Lassi Lappalainen and Chinoso Offor each scored second-half goals to lift CF Montreal to a 2-0 win over visiting Toronto FC in the Canadian Classique on Saturday.
The victory was Montreal’s second over Toronto in less than a week. Montreal earned a 2-1 win over host Toronto in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Championship on Tuesday on first-half goals by Zachary Brault-Guillard and Offor.
Montreal (5-6-0, 15 points), which has won its past four MLS games, held Toronto FC (2-4-6, 12 points) to just two shots — and none on target.
CF Montreal maintained possession for 51.8 percent of the match and put six of their 14 shots on target. Montreal completed 83.9 of its 448 passes.
Toronto, which has dropped three of its past four MLS games, completed 81.7 percent of its 425 passes.
Montreal broke through in the 53rd minute after Lappalainen replaced Robert Thorkelsson to open the second half.
George Campbell corralled a loose ball near midfield and sprinted toward the goal. After splitting two defenders, he slid a pass into the box to Lappalainen, who drove a low shot past Sean Johnson for his first goal of the season.
Three minutes later, Toronto’s Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty received his second yellow card for a reckless tackle and was ejected, leaving Toronto with 10 men for the rest of the game.
Montreal put the game away in the 66th minute when Lappalainen used his leg to deflect Brault-Guillard’s cross toward the goalmouth, where Offor scored from close range.
Montreal goalie Jonathan Sirios didn’t record a save to post his fourth shutout of the season.
Neither team mounted much of an attack during a first half in which the teams combined for more yellow cards (four) than shots (three).
Montreal’s Aaron Herrera, Thorkelsson and Campbell were all booked for reckless tackles, as was Marshall-Rutty.
–Field Level Media
