Under pressure, CF Montreal succeeded in part of its mandate on Wednesday. By repeating the feat on Saturday evening, it could achieve its main objective.
In the midst of a heated battle for the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Bleu-blanc-noir didn’t have much room to maneuver when they showed up at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In a venue where they had never won before, the Montrealers beat Atlanta United 2-1 to put themselves in a much more comfortable position.
Now sitting in eighth place, three points ahead of three pursuers, Laurent Courtois’s team can breathe a little easier, but they know the stakes very well.
“We know that if we want to perform, there are things that we have to accomplish ourselves. It requires being very precise technically and being tactically coordinated. I don’t know if our position changes much, other than the fact that we are not in a hurry to force things. Despite everything, if we do not put the basic ingredients of our successes, we will also be in difficulty,” said Courtois on Friday, before a training session in Atlanta.
It was this urgency that perhaps got the better of the club in 2023.
At this time last year, CF Montreal was trying to cling to its spot above the red line and it had its destiny in its own hands. Despite a convincing home win, a loss in Columbus in the final game of the season, combined with an unfavorable result in New Jersey, excluded it from the playoffs.
This time, the players seem determined to keep their foot on the accelerator and maintain a high level ahead of the final two games of the season.
“We can’t be complacent or arrogant about where we are. We have to approach every game with the right mentality and a high level of focus. We know we’re a good team and we can compete with anyone,” defender George Campbell insisted.
“In this league, everything can change in one game,” warned goaltender Jonathan Sirois. “I want us to come to Charlotte with the possibility of going for seventh place in the season finale.”
An “aggressive” match against Charlotte
CF Montreal (10-12-10) could secure a playoff spot in four ways Saturday night, but they all start with at least a point against Charlotte FC (12-11-9).
The Bleu-blanc-noir is far from being an MLS powerhouse on the road this season, but it has history on its side against the North Carolina team. It has yet to lose in five games against Charlotte FC (4-0-1) and is undefeated in two outings at Bank of America Stadium (1-0-1).
When the two Eastern rivals met at Stade Saputo on September 14, Courtois’ men triumphed 2-1. With a win on Saturday night, they would move within two points of Charlotte FC and seventh place, but they expect a very different encounter.
“I think it’s going to be a more aggressive game than the one we had at home. At home, I think we were really in control. On Saturday, they might have a little more of the ball and they’re going to want to attack us. I think there’s going to be a little more pressure on them because if we win, we’ll only be two points behind them in the standings,” Sirois noted.
Inspired soccer
If Montreal can even afford to think about the seventh echelon, it is thanks to an excellent five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1) that came out of nowhere.
Near the bottom of the East a month ago, the Bleu-blanc-noir suddenly started playing inspired soccer. Montreal’s attack scored 11 goals during its winning streak, but the defense also tightened up, allowing only four goals.
The trigger comes at just the right time for a defense that still has the fourth worst performance in MLS this season.
“There is more concentration and synchronicity. We see a lot of solidarity and our positioning in the penalty area is better. Everyone has raised their level of play,” observed Courtois. “Collectively, and with the trio in attack, there is tactical and physical work that favors and helps the defense.”
“There are a multitude of factors to explain this. There’s our mentality, our consistency and our confidence,” added Sirois. “There are details that go unnoticed, but that make the difference. We’ve been very clean defensively in recent games.”
The head coach confirmed that midfielder Victor Wanyama would not be in Charlotte for Saturday’s clash, but all other players would be present.
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