CF Montreal – Inter Miami | They were hot at the Saputo stadium!

For Saturday night’s game, CF Montreal offered privileged access to our journalist and our photographer. They were able to watch the game from the sidelines, a few meters from the Montreal bench… and from the action.

Jean-Francois Teotonio
The Press

(Montreal) 7:17 p.m. Players from both teams are warming up on the field at Stade Saputo. And are already sweating profusely. The little breeze on the lawn does nothing to counterbalance the ambient heat and humidity.

Coming back from the warm-up, Romell Quioto let out a high-pitched cry of release near the sideline. He is hot. And verbalize it. No need to understand Spanish to understand the meaning of his words. He then spots a supporter who dances to the rhythm of the music that resonates in the enclosure, behind the barrier. The Honduran responds with his own little Latin dance moves.

From our vantage point to the right of Wilfried Nancy’s bench, we can see that the CF Montreal star forward is already in a good mood. And that positive energy would follow him through the first half.

7:40 p.m. The supporters, once again numerous, are installed. The players are in their positions, their shirts already wet with a mixture of sweat and water they poured on their necks to cool off. The official raises the whistle to his jaw: the game can begin.

The first thing you notice is not even the speed – very real – at which you exchange the ball on the field. Rather, it is the many races of the auxiliary referee right in front of us. We feel the ground vibrate to the rhythm of his sprints.

But our attention is immediately drawn elsewhere. To Romell Quioto, in this case. On the completely opposite side of the field, Samuel Piette sends a brilliant cross towards the striker in the 4th^e minute. With a small touch in the box that is difficult for us to discern from here, Quioto got Stade Saputo up by bringing the score to 1-0. To our left, substitute goalkeeper Sebastian Breza gets up from his bench and watches the replay on the giant screen. When he sees the traditional celebration of Quioto, two fingers in his ears, he sketches a smile.

After the encounter, Samuel Piette praised a “perfect cross” which resulted in a “perfect finish from Romell”.

But at the Saputo stadium in the 6^e minute, the festivities are short-lived. Now the opposing striker Gonzalo Higuaín responds instantly on the other side. Breza and Mathieu Choinière leave the players’ bench and let the sweaty assistant referee know that they really don’t agree with the decision to award the goal. Their complaints are in vain.

The game continues. We hear Wilfried Nancy ask James Pantemis to put the ball back to Kamal Miller on his left to restart the game. He does this successfully. He then told Mason Toye to step back a bit towards midfield, to offer himself as an option for a pass. The player listens to him.

If you have the impression, on television or in the heights of the stadium, that soccer is played slowly, it is only an optical illusion. Between the players, there is a very real percussion speed of the ball. They chain races to make themselves available, to create openings. When they try to steal the ball from the opponent, they are not afraid of contact. As they say, it gets in the way. Amateurs abstain.

Montreal continues to offer its typical possession game. Which leads to a chance to score in the 19^e. Kei Kamara, on the players’ bench, gets up and screams in disappointment like the fans, clinging to the top of the dugout.

But wait. We’re going to the video replay. Wilfried Nancy takes the opportunity to adjust some things with his players, who take advantage of this moment to drink.

After verification, a penalty is awarded to CF Montreal. Who else but Romell Quioto, the team’s leading scorer, to take care of it? The Honduran makes it 2-1, Sebastian Breza gets up and also puts his two fingers in his ears. Nancy, he remains of ice.

Quioto explained his signature gesture afterwards, in front of the media: “It’s very important not to listen to what other people have to say about you,” he said. You have to focus on yourself to get the best you can give. »

We were talking about power and speed. Gonzalo Higuaín’s shot in the 25th^e minute was a good example. His shot went with ferocious velocity just over the net of James Pantemis, which greatly surprised, and even abruptly worried, the crowd gathered behind.

What is also striking is the quality and talent of the players on both sides. A gesture from Victor Wanyama that would probably have gone unnoticed in normal times captivates us. Receiving the ball in the last third at 49^eit gives him an incongruous, surprising effect, which allows him to relaunch the attack instantly.

We are now in the second half. Montreal continues to dominate the engagement, which brings the action within a few yards of our position.

The players are also closer to Wilfried Nancy, and hear him much better. ” Yes, Ali, yes! “, he launches to underline the offensive rise of defender Alistair Johnston. ” Well done, Victor! “, he adds when Wanyama manages to retain possession of the ball.

On the other side of the barrier behind us are a dozen supporters, mostly young, and standing. They encourage the players who pass in front of them. Boo the bad guys. And the unfortunate decisions of the referee.

The tension of the game is palpable. The heat is suffocating.

“It’s very, very hard physically, noted Samuel Piette. […] It was very hot. And you sweat. Your jersey weighs even more. Want it, don’t want it, it’s the little things that make the difference. You lose a lot of water, you lose a lot of salt. What you do at halftime is super important. »

Were the Miami players less disoriented by this heat, accustomed to the Florida temperature? They took advantage of a defensive scramble from the Montreal ramparts to tie the score at 2-2 in the 79th^ecourtesy of Emerson Rodríguez.

Nancy, not very impressed, turned around and closed her eyes, annoyed.

Thus, after having exchanged their drops of sweat, the two teams finally shared the points.

The final whistle rang. The players joined their teammates on the bench. To then go around the lawn, greeting the supporters. Another game of this great CF Montreal season was coming to an end. And the professional soccer machine was running its course. In the showers, in the locker rooms, at rest.