A Night of Tension in Montreal
The match between New England Revolution and CF Montreal ended in a 2‑2 draw, but the story that unfolded after the final whistle was far from ordinary.
Israeli forward Dor Turgeman, who had opened the scoring in the 35th minute, was subjected to a barrage of antisemitic chants from sections of the Saputo Stadium crowd, with some fans shouting slogans that included the phrase "death to Israel".
The hostility did not stop at words; bottles and cups were hurled onto the pitch, and a tense confrontation erupted when Montreal goalkeeper Sebastian Breza approached Turgeman, resulting in a yellow card and a brief but heated exchange.
Both clubs immediately reported the incident to Major League Soccer, which released a statement condemning any hateful language in the league and confirming that a formal investigation would commence.
Turgeman, a striker from Ashdod who previously captured two Israeli Premier League titles with Maccabi Tel Aviv before joining the Revolution last year, has spoken of the shock of facing such hostility on North American soil.
The league’s response underscores a growing commitment to combat discrimination in sports, a stance that resonates with fans and officials alike.