Defense wins championships, the old saying goes. In the case of CF Montreal, let’s be realistic, it suggests a possible participation in the playoffs.
The same narratives have been repeated since the start of the campaign: the attack struggles, the defense saves the furniture and the Saputo stadium is a fortress. The observation was still relevant on Saturday evening, after the Impact took the measure of the New England Revolution 1-0.
The defense was imperial. She didn’t allow a single shot on target and what’s more, she has an expected 0.0 total goal, according to the MLS website. The only chance the visitors had was an ambitious long-range strike from Carles Gil – which still landed on the horizontal bar.
In fact, the centre-back has found a way to do better.
Preserving the shutout was not enough to slip away with the three points. The forwards aimed their first shot into the opposing net in the 76th minute, too little for the opening there was in the opposing defence. So it was Campbell who delivered his team, late in the game, with a perfect shot from the penalty area that created the euphoria at Saputo Stadium.
In short, once again, the defense was the key.
And that performance couldn’t come at a better time, at least on a personal level, for Campbell. The American has played several games this season, but it was to come in to relieve and support his counterparts when they were exhausted or injured.
However, at the very end of the transfer window, the Impact decided to part with Rudy Camacho, its most established central defender. Thus, a door opened for the athletic defender of 1.88 m.
“I think he’s more comfortable since he’s been inserted permanently,” Sirois noted of the hero of the game.
“We’re all happy for him. It always gives a little boost of motivation to score. I’ll just make sure to bring it down to earth this week,” he added with a laugh.
Still, Campbell’s integration happened gradually. The transaction involving Camacho took place in the middle of a three-week break for the Montreal club, leaving Campbell ready to play on the right of the central hinge.
“We knew what our job was individually, so we weren’t running around tonight. When you have a defense that is organized, it gives you a good base for the rest of the game,” he noted. And the rest followed.
“There were ten finals left, and now it’s nine,” head coach Hernán Losada said, clearly aware of the importance of every point in a race for the playoffs.
In fact, his club triumphed for a third consecutive meeting in MLS and now offers themselves a small cushion of five points on their closest rival outside the current playoff picture. The objective of ranking for a second consecutive year at the fall dance seems more than realistic.
And with its “final nine” to go, CFM’s destiny is its own. And maybe to the miracles of Messi…
A great comeback for the Finn, who certainly boosted the offensive. Sure, he provided a perfect pass for Campbell, but his 67th-minute entry was synonymous with highlights for the Montrealers and held on to more than a nice throw-in.
After a pretty convincing performance against Toronto FC on Sunday, Bryce Duke didn’t seem to be in tune with his teammates this time around. He has often been caught off-foot or mis-guessed the destination of his partner’s run, leading to some pretty frustrating sequences where the ball is given to the opposition.
For the first time in its history in MLS, the CFM has lined up six Quebec players in the starting lineup. Goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, defenders Zachary Brault-Guillard and Mathieu Choinière – full-back – midfielders Nathan Saliba and Samuel Piette and striker Jules-Anthony Vilsaint were starters.
