Petrasso scores, CF Montreal settles for 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew

By Canadian Press on May 14, 2025.

MONTREAL — Luca Petrasso scored his first MLS goal, but CF Montreal settled for a 1-1 draw after taking a first-half lead against the Columbus Crew on Wednesday.

Prince Owusu provided the assist on Petrasso’s opening goal in the 29th minute for Montreal (1-8-4), which ranks last in the Eastern Conference but won its first match of the season 1-0 at New York City FC last Saturday.

Canadian international Jacen Russell-Rowe replied in the second half for Columbus (7-1-5), led by former Montreal coach Wilfried Nancy. The Crew, who are second in the East, rested top scorer Diego Rossi and midfielder Sean Zawadzki.

Interim Montreal head coach Marco Donadel earned his first MLS victory Saturday in his seventh regular-season match since the club fired Laurent Courtois on March 24. Montreal also avoided a 12th consecutive match without a win to start an MLS season, which would have set a new league record.

Petrasso carried the brief momentum and gave Montreal a 1-0 lead with a beautiful goal at Stade Saputo.

Fabian Herbers crossed from the right side of the pitch into the box before Caden Clark played decoy, letting the ball roll to Owusu.

The German forward then faked a shot and played a back-heel to Petrasso, who exploded into the box and blasted a low shot past Crew ‘keeper Patrick Schulte.

Toronto native Russell-Rowe tied the game in the 63rd minute, capitalizing on a blunder from Dawid Bugaj for his fifth MLS goal of the season.

Montreal’s right back played the ball to an awkward area to force ‘keeper Jonathan Sirois well out of the box for a sliding clearance. Russell-Rowe blocked the attempt before slotting the ball into an empty net.

Sirois denied Russell-Rowe a brace in the 82nd when he stretched out his arms to make a miraculous save with the Columbus forward just metres from the goal.

The Crew led with 14 shots to four for Montreal, including four to two on target, while holding 58 per cent of possession.

Petrasso’s goal woke up the crowd in an otherwise quiet first half.

The opening 45 minutes featured seven shot attempts — five from Columbus, two from Montreal — and one shot on-target from each side.

Neither team made an attempt until Columbus’ Daniel Gazdag sailed a shot well over the bar in the 17th minute.

Columbus almost equalized in the 42nd minute when Joel Waterman’s misplay near the touchline led to a Grade A chance. Nathan Saliba, however, saved a surefire goal by Gazdag’s shot from the penalty area.

Saliba was at it again early in the second half, denying another chance from Gazdag in the 48th after he broke into the box.

UP NEXT

Montreal: Hosts Toronto FC in a rivalry match Saturday.

Columbus: Hosts Eastern Conference-leading FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2025.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press