Latest news with #Owusu
Montreal Gazette
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Soccer legend Lionel Messi scores twice in Inter Miami's 4-1 win over CF Montréal
Club de Foot Montreal Lionel Messi put on a show Saturday in Montreal. The Argentine superstar — widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time — delivered two stellar goals and added an assist to lead Inter Miami past CF Montréal 4-1 in MLS play at a raucous Saputo Stadium. Messi scored in the first half with a curling shot into the bottom-left corner. Then he dribbled down the midfield, sliced through several blue jerseys and finished into the top-right corner for a highlight-reel goal in the second half, bringing fans to their feet. Tadeo Allende and Telasco Segovia also scored for Miami (9-3-5), which returned to MLS action after playing in the FIFA Club World Cup. Miami dropped out of the tournament in the round of 16 last Sunday with a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, was named to Miami's starting 11 alongside fellow former FC Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Prince Owusu replied with his fourth goal in four games for Montreal (3-13-5). Marco Donadel's side sits last in the Eastern Conference and has just one home win in 10 outings, a 1-0 victory over New York City FC last Saturday. The sellout crowd featured plenty of Argentine blue and Inter Miami pink — one fan even wore a Messi tracksuit and goat mask. Fans chanted 'Messi! Messi! Messi!' throughout the match. And when Messi took a corner kick early on, spectators left their seats and piled into the lower parts of the stands to get a closer look. Hordes of fans also swarmed a downtown Montreal hotel to catch a glimpse of the global icon after he landed in Montreal on Friday night. Many more lined the streets with signs outside Saputo Stadium hours before kickoff to watch Messi step off the team bus. It was Messi's fourth match on Canadian soil, and second in Montreal. The 38-year-old played his first professional game in Canada on May 11, 2024, when he was held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 Miami win over Montreal. Saturday's match looked a little different. Trailing 1-0, Miami equalized in the 33rd minute when Allende scored with a long-range shot after receiving the ball from Messi. Miami's superstar gave the crowd more to cheer for in the 40th by dribbling into the box, cutting to his left foot and curling a shot to give the visiting side a 2-1 lead. Messi even factored into Owusu's opening goal, putting the ball on a platter for Montreal's striker with a costly giveaway in the game's second minute. Owusu only needed one touch to blast a shot past Miami 'keeper Óscar Ustari from the edge of the box. Segovia gave Miami a 3-1 lead in the 62nd minute with a superb shot off the crossbar and in. Two minutes later, Messi danced through the Montreal defence with the ball on a string and buried his second of the night — and 12th of the season. Messi appeared to score a hat-trick goal in second-half stoppage time, but the play was ruled offside. Miami outshot Montreal 15-13 (9-8 on target) and held 58 per cent of possession. Montreal hosts the Canadian Premier League's Forge FC in the second leg of the Canadian Championship quarter-final Wednesday. This story was originally published July 5, 2025 at 10:13 PM.
Canada News.Net
7 days ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Union hold off CF Montreal to remain atop MLS standings
(Photo credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images) Olwethu Makhanya scored the go-ahead goal early in the second half to lift the host Philadelphia Union to a 2-1 win over CF Montreal on Wednesday. The victory kept the Union (14-5-4, 46 points), who have won two straight after losing two in a row, atop the MLS standings. Montreal (3-14-6, 15 points) is winless in its past three after winning two of three. Makhanya's first career MLS goal came off a corner in the 50th minute. With Kai Wagner serving from the right side, the South African defender jumped and headed the ball down off the pitch, leading the ball to bounce back up past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Sebastian Breza. Montreal then pressed hard for the equalizer. In the 58th minute, Prince Owusu had an opportunity on a 2-on-1 with Hennadii Synchuk but just missed the target. Two minutes later, Dante Sealy missed just wide left on a feed from Owusu. Owusu came within inches of tying the game in the 77th minute, only to hit the post. And in the 84th minute, Owusu slipped as he took a feed from Sealy but managed to get his foot on the ball to lift a shot on target, but Union goalkeeper Andre Blake, off his line, got across to get his hands on it and deflect it away. Tai Baribo gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute. Danley Jean Jacques managed the ball from near midfield to inside the box. Montreal midfielder Samuel Piette knocked the ball loose and defender Joel Waterman tried to push it away, but it rolled to Quinn Sullivan, who centered it for Baribo at the top of the goalmouth for a quick right-foot strike past Breza. Owusu's team-leading 10th tally of the season pulled Montreal level just before halftime. Waterman volleyed a pass for Owusu heading into the box. The German striker got his right foot on the ball in the air to send into the far side in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.
Canada Standard
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada Standard
CF Montreal salvages draw with late penalty vs. Orlando City
Field Level Media 13 Jul 2025, 07:35 GMT+10 (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images) Prince Owusu converted on an 83rd-minute penalty for CF Montreal to salvage a 1-1 draw against host Orlando City on Saturday. Montreal (3-13-6, 15 points) is 2-1-1 in its past four road matches. Orlando (9-5-8, 35 points) is winless in its past three after winning five of seven. Owusu's career-high 10th of the season tied it 1-1 on a penalty in the 83rd minute after he was fouled in the box. The German striker took his strides toward the ball before pausing briefly to freeze goalkeeper Javier Otero and fire it low into the right side. The hosts pushed for the go-ahead goal in second-half stoppage time but were denied by Montreal. Joel Waterman got in front of an Alex Freeman chance near the spot. Moments later, goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois shoveled across to deny Nicolas Rodriguez's shot from outside the box. Martin Ojeda capitalized on a set piece for Orlando to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. The midfielder put a short roll towards Luis Muriel, who stopped it to allow Ojeda to come into it for a low strike into the bottom right corner. The tally was his 10th of the season to become the third player in Lions history with double-digit goals and assists in a single MLS season. He also reached 20 goals and 31 assists with the club, making him the third player in franchise history with at least 20 goals and 30 assists. It also made it seven straight games with a goal contribution for Ojeda, matching his record from last season across all competitions. Ojeda appeared to put Orlando up by two in the 34th minute but the offside flag was raised. Owusu then looked to have pulled Montreal level in the 39th minute off a rush in transition but another offside flag kept the deficit at one. Montreal controlled the ball early, dominating with over 63 percent of the touches through the first 15 minutes but couldn't get off a shot attempt. --Field Level Media
13-07-2025
- Sport
Owusu's PK in the 83rd minute helps Montreal to 1-1 tie with Orlando City
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Prince Owusu converted from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute for CF Montreal on Saturday night in a 1-1 tie with Orlando City. Owusu drew a foul, conceded by Rodrigo Schlegel, in the area and his penalty-kick goal made it 1-1. Montreal (3-13-7) went into the game with 15 points, the fewest in the Eastern Conference, and a minus-22 goal differential, tied with D.C. United for worst in MLS. Martín Ojeda opened the scoring in the 28th minute — his eighth consecutive game with a goal contribution (two goals, six assists) — with a low shot from just outside the area the slipped inside the right post. Orlando (9-5-8) winless in three straight. Orlando's Alex Freeman and Nicolás Rodríguez each had a shot blocked in stoppage time. Jonathan Sirois stopped two shots for Montreal. Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson (yellow card accumulation) served one-game suspensions for Orlando. Javier Otero made his second career start in Gallese's place and did not have a save.
Canada News.Net
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
CF Montreal salvages draw with late penalty vs. Orlando City
(Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images) Prince Owusu converted on an 83rd-minute penalty for CF Montreal to salvage a 1-1 draw against host Orlando City on Saturday. Montreal (3-13-6, 15 points) is 2-1-1 in its past four road matches. Orlando (9-5-8, 35 points) is winless in its past three after winning five of seven. Owusu's career-high 10th of the season tied it 1-1 on a penalty in the 83rd minute after he was fouled in the box. The German striker took his strides toward the ball before pausing briefly to freeze goalkeeper Javier Otero and fire it low into the right side. The hosts pushed for the go-ahead goal in second-half stoppage time but were denied by Montreal. Joel Waterman got in front of an Alex Freeman chance near the spot. Moments later, goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois shoveled across to deny Nicolas Rodriguez's shot from outside the box. Martin Ojeda capitalized on a set piece for Orlando to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute. The midfielder put a short roll towards Luis Muriel, who stopped it to allow Ojeda to come into it for a low strike into the bottom right corner. The tally was his 10th of the season to become the third player in Lions history with double-digit goals and assists in a single MLS season. He also reached 20 goals and 31 assists with the club, making him the third player in franchise history with at least 20 goals and 30 assists. It also made it seven straight games with a goal contribution for Ojeda, matching his record from last season across all competitions. Ojeda appeared to put Orlando up by two in the 34th minute but the offside flag was raised. Owusu then looked to have pulled Montreal level in the 39th minute off a rush in transition but another offside flag kept the deficit at one. Montreal controlled the ball early, dominating with over 63 percent of the touches through the first 15 minutes but couldn't get off a shot attempt.
