Charlotte FC 2 – CF Montreal 0 | Return to earth

Everything will therefore be decided in the last match of the season for CF Montreal. Again.

Laurent Courtois’ men lost 2-0 in Charlotte on Saturday evening, which ended their five-game unbeaten streak. That of Saturday prevented them from confirming their participation in the play-off match giving access to the playoffs.

Despite everything, “destiny is between [les] hands” of the CFM “in front [ses] supporters”, as Courtois recalled after the meeting. The decisive day in MLS will take place on October 19, and Montreal will face New York City FC at Saputo Stadium. A win or a draw, and he has his ticket to the playoffs. Even a defeat, with a few other results to his advantage, could give him that.

But he will still be able to bite his fingers for having missed a great opportunity to obtain it from October 5. Because a draw, still possible until the last moments of the match, was within the reach of the CFM. Late since 34^e minute, just one goal would have been enough. And he worked hard to get it, dominating possession of the ball in the second half.

But in front of the defensive wall deployed by Charlotte FC, the Bleu-blanc-noir did not find the breach. Then suffered a lethal counterattack in stoppage time of the match to concede the net 2-0.

“I don’t have much to reproach my guys,” he adds in the same breath. […] There is also satisfaction and pride in what they tried to produce. It was very ambitious and I was proud of them. »

Charlotte in control, despite the siege

Let’s give it to Courtois: despite the result, his team’s performance reflected what they offered during their streak of four victories in five games since the start of September. The style of play shone through, even if offensive breakthroughs rarely made it into the final third. Of his eight shots attempted, only one was on target.

This is little consolation for young Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty.

Both teams spent most of the first half studying each other. When Montreal had the ball, it stood almost motionless, as if waiting to see an opening in Charlotte’s game. Who didn’t come.

On the other hand, the direct play of the locals ended up paying off. At the 34^ea solid strike from Israeli international Liel Abada pushed Jonathan Sirois to concede a return. A mistake by the goalkeeper. Exhausted, however, Karol Świderski was happy to put on the leather.

Josef Martínez, despite his five goals in three games, was rested for this third meeting in eight evenings. In his place, Sunusi Ibrahim got his first MLS start since July 3. Big order for the Nigerian.

If it was not completely unworthy, it was especially the Montreal offensive module which seemed to have lost some of its bearings in the absence of Martínez. The latter finally entered on the hour mark.

Even its current form has not allowed the CFM to break through the North Carolinian wall. Charlotte was organized, resolute, in control despite the Montreal siege in its area.

“It was complicated,” Courtois commented. We know that they wanted to set traps and counterattack. We made some interesting adjustments in the second half, but we lacked technical precision. »

And precisely, it was with a lethal counterattack that Charlotte confirmed her victory. At the 94^ePatrick Agyemang put on his 10^e of the season after beating Joel Waterman, then Sirois in the box.

Everything will be decided on October 19

It was still a third game in eight nights for Montreal, including two consecutive meetings on the road. Did they feel that their legs were heavy?

“For my part, I was pretty tired,” Waterman agreed. But I felt good. The team too. We cannot use [ces matchs à l’étranger] as an excuse. »

In 2023, Montreal had its destiny in its hands in the last match of the season, but it had to get a result against the Crew in Columbus, the future champion. Despite his defeat, his destiny was decided nearly 400 miles away, while the Red Bulls won at the last minute in Nashville, eliminating Hernán Losada’s squad from the playoffs just after the final whistle of his match.

In 2024, the scenario is somewhat different. Montreal will be at home, facing NYCFC, an always awkward opponent. Despite Saturday’s defeat, we feel that he has the wind at his back.

This warm breath, combined with the rest resulting from this international break, will it be enough to achieve the only objective still within reach of CF Montreal?

ON THE RISE

Gabriele Corbo

Corbo was part of a very effective defensive trio completed by George Campbell and Fernando Álvarez in the absence of Joel Waterman, who was injured during the month of September. When the Canadian returned last Saturday, the Italian was relegated to the bench by Courtois, when we would have thought he deserved his place on the eleven. It was in these circumstances that he found himself on the left of defense, with Waterman and Campbell, on Saturday. And it looked good. He completed 100% of his 85 passes, including around ten beautiful, long offerings. At the CFM, that’s what we need: serious competition for positions, which raises everyone’s game.

FALLING

Nathan Saliba

It’s not that Nathan Saliba was bad on Saturday evening, even if he was discreet in the middle of the field. Above all, due to a yellow card received against Charlotte and the accumulation of these, he will be suspended for the last decisive meeting of his club. We know how crucial his presence is to the success of the CFM, especially since his return from his first assignment with the Canadian team. And it is certainly not Victor Wanyama, who no longer even travels with the team, who will be called upon for this crucial match. After having found consistency in his training, Laurent Courtois will have to rework it again.