In the Week 17 MLS clash, CF Montréal emerged victorious against Houston with a score of 3-1. The standout player of the match, Prince Osei Owusu, displayed remarkable scoring ability by netting two goals within the first half—one with a powerful shot at the 29th minute and the other with a header just two minutes later. Jalen Neal added a third goal for Montréal with a well-placed header in the 53rd minute, leaving Houston needing to play catch-up.
Houston’s Ondrej Lingr managed to score a consolation goal with a header in the 63rd minute, giving the home crowd a glimmer of hope. However, the team struggled to capitalize on their chances and came close to scoring again, but Lingr’s shot in the 67th minute hit the post.
Despite dominating possession and launching a total of 20 shots compared to Montréal’s 9, Houston only managed 9 on target, with the rest straying off course.
Prince Osei Owusu’s performance was pivotal for Montréal, as he converted two goals and took three shots in total, solidifying his role as a key player in this match. Additionally, Jalen Neal was impressive in defense, contributing to the scoreline with a goal and clearing 4 dangerous balls.
For this match, Houston’s coach Benjamin Olsen implemented a 4-3-3 formation, featuring Jonathan Bond in goal, with defenders Griffin Dorsey, Pablo Ortiz, Femi Awodesu, and Felipe Andrade. The midfield consisted of Ondrej Lingr, Artur de Lima, and Júnior Urso, with Amine Bassi, Ezequiel Ponce, and Sebastian Kowalczyk leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Montréal’s Marco Donadel opted for a 4-5-1 setup, starting with Jonathan Sirois as the goalkeeper, and a defense including Dawid Bugaj, George Campbell, Jalen Neal, and Luca Petrasso. The midfield was made up of Victor Loturi, Samuel Piette, Yuri Guboglo, Caden Clark, and Tom Pearce, supporting striker Prince Osei Owusu up front.
Looking ahead, Houston will face Minnesota United away, while CF Montréal prepares for an away match against FC Cincinnati.
Changes for Houston:
45’ 2T – Femi Awodesu out for Franco Escobar
58’ 2T – Sebastian Kowalczyk out for Nicolás Lodeiro
59’ 2T – Amine Bassi out for Lawrence Ennali
77’ 2T – Ezequiel Ponce out for Gabriel Segal and Júnior Urso out for Duane Holmes
Yellow cards for Houston:
39’ 1T Ondrej Lingr, 2’ 2T Pablo Ortiz, and 52’ 2T Duane Holmes
Changes for CF Montréal:
68’ 2T – Tom Pearce out for Brandan Craig
91’ 2T – Yuri Guboglo out for Jules Vilsaint and Samuel Piette out for Opoku Kwadwo
Yellow cards for CF Montréal:
22’ 2T George Campbell and 28’ 2T Dawid Bugaj