CF Montreal players may have forgotten about it due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there is a team in MLS in Seattle – the Sounders – and another in the suburbs of Los Angeles known as the Galaxy. The next week will allow them to reconnect with these two clubs for the first time since 2019.
CF Montreal will begin a two-game road streak by first stopping at Lumen Field, home of the Sounders (7-6-2), Wednesday night. Five days later, the Montreal team will be at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, a city located about 20 km from downtown Los Angeles, to fight the Galaxy (7-5-3).
Although short, this journey does not look easy for CF Montreal (8-6-2). Head coach Wilfried Nancy, however, approaches it with positivism and enthusiasm, facing two rivals who find themselves at the height of the fight for a place in the Western Conference playoffs.
“A great challenge. I love that. The players know it. We do this job also for that. We are going to have adversity and we like that, ”replied Nancy, without hesitation, Monday morning, when he was questioned on the extent of the challenge that awaits his troop.
“We will go there knowing that the environment is not easy; three hours of difference, six hours of flight. […] But we like it and we will do everything to bring back points from these two games, ”added Nancy a few hours before her team flew to Seattle.
Positive file
In the past, Montreal teams have often brought back points from their meetings against Seattle. In fact, with a lifetime record of five wins, two losses and a draw, CF Montreal/Impact is the only team in MLS to have won more than half of those games against the Sounders among clubs Seattle has. faced more than five times in its history, according to an MLS stat.
Nancy and her players will do well to have this information firmly in their minds because the Sounders have had a successful period since becoming the first MLS side on May 4 to win the Champions League tournament. of Concacaf.
Since that triumph against Mexico’s Pumas UNAM, the Sounders have posted a record of five wins and one draw in eight games.
In addition, Wednesday night, against CF Montreal, the Sounders will complete a series of five games at home. The Sounders won three of the first four games and drew the other. During that streak, they scored 10 goals and allowed only two.
“We know they have a good team, but we are a good team too,” said midfielder Victor Wanyama.
“We respect their style, we know they respect ours too, and we know it will be a tough game for both clubs. It’s going to be about who wants it the most and I think we’ll be up to the task,” added Wanyama.
With these two games on the American West Coast, the CF Montreal players will spend the next week as a group as they don’t often do over such a long period.
Such journeys always represent great opportunities to solidify the bonds within a group which, according to Nancy, is already united.
“It’s going to be new for a lot of players because they don’t know what it’s like to play out West. It’s something different. The idea is to stay on what we do well, to have a good collective dynamic at the group level”, Nancy first pointed out.
“There is a good chemistry with the group, he chained. Afterwards, we start with very specific objectives. As I told the players, we are not going on vacation. We have two very important games against opponents who are super interesting to face. We go there to try to do something very good because that’s the state of mind. The links are already there, it will just confirm our dynamic. Afterwards, it’s up to us to be good on the pitch. »
In this regard, Wanyama believes that the level of confidence among CF Montreal players is high.
“The guys are feeling good after the win (on Saturday against Charlotte FC), and everyone is confident. We are a united group and we must remain in solidarity with each other. We are going to face two tough rivals, and it will be good to pick up positive results from these two games. »
Still deprived of the services of midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, CF Montreal may be able to count on the return of defender Kamal Miller, who accompanied his teammates to Seattle. His status heading into Wednesday’s game was uncertain when Nancy spoke to reporters.