CFMTL Media

Pregame – Philadelphia v Montréal

Montreal looking to go unbeaten in third straight game

CF Montréal is back in action this Saturday, visiting the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park at 8pm for the first meeting between these two sides this season.

As the season continues and we delve deep into the second half of the year, the playoff race out in the Eastern Conference is starting to take shape. Head coach Wilfried Nancy’s men currently find themselves in the thick of things, ranked seventh and occupying the last spot offering a playoff qualification.

Philadelphia sits just four points ahead, in fourth. There’s only a 10-point difference between the team in second and the team in 10th. With everything this tight in the Eastern Conference, every point counts, and games against a direct opponent take on a whole other level of significance.

“They’re a team with a clear and defined style of play,” said head coach Wilfried Nancy. What they do, they do it really well. We know tomorrow is going to be a game in which we are going to have to battle, because they press a lot with their direct style of play. It’ll be an exciting challenge from a defensive point of view.”

Montreal will end a busy sequence of three games in eight days after its match against the Pennsylvania side. After a difficult sequence, Montreal was able to turn things around, managing a win last weekend against the New York Red Bulls, before earning a hard-fought draw in the middle of the week against FC Cincinnati.

Injury update

Striker Mason Toye, who suffered a shoulder injury in the game against New York and will have to be operated, will not be available, and will be out of action for months. Romell Quioto and Lassi Lappalainen both missed a few weeks due to injury and will be unavailable to the head coach come Saturday.