Match Recap: Union Beat CF Montréal 2-1 for Third Straight Win, Off to Best Start in Club History

Vassilev and Uhre Score to Secure Union’s Seventh Win in 11 Games

(Credit: Philadelphia Union)

Montréal — It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Philadelphia Union found a way to grind out a 2-1 win over CF Montréal, with Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre both scoring for the Union.

With their victory, the Union have won seven of their first 11 games of the season, giving them 22 points and placing them in second in the Eastern Conference (though FC Cincinnati could jump them depending on their result against NYCFC on Sunday).

The win also marked the Union's second-ever win at Stade Saputo and their first since August 22, 2015, in a game they won 1-0 thanks to a Sébastien Le Toux goal.

Bradley Carnell made three changes to his lineup from last week's match against D.C. United. Olwethu Makhanya returned to the starting lineup, replacing Nathan Harriel, for his first start since April 12 against NYCFC. Jovan Lukić, who missed last week's game due to a suspension, replaced Jesús Bueno. Chris Donovan replaced Mikael Uhre for his first start of the season and his first since July 6, 2024, against the New York Red Bulls. Andre Blake started in goal, with the backline consisting of Kai Wagner, Olwethu Makhanya, Jakob Glesnes, and Frankie Westfield. Danley Jean Jacques and Jovan Lukić started as the two No. 6s, with Quinn Sullivan and Indiana Vassilev as the two No. 10s. Tai Baribo and Chris Donovan formed the forward pairing.

The Union couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game, with Indiana Vassilev scoring in the 2nd minute to give them an early 1-0 lead. Danley Jean Jacques led the charge, collecting a loose ball in their own half of the field. After some fancy, quick, first-time passing between Jean Jacques, Quinn Sullivan, and Chris Donovan, Jean Jacques drove the ball forward and found a wide-open Vassilev to his left, who struck first-time just outside the 18-yard box.

Montréal responded well with a chance of their own in the 4th minute after some good passing through the midfield, with former Union player Fabian Herbers finding Prince Osei Owusu, whose shot was saved by Andre Blake to keep the score at 1-0.

Montréal equalized just before the break in the 3rd minute of added time, with Giacomo Vrioni scoring his first goal of the season. Montréal took a corner quickly, with Dante Sealy playing short to Fabian Herbers, who returned the pass to Sealy. Sealy played a strong, driven pass into the 18-yard box, which deflected off Kai Wagner, allowing Vrioni to slot home and tie the game at 1-1.

Both teams headed into halftime tied at 1-1, with each having chances in the first half. Montréal led in shots 7 (2 on target) to 5 (3 on target), with Andre Blake and Jonathan Sirois making multiple saves. Tai Baribo once again had a quiet first half, failing to register a single shot, as the Union struggled to provide him service. All three of the Union’s shots on target came from outside the 18-yard box by Quinn Sullivan and Indiana Vassilev.

Bradley Carnell made his first change in the 55th minute, bringing on Bruno Damiani to replace Chris Donovan.

Montréal had a chance to take a 2-1 lead in the 68th minute, with left-back Tom Pearce sending in a cross toward Dante Sealy. Kai Wagner intercepted the pass, but his clearance hit off Andre Blake’s knee and ricocheted to Jovan Lukić, who cleared the danger.

Bradley Carnell made two more changes in the 74th minute, with Nathan Harriel slotting in at the No. 10, replacing Indiana Vassilev, and Mikael Uhre replacing Tai Baribo.

Montréal had a penalty shout in the 77th minute after Jovan Lukić made contact with Dante Sealy’s leg inside the penalty box. Referee Marcos de Oliveira initially waved play on, but VAR sent him to the monitor for review. After a lengthy review, de Oliveira stuck with his on-field call of no penalty.

In the 84th minute, the Union took a 2-1 lead thanks to second-half substitute Mikael Uhre, who scored his second goal of the season. Jovan Lukić won the ball back in Montréal’s half and played a first-time pass to Uhre, who got a bit fortunate as his shot had enough power that Jonathan Sirois (who got a hand to it) couldn’t keep it out.

Carnell made his final two changes in the 88th minute, bringing on Jesús Bueno and Jeremy Rafanello for Jovan Lukić and Quinn Sullivan.

With their 2-1 win over Montréal, the Union secured their third road win of the season, their first since March 8 against the New England Revolution.

Key Moments

2nd minute - Indiana Vassilev’s first goal for the club gives the Union a 1-0 lead.

4th minute - Andre Blake makes his first and only save of the night to keep the score at 1-0.

45+3’ - Montréal scores the equalizer just before halftime through Giacomo Vrioni after the Union fail to clear the ball from their 18-yard box.

68th minute - Montréal comes close to taking a 2-1 lead after Kai Wagner clears Tom Pearce’s cross off Andre Blake’s knee.

77th minute - Montréal believes they have a penalty after Jovan Lukić makes contact with Dante Sealy inside the penalty area, but no penalty is awarded after a VAR check.

84th minute - Jovan Lukić wins the ball back in Montréal’s half and finds Mikael Uhre, who makes it 2-1 for the Union.

Mikael Uhre Scores 5th Career Goal Against CF Montréal

For reasons that often defy explanation, some players seem to thrive against specific opponents, and Mikael Uhre is a prime example when facing Montréal. With his goal in the match, Uhre now boasts an impressive five goals in six MLS games against Montréal. After the game, Philadelphia Union head coach Bradley Carnell was asked whether Uhre’s strong historical performance against Montréal influenced the decision to start him and why he thinks certain players excel against particular teams.

“I don't know. You're gonna have to ask Mika (Uhre) that,” Carnell admitted. “I didn't know about his record before the game. I'm only focused on what's happening now in the present moment, how we're preparing for games, and how we're preparing for each minute of every game. So, I'm happy with everyone who came in tonight to make an impact. Everyone did a job. Nate came in at a 10. I mean, Sealy, Opoku, Caden Clark—whoever they brought in—they all gave us a bit of a problem, and we had to require big, big energy from the whole squad tonight.”

Carnell also highlighted the team’s camaraderie as a standout moment. “The best moment for me is when I look on the bench, and the guys who didn't get a game are clapping and celebrating with the whole team,” he said. “Yeah, I'm just happy for Mika. He gets his goal now. He can carry on his streak against Montréal. But I think he'll put that to the team's hard work.”

Uhre’s goal marked his first since opening weekend against Orlando City, giving the Dane two goals and one assist in 11 appearances, with 614 minutes played this season.

With his goal, he has now tied Julián Carranza for the fifth-most MLS goals (34) in club history. Uhre is one goal away from tying Kacper Przybyłko, who has the fourth-most MLS goals (35) for the Union, and two goals from tying CJ Sapong for the third-most MLS goals (36).

(Credit: MLS PR)

Three Weeks of Union Strikers Coming Off the Bench Scoring Goals

For three consecutive weeks, the Philadelphia Union have seen their strikers make significant impacts off the bench. Two weeks ago, Tai Baribo scored against Atlanta United; last week, Bruno Damiani found the net against D.C. United; and this week, Mikael Uhre sealed a victory against CF Montréal. This trend underscores the Union's strategy: while starting strikers may not always score, their relentless work rate sets the tone, creating opportunities for substitutes to exploit fatigued defenses.

Baribo and Damiani's goals came in matches where the Union already led 2-0, ensuring Atlanta and D.C. had no chance of a comeback, even if their strikes weren’t game-winners. Uhre’s goal, however, was different—a late, decisive strike that clinched the win. Despite Montréal’s multiple chances to take the lead, their failure to convert, combined with a touch of misfortune, allowed the Union to capitalize.

Head coach Bradley Carnell, speaking at his midweek press conference, emphasized that fans and media should expect weekly rotation among the strikers. With substitutes consistently delivering goals for three straight weeks, this approach is paying dividends. When asked post-match against Montréal what this says about the mentality of his strikers, Carnell stated:

"It just shows what they are investing in training. It just shows that we've committed to everybody. It just shows that we have a direction, and the direction is a collective effort and being a real team. And I'm happy with the players, the way they've embraced that. It's a good challenge. It's a big challenge to tell somebody they're not starting on the night and to trust you. And when players walk off the field and say, 'Thank you.' And we're trying to set them up for the best way possible to gain success. Right now, we're gaining a lot of traction, a lot of momentum, and we just have to reset every Monday and go again."

This collective mindset, paired with tactical rotation, has the Union building momentum, with their strikers—starters and substitutes alike—driving the team’s success. Though the Union might not play the most appealing brand of soccer, nobody can question their approach when they sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 7-3-1 record and 22 points. The Union’s 22 goals scored are the most in the Eastern Conference, while their 10 goals conceded are tied for the second-fewest in the East.

What’s Next?

The Philadelphia Union return to action on Wednesday night, facing off against USL Championship side Indy Eleven in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. This will mark the Union’s 13th appearance in the competition, where they have a 19-8-4 record and have reached three finals (2014, 2015, and 2018). This will be the first time since 2018 that the Union have hosted a home U.S. Open Cup match, when they defeated the Chicago Fire 3-0 in the semifinals on August 8.

Video Credit: Apple TV/MLS Season Pass/Philadelphia Union