Columbus Crew Had the Ball, Montréal Had the Answer
Columbus Crew did not lose this game because CF Montréal overwhelmed them for 90 minutes. They lost because Montréal found the moments that mattered. In a 2–1 defeat at home on August 19, the Crew reached the decisive stages of the match level, only for Noah Streit to put Montréal ahead in the 78th minute. The result ended Columbus' run of 10 games without a defeat, according to CF Montréal's match account.
That is why I do not think the main argument should be about possession. Possession can make a team look comfortable without making it dangerous. The better question is whether Columbus controlled the areas and moments where the match was actually decided. Against Montréal, the answer was no.
The first warning was how quickly the game changed after the opening goal. Montréal found the breakthrough, Columbus responded, and the match became a contest that could have gone either way. At that point, the Crew had the home advantage and the opportunity to take control of the final phase. Instead, Streit found the second Montréal goal before the visitors protected their lead to the final whistle. Match records from WhoScored and SportyTrader both list Streit as the scorer of Montréal's winning goal.
For me, that is the real criticism of Columbus. A team does not have to dominate every minute to win a match, but it has to recognise when the game is entering its most dangerous period. At 1–1, every defensive decision carries more weight. One misplaced challenge, one late reaction, one pocket of space can turn an even game into a defeat.
Montréal deserve credit for taking advantage of that. Streit was not the only player who made the difference. Prince Owusu was also on the scoresheet, while Alexis Sánchez came on in the 79th minute for his Montréal debut. The Canadian side left Columbus with a 2–1 victory despite entering the night with a difficult run of league results.
That is what makes this defeat uncomfortable for Columbus. The Crew did not simply get beaten by a better performance from start to finish. They allowed a winnable home game to be decided by the team that handled the decisive moments better.
Columbus did enough to stay in the game, but not enough to control it. In MLS, that difference can cost you three points.
