Subaru Park was rocking again Wednesday night and the crowd urged the Union on to another key home win over CF Montreal in Brandan Craig’s homecoming. Mid-week wins are becoming even more important heading toward the back end of the season in an extremely tight playoff race at the top of both the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings. The Union are sitting in the top spot in both heading into a tough road match at Houston.

In the email today:

1. 🏟️ Union beat CF Montréal 2-1 on Makhanya winner

By Greg Oldfield

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 77th 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.

2. 🏆 Lower Merion, Carlisle Youth SA Win Presidents Cup

Two Eastern Pennsylvania teams returned home this week with hardware as the Lower Merion SC 007's and the Carlisle Area Youth SA Cannons captured U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup crowns in Tampa, Florida.

Lower Merion won the U-19 boys title in a 1-0 win over Spartans FC Havasu. Funsia Donzo scored the lone goal to lead Lower Merion to the victory. It was their second win over the Arizona team after opening play in Tampa with a 4-1 win on Friday.

The Cannons captured the U-18 girls crown with a 4-1 win over CUSA out of Chicago on Tuesday morning.

Two other area teams came up short in their finals on Tuesday with Real Futbol Academy out of South Jersey falling 1-0 to Hawaiian club Leahi in the U-13 girls final and Keystone FC fell 3-1 to Rapids SC out of Idaho in the U-16 girls final.

3. 📺 Social Post of the Day: Who?

Warning: Contains NSFW Language

4. 💧Water Cooler: Red Bull Rivalry Reaction

Is Red Bull Rivalry Less Fun Because of Union Domination?

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Todd Lewis recapped last night’s win on The Free Kick.

• Ocean City Nor’easters’ playoff woes continued with a loss Tuesday night that ended their 2025 campaign.

• Two local ECNL girls teams are in the ECNL Finals this weekend in Richmond. We caught up with the Penn Fusion 2009 girls team ahead of their trip. FC Delco’s 2012 girls are also in the final round of competition.

• CJ Olney made his Lexington SC debut since going there on loan and former Union forward Cory Burke scored in a 1-1 draw with Miami FC last Saturday.

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