikael Uhre found one his own, giving their first lead of the game in the 58th minute. Quinn Sullivan made his fifth assist of the season, finding his Danish teammate near the top of the box. The forward beat his defender and found himself 1v1 against the keeper courtesy of the threaded pass to score his first goal since May 12th against Orlando City. The conceded goal was Montreal’s ninth goal in the first 15 minutes of a second half, which is more than any other team has let up in that span in the MLS this season.
Two minutes later, Mikael Uhre found one his own, giving their first lead of the game in the 58th minute. Quinn Sullivan made his fifth assist of the season, finding his Danish teammate near the top of the box. The forward beat his defender and found himself 1v1 against the keeper courtesy of the threaded pass to score his first goal since May 12th against Orlando City. The conceded goal was Montreal’s ninth goal in the first 15 minutes of a second half, which is more than any other team has let up in that span in the MLS this season.
The goals injected Curtin’s squad with new energy but the match would produce another game-changing moment when Elliott was shown a straight red for colliding with Montreal’s Raheem Edwards. Playing 10 v 10 and the Union unable to make a change, the Canadian side took advantage with a goal on the ensuing set piece. Substitute Bryce Duke stepped over the ball and connected with Sosa but saw the redirected shot crash off the post and right over a diving Semmle. Montreal captain Samuel Piette followed the play and was first to the ball to tap it over the line and suddenly the game was level on players and goals.
While Montreal again retreated into a defensive shell with the game level at two goals each, the ownis was on ownes was on the Union once again to push for a goal. After the goal the Union were persistently trying with 41.5% of the action taking place in the Canadian side's third over the final 30 minute stretch however the Union couldn't unlock the defense. McGlynn gave a in the 89th minute with a blast from just outside the box however it skipped wide of the diving keeper and out.
Seven minutes of added time provided the potential for a few more offfensive possessions for the Union. After regaining the ball off a slow goal kick set up, a quick sequence of passes between Gazdag and McGlynn put the ball at the boots of Quinn Sullivan who ripped a right-footed curler that went right into the keeper's hands. Fellow homegrown Nathan Harriel had a go from long range at the top of the box with nearly every player in the box and saw the shot glance off a defender and skip wide of the Montreal net. With a corner kick chance before the final whistle, Wagner picked out Bedoya but the captain's header went right to the keeper once more.
Philadelphia Union return to action as group when they play host to Supporters' Shield leaders Inter Miami CF on Saturday, June 15th. The match will serve as Unity Night presented by WSFS Bank with kick off set for 7:30PM ET.
