Sean Johnson posts another clean sheet as NYCFC draw with Montreal

Updated: May 17, 2023, 04:55 am

Sean Johnson made one save to record his fourth consecutive clean sheet in New York City FC's scoreless draw against CF Montreal on Saturday night.

Johnson extended his shutout streak to 373 minutes. His MLS-best 12 clean sheets are four shy of the league record set by Sporting Kansas City's Tony Meola in 2000.

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NYCFC (12-4-6, 42 points), who are 4-0-3 in their last seven matches, did not register a shot on goal and struggled to display any consistency on offense in their first match without Valentin "Taty" Castellanos.

The striker completed a season-long loan move to LaLiga side Girona FC earlier this week. Castellanos entered play on Saturday tied with Austin FC's Sebastian Druissi with an MLS-leading 13 goals on the season.

James Pantemis was not credited with a save for CF Montreal (11-8-3, 36 points), who failed to take advantage of eight corner kicks en route to settling for the draw. They are 2-0-1 in their last three matches following a two-game losing skid.

Pantemis has recorded two clean sheets in three matches this season and five in 24 games in his career.

Prior to the match, CF Montreal players joined arm-in-arm in tribute to assistant coach Jason Di Tullio, who died Thursday at the age of 38 following a battle with cancer.

CF Montreal nearly opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after Lassi Lappalainen's drop pass found Djordje Mihailovic, who unleashed a shot that was blocked in front of the net by NYCFC's Thiago Martins.

Mihailovic corralled the rebound and sent a right-footed shot on net that was denied with a kick save by Johnson.

Romell Quioto drew the attention of a pair of NYCFC defenders before deftly sliding a pass to Mason Toye, who sent his bid from close range over the net in the 56th minute.

Montreal's Samuel Piette also missed a right-footed shot following an opportunity from the corner in the 71st minute.