matty longstaff was central to the goal that decided the match on Saturday, April 26, 2026 ET, as CF Montréal beat New York City FC 1-0 at Stade Saputo. The visitors started on the back foot and never found an equalizer, even after creating several good chances. The defeat also left New York City FC down to ten men after Tayvon Gray was sent off in the 78th minute.
Early pressure turns into the decisive moment
CF Montréal took control early and made their advantage count in the 18th minute. Matty Longstaff delivered a cross into the box, and Prince Owusu got a toe to it before diverting the ball past Matt Freese from close range. It was the only goal of the match, and it came during a first half in which New York City FC struggled to settle.
Montréal had already forced Freese into early action, while New York City FC had their own moment through Nicolás Fernández Mercau, whose shot from the right side of the box kept Thomas Gillier busy. But the opening goal changed the rhythm, and NYCFC spent much of the rest of the first half chasing the game.
matty longstaff stays involved as NYCFC search in vain
matty longstaff was involved again shortly after the opener, setting up Victor Loturi for a shot from the edge of the area that went just wide. New York City FC then looked more dangerous in stretches, with Agustín Ojeda causing problems out wide and Aiden O’Neill testing distance from range before halftime.
After the break, New York City FC had another spell of pressure. Maxi Moralez came close early in the second half, Fernández Mercau had a penalty claim waved away after being flagged offside, and Arnau Farnós nearly scored in the 56th minute after a long ball from Thiago Martins. Still, the equalizer never came.
Substitutions bring energy but no breakthrough
Head Coach Pascal Jansen made changes in the 65th minute, sending on Raul Gustavo, Seymour Reid, and Talles Magno. The move added energy, but it did not change the scoreline. Tayvon Gray’s second yellow card in the 78th minute made the task harder, though New York City FC created a quick chance moments later when Reid set up Talles Magno, only for the shot to be saved.
Andrés Perea returned in the 82nd minute in his first appearance of the season after an injury spell, but by then the margin for error had already closed. CF Montréal stayed organized and saw out the result as New York City FC finished empty-handed.
What the result means next
The loss came after New York City FC had entered the weekend with a 0-3-2 run in their last five MLS matches and added another setback on the road. It also continued a difficult pattern against CF Montréal, with the Canadian side again proving hard to break down. New York City FC now turns quickly to a U. S. Open Cup meeting with Red Bulls on Wednesday, April 29 at 7: 00 PM ET, while matty longstaff will remain part of the discussion after shaping the move that led to the only goal.
