MONTREAL (AP) — Josef Martínez scored in the first half and picked up an assist on Ariel Lassiter’s match winner in the second as CF Montreal held off FC Cincinnati 2-1 on Saturday night.
It was a scoreless first half until Martínez found the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time for Montreal (3-3-1).
Raheem Edwards picked up an assist when Martínez sent a left-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner of the net. Martínez subbed in for an injured Matías Cóccaro in the 26th minute before scoring for a second time this season. It was his seventh career goal against Cincinnati (3-2-3).
Yuya Kubo took a pass from Luciano Acosta and found the net for the third time this season, pulling Cincinnati even in the 58th minute.
Montreal retook the lead for good four minutes later when Lassister used an assist from Martínez — his third — to score his first goal of the campaign.
Jonathan Sirois totaled three saves — two in the first half — for Montreal. Alec Kann saved one shot in his first start of the season for Cincinnati.
Cincinnati, the defending Supporters’ Shield winners, had scored 29 goals in the first 15 minutes of its matches since joining the league in 2019. Seven of those had come against Montreal.
Montreal’s victory evens the all-time series at 4-4-2. The club improves to 3-2-1 at home against Cincinnati.
Kubo became just the second active player for Cincinnati to score against Montreal. Reigning MVP Luciano Acosta had the only three goals entering the match, including a PK goal in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time in a draw last season. It was the latest rally for a tie in club history.
Cincinnati stays on the road to play Atlanta United on Saturday. Montreal will host Orlando City on Saturday.
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