In a rain-soaked showdown at BMO Field, CF Montréal scraped past Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship’s preliminary round on April 30, 2025, clawing their way to a 3-2 penalty shootout victory after a 2-2 draw. The match, a classic chapter in the Canadian Classique rivalry, was a rollercoaster of momentum swings, with both sides trading blows like heavyweight fighters refusing to back down.
Montréal, mired in a rough patch as the Eastern Conference’s basement-dwellers, struck first. Joel Waterman, the Canadian international center back, powered in an equalizer in the second half, his header crashing past Toronto’s defense like a wrecking ball. Toronto, chasing a record ninth Canadian Championship crown, answered back, taking the lead twice through scrappy, hard-fought plays. But it was Giacomo Vrioni who stole the show for Montréal, uncorking a jaw-dropping scissor-kick volley in the dying minutes to knot the score at 2-2. The crowd, a mix of red and blue scarves, roared as the ball ripped into the net, a moment that felt like it could shift the season’s tide.
As the whistle blew, the game lurched into penalties. Montréal’s nerve held firm, with Waterman slotting home in the shootout, while Toronto’s hopes fizzled as their final attempt skidded wide. The win marked Montréal’s first victory of 2025 across all competitions and the first under interim coach Marco Donadel, a former midfielder now tasked with steering a sinking ship.
The match wasn’t just about bragging rights. For Montréal, it secured a spot in the TELUS Canadian Championship quarterfinals, keeping their silverware dreams alive. Toronto, meanwhile, trudged off the pitch, their championship aspirations shelved for another year.
Montréal’s 3-2 penalty shootout win followed a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes. Vrioni and Waterman scored for Montréal; Toronto’s goals came from unnamed players in official reports. The game was played on April 30, 2025, at BMO Field in Toronto.