Bernardeschi scores twice, Toronto FC routs CF Montreal 6-1 in rivalry matchup

Toronto FC's Ola Brynhildsen (9) scores against CF Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza during first half MLS soccer action in Montreal, Saturday, May 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL — Theo Corbeanu and Federico Bernardeschi scored two goals apiece as Toronto FC took advantage of a 20th-minute red card to Joel Waterman and throttled rival CF Montreal in a historic 6-1 win Saturday.

TFC is now unbeaten against its rival in the last four Canadian Classiques, although Montreal (1-9-4) edged Toronto (3-7-4) on penalty kicks in the first round of Canadian championship play on April 30.

On Saturday, Toronto got its revenge.

“We were very disappointed and especially the way it ended in penalties," said Corbeanu, who missed his attempt that evening. "On a personal note as well, I was devastated once I put that over the bar. And we didn't have a good feeling at all from that.

“We felt like we had a point to prove today, and I feel like that's exactly what we did.”

Saturday's result was Toronto's biggest win in MLS at Stade Saputo.

Toronto beat Montreal by the same score to capture its first-ever Canadian championship in 2009, a match often referred to as the “Miracle in Montreal.”

Tyrese Spicer and Ola Brynhildsen provided the other goals for Toronto. Giacomo Vrioni scored a consolation goal in the 64th minute for Montreal.

Montreal started the game on the front foot, exploiting space behind the opposing back line on a number of occasions.

Seven minutes in, Vrioni thought he had opened the scoring, but the play was called back for offside.

Toronto opened the scoring against the run of play in the 14th minute. Spicer took off on a solo run down the left side and capped off the individual counterattack with a composed finish past Sebastian Breza.

“The guys gave everything on the field, it wasn’t about effort, but it’s about individual mistakes sometimes,” said Montreal interim head coach Marco Donadel. “I feel even more sorry than the players because probably it’s my mistake in that moment, I waited to make a change because we were dominating them.”

Things went from bad to worse for Montreal seven minutes later when Waterman was sent off for bringing down Brynhildsen as the last man back.

Toronto quickly took advantage, scoring twice just three minutes apart to take a 3-0 lead at the 33rd minute and force Montreal into two defensive substitutions to stop the bleeding.

“We thought (Montreal) would play a certain way, it was slightly different than what we thought, and (we) didn't skip a beat," Toronto head coach Robin Fraser said. "(We) just kept working, figured out kind of what was going on.

"That was really the start of the tide turning, I think. Obviously, we had some decent plays and a fantastic play by Ola to create the red card. From there, what I really liked was that it was a really mature performance.”

Montreal spent the rest of the first half trying to claw back into the contest but hit two posts in a frustrating end to the opening 45 minutes.

Toronto kept its foot on the gas in the second half.

Bernardeschi, who also had an assist, tallied his second goal with a beautiful curling effort in the 55th minute.

Vrioni finally gave the home crowd something to briefly cheer about when he broke Toronto’s clean sheet, but Corbeanu promptly responded to make it 5-1.

Corbeanu made it a brace in the 90th minute to seal Toronto's dominant display.

UP NEXT

Montreal: Heads to Hamilton for the first leg of the Canadian Championship quarterfinal against Forge FC on Tuesday.

Toronto: Hosts Nashville SC next Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2025.

Elias Grigoriadis, The Canadian Press