(Montreal) CF Montreal’s success at home is well established, but the team is still looking for solutions abroad – like many other MLS teams.
It is with only one win in 10 road games this season that the Bleu-blanc-noir will head to North Carolina to face Charlotte FC (6-8-5) , Saturday night.
Although every game is tough in MLS, the Montrealers seem in a better position to turn around their record on the road, as they go up against an opponent who looks less intimidating at home than those they’ve faced this season. .
Christian Lattanzio’s men are only playing for .500 in front of their fans in 2023 (3-3-3) and they haven’t won in five of their last six games, including the two most recent in Charlotte.
For once, CF Montreal (8-9-1) can see the light at the end of the tunnel away from their people. Especially since he has just returned from a ten-day break without a game and has just signed a 1-0 victory at Stade Saputo against Nashville SC, the second best team in MLS in terms of points.
“It was good to have that win in the middle of the week, to have that confidence going into the weekend. Morale is high and we need to take that energy and put it into the next performance,” said midfielder Bryce Duke. We have to play the same way overseas as we did against Nashville. If we stay calm, keep our game plan and score the first goal, I think that will be key. »
The club suffered a few embarrassing losses in Vancouver, Foxborough, Cincinnati and Philadelphia, and it failed to find its stride. Even less to find the back of the net. Head coach Hernan Losada’s players have been banned seven times abroad.
However, Montrealers can take comfort in saying that they won both duels against Charlotte FC in 2022, when they entered MLS. A third triumph would also be a blow to the North Carolina team, which is only two points behind Bleu-blanc-noir in the Eastern playoff race.
“We’ll be involved in this race and hopefully over the next few weeks we can keep picking up points so we don’t get too bothered by that,” forward Mason Toye said. The points amassed abroad are huge and that’s what we focus on. »
“He’s a direct opponent in the standings so it’s a very important game, but he comes only a few days after having spent a lot of energy on the pitch,” added Losada.
The head coach would like to put on a better show for CF Montreal fans, and that’s what Olivier Renard, the team’s vice-president and chief athletic officer, wants too, but he’ll settle for it at first. of a victory abroad, no matter how it is acquired.
“For me, the prettiest thing about soccer is scoring goals and winning. Afterwards, we want to give chances to the young players of the Academy, we want to participate in the playoffs and we want to play in a good way. We will make every effort together, but it is not always easy. If we keep winning, that’s good,” Losada said.
Injured midfielder Lassi Lappalainen and defender Zachary Brault-Guillard, selected by Canada for the Gold Cup, will not make the trip with the team.