HOUSTON — In an impressive display, CF Montreal emerged victorious against the Houston Dynamo with a 3-1 win on Saturday night. Prince Owusu was in top form, scoring twice in a quick three-minute span, while Jalen Neal added another goal to seal the win.
The victory halted a challenging period for Montreal (2-11-5), as they had previously endured a five-game winless streak where they were heavily outscored 16-6. The team showed resilience and skill in this match to turn their fortunes around.
Owusu’s first goal came in the 30th minute during a tense moment in the penalty area. Despite close defending, he managed to maneuver a left-footed shot into the goal. Just two minutes later, on a counter-attack, Owusu skillfully positioned himself in front of Houston defender Femi Awodesu. He then executed a masterful header from a precise cross by Aleksandr Guboglo, marking Guboglo’s first MLS assist and giving Montreal a 2-0 lead.
Jalen Neal added to Montreal’s advantage early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Tom Pearce delivered a free kick from near the right sideline to the back post, where Neal battled off a defender before heading the ball in from the edge of the 6-yard box, making it 3-0.
The Houston Dynamo managed to pull one back in the 64th minute, with Ond?ej Lingr connecting on a header from a well-placed ball by Nicolás Lodeiro. However, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome for Houston, now sitting at 5-8-5. The Dynamo had previously been on a strong run, avoiding defeat in four games, which included three victories, but have now suffered consecutive 3-1 losses.
In terms of possession, Houston controlled the ball 56% of the time and recorded 19 shots compared to Montreal’s 8. Despite this, Jonathan Bond made only two saves for Houston, while Montreal’s goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois was called upon just once.
For Prince Owusu, a standout night saw the 28-year-old achieve his second career multi-goal game in MLS and his first such performance this season, showcasing his talent and potential as a key player for Montreal.