Philadelphia Union beat CF Montréal 2-1 on Makhanya winner

The top of the table Philadelphia Union did just enough to beat bottom side CF Montréal 2-1 Wednesday night at Subaru Park. Olwethu Makhanya’s header off a Kai Wagner corner in the 50th minute held on after Prince Owusu cancelled out Tai Baribo’s opener.

Montréal carried the pace in the early moments of the game, led by former Union first round MLS Super draft pick Fabian Herbers, whose combo down the left side ended with a strong shot from distance that hit the side netting outside the near post in the sixth minute. Midway through the half, former Union Homegrown Brandan Craig ripped a free kick from just outside the box that Andre Blake had to push away.

The teams traded possessions without much danger for much of the half until seven minutes from the break when the Union struck first. Danley Jean Jacques made a surging run down the middle, taking on both Montréal center backs until Samuel Piette pulled him down from behind. Referee Guido Gonzalez Jr. allowed play to continue when the ball rolled to Quinn Sullivan, and the U.S. international back from the Concacaf Gold Cup slipped a ball across to Tai Baribo, who beat Sébastian Breza for the 1-0 lead. Baribo’s goal was his 14th, which ranks fifth in MLS.

The Union lead didn’t make it to halftime. After pushing forward from a stoppage time corner, Montréal regained possession following a stalled Union counter. Center back Joel Waterman picked out Owusu with a dangerous ball behind the back line toward the far post, and Owusu beat Blake with a volley going against the grain. Owusu’s goal was his tenth of the season, and he has hit the net in six straight MLS games.

The Union started the second half pressuring Montreal into their own half and were rewarded with a go-ahead goal. Sullivan started the progression when his shot from distance appeared headed to the corner until Breza made a sprawling save. On the ensuing corner, Wagner picked out Makhanya at the penalty spot, and the South African defender snapped a header into the corner to restore the Union lead. The goal was Makhanya’s first of the season.

Montréal had a great chance to pull one back in the 58 th minute after beating a pesky Union trap, but Owusu took a two-on-one to goal and missed wide. Two minutes later, Dante Sealy had a sitter from an Owusu layoff, but Nathan Harriel slid across for the block. At the other end, Bruno Damiani jumped on a poor back pass and picked out substitute Mikael Uhre streaking toward goal, but his shot was blocked.

In the 77 th minute, Montreal had the near-equalizer when Owusu got on the end of a whipping cross from substitute Tom Pearce, but his header smacked the post. Three minutes Later, Pearce sent in another dangerous cross off a free kick that found Fernando Álvarez, but the Montréal sub’s header hit Blake on the goal line. In the 84 th minute, another Montréal attack ended with Owusu firing on goal, this time with an acrobatic volley from the ground that forced a diving save by Blake. Montréal pushed the Union deep in their box for the remainder of the game, a few timely counters preserved the win for the Union, extending their home record to 8-1-3.

The Union maintain their lead in the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings, one point ahead of FC Cincinnati. They will travel to Houston Saturday for a matchup against head coach Ben Olsen, from Middletown, PA, and Union homegrown Jack McGlynn.