Even Hollywood scriptwriters could not have imagined a more dramatic scenario for CF Montreal on the last day of MLS activities.
It is against the Crew in Columbus on Saturday evening that the Bleu-blanc-noir will try to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Association, but it is far from being alone in this situation.
In a better position than the four other clubs in the race for the Eastern playoffs, the Montrealers could end the suspense by triumphing at Lower.com Field. They would therefore ensure they finish in eighth place and host the Eastern qualifying match next week.
And as if the tension was not already cut with a knife, Hernan Losada’s men could at the same time see their hopes disappear by bowing to former members of CF Montreal, including the coach- leader Wilfried Nancy and defender Rudy Camacho.
Beyond this reunion, the Montreal troupe must find a way to overcome their demons abroad. She has only two victories in 16 matches on opposing fields this season (2-12-2), the last of which was two months ago. Nothing to help the cause, the Crew (15-9-9) has only suffered one loss in MLS at home in 2023.
“It’s been tough on the road this season, but this game will decide if we make the playoffs. It’s like a final for a trophy. Our mentality is to focus on victory and we will fight to get it,” said striker Kwadwo Opoku.
CF Montreal (12-16-5) knows very well what to expect from its next opponent. At the beginning of September, the Crew cut him to pieces, en route to a 4-2 victory at Saputo Stadium.
In the next two matches, the Bleu-blanc-noir lost valuable points at home which placed them in this precarious position. However, he is coming back from a convincing 4-1 victory at the expense of the Portland Timbers, in the last match of the season at Saputo stadium.
During this clash, Losada decided to use Opoku, Romell Quioto and Sunusi Ibrahim in attack and there were quickly sparks. The Timbers defense was regularly caught on the wrong foot and the Montreal attack seemed dangerous for a rare time this season.
“I hope the three-striker formation is the solution. They worked very well together against the Timbers. Not only with the ball, but also on the back,” observed Losada.
The objective for CF Montreal will be to recreate this chemistry in attack while being wary of that of the Crew, who sits at the top of the MLS in terms of goals scored (65).
“It’s the balance to have in every game,” said defenseman Joel Waterman. At the back, we focus on the shutout and the longer you keep the zero, the more you’re going to be able to get three points. Collectively we must also score. We did it against the Timbers and the guys took advantage of their chances. We have to keep our identity, aim for a clean sheet and let the attackers do the rest.”
Against the Crew, CF Montreal managed to create scoring opportunities by applying high pressure on the pitch. Opoku notably threaded the needle following a blunder by Camacho, provoked by Jules-Anthony Vilsaint.
To generate offense, Losada could once again use this strategy, but he believes that his troop will have to be intelligent to avoid getting caught on defense.
“It’s a double-edged sword. High pressure is good when it works well, but you are also exposed defensively. We were exposed several times against them, recalled Losada. It’s important to choose the right moments. You can’t press like that for the whole match. We must work together to avoid any risk at the rear. We have to avoid mistakes and win balls 50/50.”
If Montreal were to concede the first goal, Losada hopes that his men will keep their heads high and continue to give everything until the last whistle.
“There’s a lot on the line so that should serve as motivation, even if you concede the first goal. The Crew showed that if you stay in the match despite everything, you can have your chances. You never know, one point might be enough to reach the playoffs. We must not be frustrated if we concede the first goal. The coaches will have to stay positive to push this young team through these circumstances,” he argued.
Defender Robert Thorkelsson is the only player guaranteed not to be available for this meeting. Quebecer Mathieu Choinière suffered a minor injury during his time with the Canadian team and his case will be evaluated daily.