CF Montréal 1-0 New York City FC 2025 MLS Regular Season - Matchday 21 Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 | Kickoff: 7:40pm ET Location: Stade Saputo | Montréal, QC Attendance: 17,070
New York City FC returned to MLS play on Saturday night, but slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of CF Montréal at Stade Saputo. The Boys in Blue fell to Victor Loturi's first-half strike, and were unable to salvage a point in Canada.
UP NEXT: The ‘Boys in Blue’ return to The Bronx to take on Toronto FC on Thursday, July 3, at 7:30pm ET. | Apple TV: MLS Season Pass | Radio (English/Spanish) newyorkcityfc.com/radio
Assistant Coach Mehdi Ballouchy led the team as acting Head Coach for the first time in his career, filling in for Head Coach Pascal Jansen who was absent due to a personal matter.
Ballouchy joined New York City’s coaching staff ahead of the 2020 season as an Assistant Coach under Head Coach Ronny Deila, and was part of the coaching staff that led New York City FC to its first MLS Cup in 2021.
The former New York City FC midfielder joined the Academy staff in 2017 and was most recently the Head Coach of the U-15s. During his time at New York City FC, he’s also coached the U-14s and his teams have competed against top teams both domestically and abroad. Ballouchy was also invited to coach within the U.S. Youth National Team setup.
New York City has the edge in the series, with a 12-5-5 (W-L-D) record over 22 games played since 2015.
In the series, New York City recorded 33 goals and conceded 17.
Goalkeeper Tomás Romero made his second consecutive start for New York City FC in league play.
Romero recorded five saves in tonight’s match against CF Montréal, marking his highest single-game total while playing with New York City FC.
During his MLS career, Tómas Romero recorded five or more saves in a regular season match on four occasions—twice with Toronto FC, making six saves in each game, and twice with LAFC, registering five saves each time.
Romero has played one game against Montréal prior to tonight's matchup when he played for Toronto FC in 2023, which resulted in a 3-2 loss. He recorded 90 minutes, six shots faced, four saves, and a 3.00 GAA.
Forward Seymour Reid made his third appearance for the Club as he was substituted in the 73rd minute, replacing Forward Mounsef Bakrar.
NEW YORK CITY FC ASSISTANT COACH MEHDI BALLOUCHY
On what the squad has learned from a result like this... "The most important thing for us is the reality that tonight we showed up a little bit late to the party. Our first half an hour or so was a little sluggish—just in-and-out of possession. We didn’t have the right intensity. It took halftime for us to kind of get going again. The second half was much better. We had control, we were in the final third, and we just lacked that last little play—the last pass or clever pass, the right type of crosses, and finishing.”
On his experience as acting Head Coach... “There’s a lot of learning for me. I think it’s a different type of light when you are in charge, making the substitutions, and giving the halftime and post-game talks. I just wanted to try to be true to myself. In the next couple of days, I can reflect and see what I’ve done well and what I haven’t."
NEW YORK CITY FORWARD JULIÁN FERNÁNDEZ
On the match against CF Montréal... "Creo que ellos, con su juego, con su trabajo, se encontraron con el gol. Hoy creo que volvió un poco, pero después creo que atacamos, intentamos hacerlo de la mejor manera posible y no supimos manejar bien la última parte de la cancha y el último tercio. Y bueno, eso creo que complicó un poco.”
"Through their play and their effort, CF Montréal found their goal. We bounced back a bit today, but afterward, I think we attacked and tried to do things the best way possible, and we weren’t able to manage the final part of the field and the final third very well and that made things a bit complicated."
23’ - MTL – Victor Loturi [22]
scored with right footed shot from the central position outside the box with an xG of 6% to the lower right zone.
The clash marked the City Boys’ first game back after a 16-day break - the team’s last action: the emphatic 4-0 win over Atlanta United at Yankee Stadium. The Boys in Blue headed into Saturday night’s fixture undefeated in five of their last six, since last facing Montréal in the reverse fixture.
Head Coach Pascal Jansen was absent from the dugout for the trip north of the border, having returned to Europe for a personal matter. Assistant Coach and former City midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy led the team from the sidelines.
With goalkeeper Matt Freese and striker Alonso Martínez on international duty with the United States and Costa Rica respectively (and the pair set to face off in Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal), New York fielded an unchanged starting XI from the side that triumphed against Atlanta. Tomás Romero took his place between the posts, having made history last time out, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to record a shutout for the Boys in Blue on his first MLS start.
Montréal entered the encounter without a home win so far in 2025, though Marco Donadel’s side had claimed a narrow victory over New York in the Bronx last month. Desperate to kickstart their campaign, the home side started the brighter of the two sides, mounting a couple of early ventures into the final third, without really troubling the City defense.
New York would come closest to opening the scoring in the first 10 minutes however, as Julián Fernández picked up a loose pass in the center and found Agustín Ojeda down the right. Ojeda’s cross took a wicked deflection off Luca Petrasso and bounced goalward - only for Jonathan Sirois to somehow scramble the ball off the line and onto the post, before smothering the ball.
As the Boys in Blue gained a foothold in the contest, Fernández forced Sirois into another smart save on 11’ with a powerful drive from the edge of the area, before Hannes Wolf’s curling effort was deflected over the bar.
Mounsef Bakrar then almost capitalized on George Campbell’s defensive error to carve a promising chance, but the Montréal defender recovered in time to deny the Algerian international a clear shot on goal.
It would be Montreal who would draw first blood, breaking the deadlock midway through the first half. Dante Sealy was the creator, collecting Tom Pearce’s floated cross-field pass, cutting inside, and firing towards the far post. Romero was equal to the shot, but the rebound fell kindly for Loturi on the edge of the area, and the midfielder slotted low and hard into the back of the net.
In search of a first-half leveler, New York looked to threaten down the right flank, with the lively Ojeda looking to conjure some magic - but the hosts’ defense held firm to maintain their slender advantage heading into the break.
Jonny Shore was introduced at the half in place of Ojeda, as the visitors sought for a positive start to the second period. Wolf flashed a dangerous delivery across goal after a well-worked, free-flowing move had turned defense into attack, and Birk Risa was unable to divert his header goalward from Fernández’s corner.
At the other end, Campbell skewed a half-volley wide, while Romero had to be alert to claw away a looping Pearce cross, and block another low Sealy drive. Petrasso also hit the side-netting, as he looked to steal in at the backpost shortly after the hour.
City stepped up their search for an equalizer, and Tayvon Gray, Kevin O'Toole, and Seymour Reid were introduced to bolster the visitors’ attacking threat.
Wolf curled goalward but watched his effort deflect wide, and Bakrar dragged a shot off-target from the resulting corner. Wolf and Andrés Perea were also unable to find the net, heading straight at Sirois and over the bar.
On 68’, Romero produced an excellent stop to prevent the hosts from doubling their advantage, stretching to superbly tip Jules-Anthony Vilsaint’s attempt past the post.
In response, Bakrar drove forward and let fly on the counter - only to see his strike blocked - while Thiago Martins glanced a header over late on.
In the final minutes, Romero kept City in the contest, claiming Pearce’s low drive, and racing out to thwart Montréal top scorer Prince Owusu in the dying embers - but ultimately, one goal would prove enough to earn the points for the home side.
With a return to the Five Boroughs in midweek ahead of a four-game road stretch, the Boys in Blue will aim to bounce back at the first opportunity, hoping to kick off a crucial run - and Independence Day celebrations - in style.
