CF Montréal is no match for Revolution, league leader and top scorer

Article content

If New England is the yardstick by which performance is measured, CF Montréal is nowhere near being one of Major League Soccer’s elite teams.

Article content

The Revolution scored three goals in the first 30 minutes and achieved a 4-1 victory Wednesday night at Saputo Stadium in a complete and dominating performance.

DeJuan Jones opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Adam Buksa made it 2-0 in the 17th minute. Rudy Camacho’s own goal in the 30th made it a virtually insurmountable three-goal cushion. Joaquín Torres scored for CF Montréal at 32 before Gustavo Bou answered at 86 for New England.

The Revolution, which escaped atop the Eastern Conference, improved to 20-4-5 by defeating the CFM for the sixth time in a row.

The Canadian team, now 10-10-7, slipped below the playoff line to eighth place with their second loss in a row.

The CFM had the first serious goal threat of the match, in the seventh minute, with a Mathieu Choinière cross to Romell Quioto, whose shot from the penalty spot went wide.

Article content

In hindsight, how could this match have turned out differently if Quioto had set the pace with the opening goal? Despite CF Montréal’s early aggressive approach, it was the visitors who opened the scoring and continued their effective attack.

The first goal apparently materialized out of nowhere. Brandon Bye’s cross to the area finally went to Carles Gil. His shot was stopped by goalkeeper James Pantemis, but Jones scored on the rebound.

Just seven minutes later, Bye’s knockdown pass went to Bou. His cross into the box headed to Pantemis for Buksa, who scored his 13th goal.

The Revolution came close to taking a three-goal lead in the 28th minute, but Tommy McNamara’s shot from far away was parried by Pantemis. But the inevitable happened just two minutes later. A Bou cross deflected CFM defender Camacho for an own goal.

Article content

The match was only 30 minutes long and CF Montréal trailed three goals. Not surprisingly, some boos rained down from various discouraged onlookers.

But the braying turned to cheers two minutes later when Torres, from inside the area, beat Matt Turner with a low right-footed shot.

Both teams continued to make liberal offensive inroads for the remainder of the first half.

Pantemis made a sliding save over Buksa in 35th from point-blank range. At 37, Quioto’s low left-foot shot overtook Turner, but missed at the far post. At 39, Buksa hit the post from the left. Seconds later, Turner cut off Victor Wanyama from a distance.

CFM was the best team after intermission. The club continued its aggressive approach, realizing that it needed quick scores.

Article content

In the 65th, second-half substitute Zachary Brault-Guillard sent a low cross through the six-yard box that neither Quioto nor Djordje Mihailovic could get on their feet for what would likely have been a second goal.

CFM manager Wilfried Nancy tried to put offensive players on the field. Bjørn Johnsen replaced Samuel Piette in the 67th minute, while Ballou Tabla replaced Choinière in the 75th minute.

Any chance of a comeback was dashed when Bou scored his 13th of the season with a low shot to the other side. Although Bou appeared to be offside on the play, the goal counted after a video review.

CFM hosts Atlanta United Saturday night in a critical game.

[email protected]

twitter.com/HerbZurkowsky1