Union stay hot, edge CF Montreal on goal in 84th minute


Mikael Uhre scored the eventual match-winning goal in the 84th minute as the visiting Philadelphia Union defeated CF Montreal 2-1 on Saturday night.

Uhre, who entered as a second-half substitute with just over 15 minutes remaining, scored his second goal of the season for the Union (7-3-1, 22 points), who have won three matches in a row.

Montreal (0-8-3, 3 points) snapped a three-match goalless streak in MLS play, but has lost back-to-back outings in the league campaign.

Uhre’s goal came after Jovan Lukic dispossessed Montreal’s Mahala Opuku with Montreal looking to advance the ball forward.

Lukic’s inch-perfect pass found Uhre, whose attempt came off the hands of CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois (two saves) and into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

Philadelphia opened the scoring in the second minute through Indiana Vassilev, who received a pass from Danley Jean Jacques just outside the scoring area and struck it first-time past Sirois for a 1-0 lead. It was Vassilev’s first goal of the season.

Montreal, though, pulled level just before the halftime break as a Dante Sealy pass into the box found its way through a host of bodies, deflected off a Union player, and found the feet of Giacomo Vrioni.

The Albanian international’s close-range shot then beat Union goalkeeper Andre Blake (two saves) to make it 1-1. It was Vrioni’s first goal of the MLS season and his second in as many matches across all competitions.

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Montreal had control of the match for most of the second half as it sought to pull ahead. In the 80th minute, it saw a possible foul in the box against the Union ruled to not be a penalty, a call eventually confirmed after a VAR check.

But the Union ultimately came out in front as Uhre’s goal proved to be the winner. Philadelphia has outscored its opponents 7-1 during its win streak.


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