Prince Owusu completed his first MLS hat trick with a penalty kick four minutes into stoppage time, and teenager Hennadii Synchuk scored two minutes later as CF Montreal rallied from a 4-2 deficit to draw D.C. United 4-4.
WASHINGTON — CF Montreal trailed 4-2 heading into stoppage time, and the script looked close to finished. Then Prince Owusu took the match into his own hands.
Four minutes into stoppage time. Owusu scored on a penalty kick for the third time in the match and the ninth time this season. The PK was awarded after Keisuke Kurokawa fouled Owusu. Two minutes later, Hennadii Synchuk struck for the equalizer, and Montreal escaped with a 4-4 draw against D.C. United on Saturday night.
Before that late surge, the game carried a rollercoaster feel from the opening exchanges. D.C. United struck first when rookie Louis Munteanu scored his fifth goal—unassisted on a header off a deflection—in the ninth minute. Jared Stroud added his first goal of the season. unassisted. in the 28th minute to give the hosts a two-goal cushion.
Montreal responded early enough to keep hope alive. In the first minute of stoppage time before halftime, Owusu finished off a long run to cut the deficit to 2-1.
But D.C. United pushed the lead again in the second half. Tai Baribo scored his seventh goal on a penalty kick in the 51st minute for a 3-1 lead. The kick came after Brayan Vera fouled Lucas Bartlett. Montreal didn’t go away. pulling within one when Owusu scored again in the 61st minute—another goal from him—this time with Wiki Carmona assisting.
Still, the home side looked poised to hold on when Bartlett scored his second goal of the campaign in the 87th minute to make it 4-2.
That was when the match flipped. Owusu’s final two strikes came at the worst possible moments for D.C. United and the best possible ones for Montreal—four minutes into stoppage time on the penalty kick, then Synchuk’s equalizer two minutes after.
Thomas Gillier made six saves for Montreal in his 21st career start. For D.C. United, Sean Johnson turned away four shots, and the result kept the hosts unbeaten in six straight matches.
The road points were a boost for Montreal, which improved to 1-6-1 away from home. D.C. United is now 2-3-2 at home.
It’s also been a steady lift since Philippe Eullaffroy took over as interim coach on April 12. Montreal has gone 3-2-2 since that change.
The all-time series still sits deadlocked at 10-10-12.
With the league pausing for the FIFA World Cup, both teams will wait until July 16 to return to action.
CF Montreal D.C. United Prince Owusu Hennadii Synchuk MLS Major League Soccer Thomas Gillier Sean Johnson Louis Munteanu Tai Baribo Jared Stroud Lucas Bartlett Keisuke Kurokawa Philippe Eullaffroy
I didn’t even know it was tied 4-4 until the last minute stuff. MLS is wild.
So the game went from 4-2 to 4-4 because of stoppage time?? That’s honestly crazy. Ref must’ve been feeling generous with that penalty.
Wait, wasn’t it already over when they scored twice late? I saw a clip that said the foul was on the other guy though, like Keisuke Kurokawa messed up but then somehow Owusu got rewarded… idk. Either way, Owusu hat trick sounds like he single-handedly nerfed D.C. United.
D.C. blew a 4-2 lead and now they’re still unbeaten for six straight?? That math don’t make sense to me. Also why does Montreal get better after the coach change—like everyone just finally learned the playbook overnight? And the keeper only made four saves?? I’m just saying this penalty at the 4-minute mark feels like a momentum cheat code.