CF Montreal got its Canadian championship title off to a good start by beating Hamilton’s Forge FC 3-0 on Wednesday night at Stade Saputo.
This victory, which was never really in doubt, ensures the holding of another meeting between the Montreal team and Toronto FC.
This semi-final round duel will take place at BMO Field, between June 21 and 23, but most likely on Wednesday the 22nd.
Sunusi Ibrahim was the great architect of this victory with a hat trick. Matko Miljevic was not outdone by amassing three assists.
Montreal’s domination was such that Quebec goalkeeper James Pantemis, in his first game in all competitions since October 23, 2021, only had to block one shot to sign the shutout. At the other end, Triston Henry received seven shots on target.
With a game on the MLS schedule on Saturday against FC Cincinnati, and with a squad reduced to 18 players, head coach Wilfried Nancy has chosen to leave out several players who are regularly seen in his starting line-up. .
Thus, goalkeeper Sebastian Breza, defenders Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller, midfielders Djordje Mihailovic and Victor Wanyama and striker Romell Quioto did not wear the uniform.
In addition, defender Rudy Camacho and midfielders Joaquin Torres and Lassi Lappalainen were available as reserves. However, they were not used.
Obvious supremacy
Faced with the same team that gave them a lot of trouble in the semi-finals of the Canadian Championship last October in Hamilton – to the point of having to go through 11 rounds of penalty shots to finally snatch the victory – CF Montreal did not only took a few minutes to show off his superiority.
He largely dominated the first half in terms of territory and ball control, with a 67.2 percent possession percentage, shots attempted (10 against two) and shots on target (five against none).
Nancy’s men controlled the ball so much they more than doubled their rivals in assists
Individually, two players were particularly visible for CF Montreal: Ibrahim, who hit the target in the 14th and 22nd minutes of play, and Miljevic, the initiator of these two goals.
Returning from the locker room, Miljevic and Ibrahim once again united their efforts and the 19-year-old striker completed his hat trick in the 49th minute of play.
As a result, it was the first time in the Canadian Championship that a player from a Montreal team had three goals in a game, and also the first time that a player had three assists.