Orlando 0 – Montreal 0 | “There is something to build on”

Five minutes. That’s all CF Montreal needed to show the extent of the transformation it experienced in the off-season. Because from the start of this first match of the 2024 campaign, in Orlando, we saw him display an inspired, enthusiastic, offensive game.

It got a little complicated afterwards, as evidenced by this 0-0 result. Which still constitutes an excellent first point collected on the road.

“There were elements in all areas of the game where we showed quality and solidarity,” noted head coach Laurent Courtois, who was making his debut at the helm of a team in MLS.

“ [Orlando], it’s one of the biggest teams in the league, he added. We are very proud of what we have accomplished. »

Newcomers Matías Cóccaro and Dominik Iankov were established by Courtois, which allowed them, like their head coach, to obtain their first experience in the Garber circuit.

Cóccaro, in particular, looked very well in these first minutes. Used at the tip of an attacking trident completed by Bryce Duke and Iankov, he was the source of early threats in the Florida final third. He struggled until his release for the benefit of Josef Martínez, shortly after the hour mark.

“They were fantastic,” said Joel Waterman. Mati worked hard, fought for all the balls and created chaos by showing all his passion. Dom was excellent at finding the spaces. »

“We have leaders at the back”

Waterman believes his team should have scored “a few goals” in those first 15 minutes.

That didn’t happen, and afterward, both teams slowed the pace. Which benefited the Lions in the game. They ended the game with 58% of the possession.

The tempo picked up again at the end of the match. Two offsides committed by the Lions got Montreal out of trouble: Felipe thought he had scored in the 80th^ethen a penalty awarded by the official to Orlando was finally canceled in stoppage time.

In the meantime, the Montreal ramparts held. This is already a first shutout for Jonathan Sirois, sparkling at the end of the match, and for a three-way defense made up of Gabriele Corbo, Waterman and George Campbell. It seemed well organized to us, this Montreal defensive curtain.

“We have leaders at the back,” said Campbell. As much as we work on it on the field in training, we talk about it off the field. Even more this week. We told ourselves that we had to keep the game in front of us, instead of always finding ourselves behind. It’s the result of a lot of work. […] It paid off today. »

And as confirmation after an excellent first season in MLS, Jonathan Sirois picked up where he left off last year. He won in extremis in quick succession with point-blank shots at the end of the match. Montreal narrowly avoided disaster, thanks to its jailer.

Words that Orlando can also say.

Because a few moments later, in stoppage time, Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku, on a breakaway, scored the winning goal. But Pedro Gallese advanced into his area and brilliantly blocked the shot.

Josef Martínez also missed a golden opportunity, in the 79th^eon a shot taken on the edge of the area after a well-worked sequence by Montreal.

“I know Mahala and Josef blame each other, because they are very hard on themselves,” Courtois said. But I know they’re going to put a few in the season, so there’s no worries. »

” It’s encouraging ”

Is this a point stolen abroad for Laurent Courtois’ men? The opportunities on both sides don’t tip the scales one way or the other.

Let’s instead look at the projected goals statistic, which is especially interesting for evaluating the pace of a match. It ultimately went to Orlando’s advantage: depending on the quality of their chances, the locals should have scored 1.4 goals, compared to 0.8 for Montreal.

Yes, at the first light of the 2024 season, the Bleu-blanc-noir is still a work in progress. The first drafts nevertheless allow us to believe in an elegant final product.

But don’t take our word for it.

“There is something to build on,” judge Laurent Courtois. It’s encouraging. »

Rising

Mathieu Choinière was solid in the center of midfield, his preferred position. When the game was going in Montreal’s favor, the Quebecer was at the center of these successes. He shows this aggressiveness, this fervor which must be part of the CFM’s style of play in 2024.

Falling

Like the whole group, Bryce Duke had a good first few minutes. But then we saw his limits, combined with a somewhat shaken confidence. He lacked success in his passing and positioning. The American has competition at his position this season. He won’t have the right to make mistakes for long.