RECAP + HIGHLIGHTS: CF Montréal vs. Vancouver FC | 2026 Telus Canadian Championship 🇨🇦 🏆

For a second straight match in the TELUS Canadian Championship quarterfinals, Vancouver FC lost 2-1, and will feel they missed a significant opportunity. 

At Stade Saputo on Sunday night, they failed to truly capitalize on carrying a man advantage after Efrain Morales' sending off in the 43rd minute. Instead, Vancouver FC, who reached last year's finals, bow out in the quarter-finals of this year's competition. 

Vancouver FC started the match with the exact same eleven that put in a strong performance during the home leg. The hosts, however, who were less pleased with their effort, made six changes to their starting eleven -- including Prince Owusu, who scored the match-winning penalty mid-week up top. 

Less than five minutes into the match, Hennadii Synchuk forced a pair of good stops from Callum Irving as the hosts wasted no time taking control of the match. On the opposite wing, Noah Streit also had a pair of dangerous strikes that went narrowly wide of the target in the early stages. 

CF Montréal, however, lacked a clinical edge in and around the box, allowing the Eagles to survive the early barrage and reply with a few half chances of their own. Nicolás Mezquida brilliantly directed traffic around the pitch for the visitors, taking up good positions and allowing Vancouver to play through the Montréal block. 

Thierno Bah was able to get behind the line down the left on a few occasions and sent a strike just wide of the target in the 34th minute. 

Just three minutes before the half, the series changed again in a big way, when CF Montréal's Morales was shown a second yellow card and sent off. 

Montréal nearly landed a huge blow before half-time when Synchuk got in behind again and sent a strike just wide of target. The host dominated the opportunities in the first half, with 13 shot attempts to 2. But they reached the half even on goals and down a man.

Less than a minute into the half, Mezquida nearly chipped Sebastian Breza in the Montréal goal, but the goalkeeper got a finger tip to it before collecting the ball before it could cross the line. 

Vancouver FC kept the pressure on, and in the 52nd minute, thought they had taken the lead. Matteo Campagna poked a loose ball off a corner kick past Breza, but it was judged to have caught his hand before crossing the line. 

Moments later, CF Montréal went the other way and delivered heartbreak when Brendan Craig sent a free kick curling past Irving and into the net to make it 1-0 in the match, and 3-1 on aggregate. 

Both sides made several substitutions looking to change the game, with Vancouver bringing on Marcello Polisi, Lys Mousset and Isak Ssewankambo. 

What looked like a dream start to the second half for Vancouver FC, however, continued to transform into a nightmare. In the 68th minute, CF Montréal had a second as a simple ball over the top from Luca Petrasso found Daniel Ríos, who chipped Irving who was caught in no man's land out of his net. 

Mezquida came close again in the 76th minute after a great pass from Mousset, but this time he sent his sliding effort just wide of the target. Mezquida then nearly returned the favour a minute later, but this time Mousset couldn't put it on frame from a free header. 

Vancouver did finally make an opportunity count in the 79th minute, on a brilliant strike from Morey Doner, who volleyed it past Breza to cut the score in the match to 2-1. 

But that was all they could muster on an evening where they will feel they came incredibly close to what would have been a historic result, but let themselves down in the match's decisive moments. 

CF Montréal now advance to the semifinals, where they will face either the four-time defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps, or CPL side Cavalry FC, who play their second leg on Monday at ATCO Field. The Whitecaps currently lead that tie 4-1.

Box Score

Starting XIs

CF Montréal: Breza; Petrasso, Morales, Craig, Budaj; Loturi, Longstaff (Graham-Roache 78'); Synchuk (Herbers 60'), Amaya (Vera 45+1'), Striet (Þórhallsson 60'); Owusu (Rios 46')

Vancouver FC: Irving; Proctor, Field (Ssewankambo 60'), Campagna, Doner; Pecile, Fotsing (Polisi 60'); Bah (Traore 79'), Mezquida, Amissi; Campbell (Mousset 60')

Goals

56' -- Brandan Craig (CF Montréal) 
68' -- Daniel Rios (CF Montréal) 
79' -- Morey Doner (Vancouver FC) 

Discipline

26' — Yellow: Efrain Morales (CF Montréal)
43' -- Yellow+Red: Efrain Morales (CF Montréal)
55' -- Yellow: Tom Field (Vancouver FC) 
62' -- Yellow: Dawid Bugaj (CF Montréal) 
65' -- Yellow: Victor Loturi (CF Montréal) 

CPLSoccer.com Player of the Match

Brandan Craig, CF Montréal 

His goal early in the second half on a stunning free kick gave CF Montréal the cushion they needed to see out the tie. He also made a brilliant nine clearances during a strong performance. 

What's Next?

CF Montréal will find out their semifinal opponent tomorrow as Cavalry FC host the Vancouver Whitecaps for leg two of their tie. That matchup will begin in early September.