There's still a large gap between the Crew and the final MLS playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but they've got eight games left and it's a little smaller after a 2-0 victory over CF Montreal on Sept. 19 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Getting goals from Mo Farsi and Brais Mendez in the second half, the Crew (7-14-5) moved to 26 points with the win, which was their second in a row across all competitions to end a two-game skid in MLS action. It was also a bit of revenge for Crew interim coach Laurent Courtois, who was fired by CF Montreal in March 2025.
Farsi, returning to the lineup in his hometown, made it 1-0 in the game's 57th minute.
His second goal of the season
broke a 0-0 tie in a physical defensive battle to give the Crew a lift. Collecting the ball off a challenge won by Crew captain Sean Zawadzki near midfield, Farsi dribbled into the box for a right-footed shot that traveled right-to-left along the grass to beat goalkeeper Sébastian Breza inside the left goalpost.
Montreal briefly tied it on a goal by forward Prince Owusu about two minutes after Farsi's goal, but a video review caught midfielder Fabian Herbers offside prior to a pass he received behind the Crew's back line inside the box. About eight minutes later, Mendez pushed the Columbus lead to 2-0 with a tremendous goal off a free kick from 30 yards away.
The goal was the second in as many games for Mendez, who scored the winner in the Crew's 2-1 victory over Orlando in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Sept. 16 in Columbus. It was his sixth goal in 14 games across all competitions and third in nine MLS games since joining the Crew in late July on a transfer from Real Sociedad of La Liga in Spain.
Mendez also scored his first goal for the Crew off a free kick in a 2-2 draw Aug. 1 at Miami, a team that's up next for Columbus on Sept. 27 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
Columbus Crew lineup notes vs. CF Montreal
After sitting out the Crew's past two games, Farsi returned to action in the starting lineup at right back while playing in his hometown. Midfielder Anass Zaroury stayed in the starting lineup on the right wing in his MLS debut, while defender Brooks Lennon retreated to the bench.
Midfielder Taha Habroune also stayed in the starting lineup after playing a solid game in the Crew's 2-1 victory over Orlando SC on Sept. 16 in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal played at ScotssMiracle-Gro Field. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte also returned to his starting role after getting a night off while Nicholas Hagen played against Orlando.
Dispatch Blue Jackets/Crew reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mo Farsi, Brais Mendez lead Columbus Crew past CF Montreal 2-0
