In the fourth match of the MLS regular season, D.C. United drew CF Montréal 0-0 at Audi Field on Saturday, March 15. The two sides both fought for the go-ahead goal through 90 minutes with neither team able to find the breakthrough. The Black-and-Red secured its first clean sheet of the season with goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong recording three saves in the shut out.
In a hotly contested match that saw eight yellow cards, the D.C. United backline had its hands full dealing with Montreal’s attacking players Prince Owuwsu and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint. The Canadian side created the best chances in the opening 30 minutes, but center backs Kye Rowles and Lucas Bartlett along with goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong were able to ward off the offensive pressure to keep the score at 0-0. Fabian Herbers hit the post twice with his first low driven effort in the 13th minute ricocheting off the left post and his rifled shot in the 26th minute coming off the cross bar.
The biggest opportunity of the match came in the 27th minute when Christian Benteke controlled a ball from midfielder Jared Stroud. Audi Field erupted when the 2024 MLS Golden Boot winner fired his effort past Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois. Despite the home fans thinking they had found the opening goal, center referee Guido Gonzales Jr., went to the Video Assisted Referee (VAR) and decided that Benteke had handled the ball in the buildup and the goal was disallowed much to the disappointment of the Black-and-Red fans.
D.C. United almost scored another goal minutes later in the 34th minute when João Peglow smartly backheeled a pass into the path of Gabriel Pirani inside the 18-yard box. Montreal’s Sirous came off his line and forced Pirani’s effort wide.
Christian Benteke continued to make himself a nuisance in the opposition’s half and had five shots in the first half, but the teams went into halftime locked at 0-0.
In the second 45 minutes, the Black-and-Red started well and Stroud’s outstretched effort in the 52rd minute was saved once again by the Montreal goalkeeper. The resulting corner was put in and Rowles was able to get another header on target, but his shot was saved.
Montreal put pressure on D.C. United late in the second half and won a freekick in the 75th minute. 73rd-minute substitute Bryce Duke’s free kick was saved by Kim Joon Hong and the follow up effort by Prince Owusu was saved and forced out for a corner kick.
Fidel Barajas, the 18-year-old attacker who is on loan from Chivas Guadalajara in Liga MX, made his D.C. United debut as an 83rd-minute substitute.
Neither team was able to find the go-ahead goal in the final stretch with the game ending 0-0 and the Black-and-Red extending their unbeaten streak to four games to start the season. D.C. United will now go on the road to face off against Orlando City SC on Saturday, March 22 at Inter & Co Stadium in Florida. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
D.C. United Lineup: Joon-Hong Kim, Lucas Bartlett, Kye Rowles, Aaron Herrera, David Schnegg, Boris Enow (Matti Peltola 60'), João Peglow (Rida Zouhir 83'), Gabriel Pirani (Jacob Murrell 73'), Jared Stroud (Fidel Barajas 83'), Hosei Kijima (Brandon Servania 60'), Christian Benteke
Unused Substitutes: Luis Barraza, Garrison Tubbs, Derek Dodson, Lukas MacNaughton
Head Coach: Troy Lesesne
CF Montréal Lineup: Jonathan Sirios, Luca Petrasso, Joel Robert Waterman, George Campbell (Fernando Alvarez 84'), Nathan Saliba, Fabian Herbers (Bryce Duke 73'), Victor Loturi, Dante Sealy (Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty 73'), Aleksandr Guboglo, Prince Owusu (Sunusi Ibrahim 84'), Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (Caden Clark 62')
Unused Substitutes: Sebastian Breza, Brandan Andrew Craig, Kwadwo Opoku, Owen Graham-Roache
Head Coach: Laurent Courtois
