CF Montreal trips San Luis 3-2 in key League Cup victory

CF Montreal's Matias Coccaro (9) scores against Atletico de San Luis goalkeeper Andres Sanchez during first half Leagues Cup soccer action in Montreal, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

CF Montreal scored twice on its first three shots and then hung on for a 3-2 victory over visiting Mexican side Atletico San Luis in Leagues Cup action on Tuesday night at Stade Saputo.

CF Montreal picked up three crucial points in its final game of the Leagues Cup group stage. Montreal lost 4-1 to Orlando City in its opening game on Friday.

Tom Pearce, Matias Coccaro, and Sunusi Ibrahim scored for Montreal, while Franck Boli and Jurgen Damm converted second-half penalties for San Luis.

The game opened with both teams trading possession in dangerous areas and several half-chances. As Montreal slowly began to exercise more control over the match, gaps formed in the San Luis defence.

Bryce Duke was the first to capitalize in the 17th minute as he was able to pick out Pearce at the top of the penalty area unmarked. The new Montreal signing made no mistake, smashing the ball into the bottom corner and opening the scoring in his first start with the club.

Pearce was not finished as just 10 minutes later he received the ball wide and sent a perfect cross into Coccaro, who headed it home into the open goal.

With momentum on their side, Montreal continued to press forward nearly adding a third marker before halftime when Coccaro was brought down in the penalty area by goalkeeper Andres Sanchez. Sanchez immediately remedied his error however, guessing correctly and stopping Coccaro’s powerful penalty headed to the bottom-left corner. This was the second penalty Montreal has missed in as many games.

San Luis began the second half with far more aggression in pursuit of getting back into the game. That left them open to the counter as Montreal had several opportunities to improve their goal differential — a key tiebreaker in the group stage — but could not find the final ball.

The best opportunity when substitute Mahala Opoku jumped on a loose ball from close range but sent the ball crashing off the bar. Not even five minutes Montreal would be punished for its lack of finish.

After Joel Waterman brought down Boli in the penalty area, the striker calmly converted on the spot kick, bringing San Luis to within one with 15 minutes remaining.

Despite San Luis’s renewed confidence, Montreal added a third goal just minutes later. Immediately following a corner, Ibrahim was able to catch Sanchez out of position, restoring Montreal’s two-goal lead.

With the game nearing conclusion, San Luis were allowed to bring the game to within one due on a last-minute penalty awarded after a Video Assistant Referee review.

Damm scored on a penalty just before time stoppage time expired.

Up next

San Luis plays Orlando City on Sunday in the final Group M stage game. That result will decide the final classification of the group and which two teams advance. The only way Montreal can be eliminated is if San Luis wins in regulation time with a better goal differential.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2024.