A gala match which gives rise to quite a sporting spectacle. CF Montreal may have lost 3-2 to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on Saturday evening, but the event lived up to expectations at the Saputo stadium.
Fireworks. Fiery atmosphere. Miami jerseys everywhere, but not the expected pink wave.
While we were waiting for show Messi, it was Laurent Courtois’ CFM who put on a show at the start of the match.
Messi touches the ball in the second minute, and the crowd’s clamor is heard. But the Argentine didn’t make much of an impact for the next 43 minutes.
No, because during the first half, Montreal did most of the play.
And quickly, we understood that Bryce Duke was in one of his best days. At the 22e minute, the number 10 of the CFM, a former Inter Miami player moreover, launched into a breakaway. To his left, Jules-Anthony Vilsaint, in control of the ball. Racing down the corridor at full speed, the Quebecer sends a perfect cross to his American teammate, who places the leather perfectly between the legs of Drake Callender. CF Montreal takes the lead, somewhat to everyone’s surprise.
PHOTO ERIC BOLTE, USA TODAY SPORTS
Bryce Duke scored the first goal of the game.
Miami, beyond its stars, still sits at the top of the MLS, and came to Montreal with six games without defeat, and four consecutive victories.
Montreal’s breakthroughs continue. Mathieu Choinière sends a good low shot a few minutes later, which Callender blocks brilliantly to his left.
On the other side, Messi stands quietly at the forefront. He walks and scans the area. Always ready to take action when the moment calls for it. But it seems to us, at least in this portion of the match, a little out of his X, with a few missed passes which amused the stands of the Saputo stadium.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, THE PRESS
Lionel Messi was calm at the start of the match
Montreal then decides to impress the gallery in its own way. From the central circle, Vilsaint sends the ball to the left for the young defender Fernando Álvarez. The latter returns it to him. Vilsaint plays quickly for Lassiter, who finds him in the area. A beautiful collective action that allows Montreal to make it 2-0 in the 33rde minute.
We’re approaching halftime. George Campbell makes contact with Messi in the middle. The latter remains on the ground, and receives treatment, then must then temporarily leave the field due to new MLS rules to speed up the game.
Irony of fate: Messi watches the game from the sidelines when his teammate Matias Rojas scores a goal that will certainly appear in the games of the week in MLS. His free kick, from afar, beats Jonathan Sirois, and reduces the score to 2-1 in the 43rde minute.
The tide turns before halftime. Were you told that Messi was ineffective? Perhaps this is what makes its magic. Suddenly smelling the opportunity, he combines with Suarez. The play results in a corner, in stoppage time. The ball makes its way into the box, hits Duke’s head, and travels to the well-placed foot of the Uruguayan gunner. Just like that, it’s 2-2.
The Messi moment… which never comes
Montreal pushes at the start of the second, but Miami confirms its momentum. At the 59e, Matias Rojas serves a magnificent lob, from midfield, towards Benjamin Cremaschi. Ariel Lassiter follows the play well, and even thinks he has done the defensive work. But the ball ends up slowly crossing the goal line. Despite Montreal’s very respectable performance, the visitors took a 3-2 lead.
The Bleu-blanc-noir is at home, and Messi or not, a result is still within his reach. He showed great offensive will in the second half. The entry into play of Dominic Iankov, at 63e, help with this chapter. Despite everything, we have the impression that a fraction of a second, with the two superstars at the forefront on the other side, could destroy the hopes of the locals.
And precisely, at the 84e minute, Montreal comes very close to having its Lionel Andres Messi moment. His shot, in the area, goes to the right of the frame. The crowd even chanted his name in the seconds that followed.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, THE PRESS
Lionel Messi
Another chance came three minutes later. A well-placed free kick, just outside the area, which could allow La Pulga to score one of their curling strikes for which they are famous.
The shot goes just over the frame.
Yet another chance, at 91e. The man on whom all eyes are on comes, alone in the box, defended by three Montrealers. Jonathan Sirois makes the save, another one of great importance at the end of the match.
Montreal is looking. And search again. But don’t find the breach. It was hot at the Saputo stadium at the time!
But not enough.