On this famous June 24, Jonathan Sirois changed his match dynamics a bit.
To say that the goalkeepers are “giddicks” and that they have a more than polished routine is an assertion that still needs to be refuted. However, to celebrate Saint-Jean, Sirois has added a few Quebec songs to his game day playlist: the Cowboys Fringants, the Trois Accords and Karim Ouellet, among others.
He is advised to start again, because CF Montreal and Charlotte FC have fiercely disputed a disjointed and open match. And opportunities, there were.
The only logical explanation for this 0-0 score on Saturday night was the performance of the Impact goalkeeper. Admittedly, the Montrealers at times lacked realism and the locals lacked opportunism, but it was essentially Sirois’ brilliance that offered a result that only purists will be able to appreciate.
His saves allowed the Bleu-blanc-noir to grab a fifth point on the road this season. A good shot considering that the Montrealers have lost eight of 11 games on the road, so this point is precious. What’s more, it was taken from a direct competitor in the standings.
But before moving on to celebrations for this performance and this result on the road, Sirois wants to temper.
“We cannot be satisfied with a null verdict,” he said.
We are a team that wants to make the playoffs, so we need points. We approach each match with the objective of winning it. Collectively, we are not satisfied with a single point. However, we can still be happy, considering our history on the road.
Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal goalkeeper
The history yes, but also the face of the match too. The laterals were exploited in the first half and the central hinge was damaged at times, but ultimately the result remained a shutout. It is also an eighth for Sirois and his partners this season, the native of the South Shore has therefore risen to third place in MLS in this chapter.
Shine from coast to coast
The Bleu-blanc-noir has had a very different starting lineup since Wednesday’s last game against Nashville SC. Four starters gave up, including Zachary Brault-Guillard, now with the Canadian Gold Cup team, and Mathieu Choinière, injured.
If Brault-Guillard was selected for the continental competition, Sirois was left behind, as were his compatriots Joel Waterman and Mathieu Choinière.
The fact that Sirois was not selected, considering the other goaltenders who were chosen at his expense (Milan Borjan, Dayne St. Clair and Tom McGill) surprised some. Despite everything, the 21-year-old confirmed with a laugh that he “had no aspect of revenge” in this performance.
I’m still in a state of mind where I have to prove myself every day in training and in every match. I have to prove myself to my coach, to my coach, to the sporting director here and to my teammates. So that’s what I try to do every game.
Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal goalkeeper
For his part, the current passed less for Waterman. “I thought I was going to be part of the selection for the Gold Cup. I’m upset, but I hope the team will win,” said the centre-back, who was in the squad for the 2022 World Cup.
Choinière meanwhile is struggling with an injury. CFM head coach Hernán Losada merely replied that he wanted the Quebec midfielder to return to his position for the next game.
So maybe Saint-Jean was not the right window to carve out a position with the Maple Leaf. The trio will therefore have the chance to get together at home next Saturday, on Canada Day.
Up: Jonathan Sirois
We are starting to run out of words to describe Sirois’ game this season. In addition to a hazardous discount – followed by an approximate control of George Campbell – in front of his surface, the Quebecer was imperial. This point certainly goes to his file.
Down: Sunusi Ibrahim
This is the first game in quite a while that Sunusi Ibrahim has struggled more. It should be mentioned that Chinonso Offor missed a few relays to his Nigerian compatriot. Nevertheless, Ibrahim had the best chance of the Montrealers, but his crushed shot did not create any danger and his performance was less dynamic than usual.
Match number: 5
Number of shutouts of Jonathan Sirois in his last seven meetings. He allowed just four goals in that streak.