Given the way CF Montreal started the home stretch towards the MLS playoffs on Saturday afternoon, one would be tempted to draw an analogy with a young Olympic sprinter who takes the start of the 400-meter hurdles final. .
Exit from the blocks flawless, followed by a brief misstep which does not however turn into disaster. Either way, the current position is neither ideal nor the one hoped for, but the race is not over, and it is still possible to recover and to be classified among the best.
Clear and clear sign of their ambitions, and despite the goal in extremis by Sunusi Ibrahim at the 95e minute of play, Wilfried Nancy and CF Montreal players were not happy to have collected a single point in the standings following the 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union at Saputo Stadium.
The reason is simple: the Montreal team had offered an overall performance that should have earned it 3 points, said Nancy and Samuel Piette.
Those who witnessed the duel against the Union can only agree with them. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s a matter of turning to the statistics.
The possession of the ball, the shots attempted, the passes made and the corner kicks, these are all aspects where CF Montreal clearly dominated and which show that it served its supporters a quality game. However, two seemingly harmless free kicks almost ruined everything.
Despite the frustration he could feel on Saturday, and perhaps more noticeable than ever this season, Nancy did not forget to say how tactically effective his squad had been.
Mathieu Choinière was also of the opinion that the effort delivered can serve as a model to follow for the five games that remain for the team to earn a place in the top-7 of the Eastern Association and thus live the playoff frenzy.
“Overall, we played a great game, one of our best, I think, so far. We come out of this match with our heads really high, ”said Choinière, who was very active on Saturday, especially in the first half.
“Yes, we wanted to take the three points, yes we came here with a view to winning the 3 points. But if we play the same way, with the same desire, it will come by itself, because it was a really great match. fun to play, and we played superbly well, ”he continued.
Repeating this pattern as soon as possible will be all the more important for CF Montreal as they only have two home games left before the end of the regular calendar. And the next one will only take place on November 3, after stops in Orlando, Toronto, Hamilton – as part of the Canadian Championship – and at the home of the New York Red Bulls.
Maybe that’s why, too, that a 3-point harvest against the Union was so important. Because the Montreal formation remained in seventh place in the East after all the games played on Saturday.
“Of course there are fewer and fewer games left, and therefore the points to be picked up are obviously crucial,” recognized Piette.
“On the other hand, I believe in being realistic and seeing that in the content [samedi après-midi], it was very good. And if we do the same game again for those who remain, I’m not worried about what will happen next. It is not because we go on the road that we have regrets. We went to Orlando last time to win; it can be the same on Wednesday. Why not ? “