“Who can see tears in the rain? asked Mario Pelchat. CF Montreal saw those of a very sad Chicago Fire on Tuesday night at Saputo Stadium.
Posted at 9:40 p.m.
Montreal won 3-2 after a rainy game and a majestic performance by veteran Kei Kamara. The mark, moreover, did not reflect the pace of the meeting, completely dominated by the locals.
It all happened in the first half for Wilfried Nancy’s squad. A period that Kamara used to prove to everyone that he ages like a good wine.
At the 21e, he deflected Ismaël Koné’s pass into the area for the 1-0. His seventh of the season.
PHOTO ERIC BOLTE, USA TODAY SPORTS
Mason Toye and Kei Kamara
At the 29e, he received the small serve from Koné – him again – on the edge of the box, with his back to goal. He turned around in ball reception, armed his strike, then put on his eighth in 2022. As well as the 138e of his MLS career.
After a goal from Xherdan Shaqiri from the penalty spot in the 39e – awarded after a very poor exit from Sebastian Breza – Kamara sent Zachary Brault-Guillard to the right of the box in the 44the. The hero of the last game did it again to extinguish the Fire embers, and score 3-1.
We knew the importance of the Sierra Leonean for CF Montreal this season. As much for the locker room as for his presence on the field. His performance on Tuesday night only confirmed this further.
The fire extinguished
The rain had faded at the start of the game, after flooding the Saputo stadium turf a few hours earlier. A respite appreciated by the brave Montreal fans, many of whom were dressed in ponchos. It is estimated between 5,000 and 6,000 football aficionados gathered in the wet enclosure.
The Fire can’t blame the rain for their poor performance: virtually eliminated from the playoffs, the Windy City team is having another season of misery. Even the arrival of Shaqiri as a designated player could not blow on his embers to revive him.
The visitors were awarded another penalty in the 57the, on a slight foul by Joel Waterman in the box. Far from the ball. Shaqiri beat Breza again to close the gap at 3-2.
But CF Montreal did not care. He took care of keeping the ball for the rest of the game and securing an eighth home victory in 2022.