Montreal has played just six games in three weeks, but will play three in five days during the Leagues Cup.
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While a loss to rival Toronto FC dropped it out of a playoff spot in Major League Soccer, CF Montréal has the opportunity for a fresh start in the Leagues Cup and is hoping this time it lasts more than five days.
It starts Friday with the team’s first match at Orlando City SC (8 p.m., MLS Season Pass, TSN 690, BPM Sports 91.9).
Montreal has played just six games in three weeks, but will play three in five days during the Leagues Cup.
“You want to continue playing because otherwise, you have the month of August completely unloaded, but at the same time, the break can give an opportunity to work physically to prepare other things,” coach Laurent Courtois said before practice on Thursday. “It is nevertheless a chance and an opportunity for us to be part of these competitions, regardless of the difficulties in relation to the calendar.”
Last year, CF Montréal let a 2-0 lead slip after the 88th minute against UNAM before winning in a shootout. Then, a mistake from Mathieu Choinière led to a loss against D.C. United. The Montreal squad, then led by Hernan Losada, was eliminated three days later and waited for more than three weeks before resuming action in MLS.
Beyond points for shootout wins and losses, goal differential can serve as a tiebreaker to determine which teams advance to the knockout phase. It’s one more reason for the Bleu-blanc-noir to tighten up its defence, which ranks fourth worst in MLS.
“The most important thing in a tournament like this is to make sure we are effective defensively. We have to limit the goals we concede and try to get as many shutouts as possible,” said forward Ariel Lassiter. “I think it will help us get further, especially when you have to play two quick matches. A good first result can put you in a very good position.”
Unlike its second opponent, the Mexican club Atlético de San Luis, CF Montréal knows Orlando City SC well. The two teams have had two draws this season, but they have not faced each other since April.
Friday’s duel is obviously important for the Leagues Cup, but it could also serve to send a message to MLS. Orlando City SC is in seventh place, with a seven-point lead ahead over 11th-place Montreal in the Eastern Conference.
“They will want to fight and maintain possession of the ball pretty high up the pitch,” Lassiter said. “We’ll have to battle the heat and humidity too. The most important thing will be to play as a unit.”
Courtois intends to experiment a little with his training, while keeping in mind that he must keep a fairly fresh squad for the return to Saputo Stadium on Tuesday.
“We are going to experiment to keep questioning and evolving,” he said. “We never want to stay too rigid. At the same time, we don’t want to just do whatever, because we have to pay attention to the workload of certain players. We want to present the most competitive team right now, while also thinking about the rapid turnaround.”
Freshly back from participation in the MLS All-Star Game, during which he played for 21 minutes, Quebecer Mathieu Choinière will be available for the clash against Orlando City SC.