The chances of seeing CF Montreal in the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs are dwindling, but nothing has happened yet. The team fights for survival and the stars no longer seem to align.
Hernan Losada’s men can already clinch one of the top seven spots in the Eastern Association, with Nashville (45 points and four games left) out of reach in seventh place. In ninth place with 37 points, CF Montreal defends second place and thus gains access to a play-off game.
Aside from that, there are many reasons to worry:
A difficult sequence
More than a month has passed since Montreal’s last win, the home victory against the New England Revolution (1-0) on August 26th. Things were even worse on the opposing field, as the defense allowed seven goals in meetings in Atlanta and Orlando on September 23 and 30.
Even though they are playing at Stade Saputo, the next two games will not be easy. Houston Dynamo, recent winners of the United States Cup and fifth in the West, and the Portland Timbers, seventh in the same association, will do the local favorites no favors.
The final game, if crucial, could prove heartbreaking. The Columbus Crew, led by former Montreal coach Wilfried Nancy, will host CF on October 21st. However, the two-week international break before this duel should do something good.
An anemic attack
During this run of eight games without a result, Bleu-Blanc-Noir was suspended three times and scored just four goals. Only Toronto FC (26) and the Colorado Rapids (24) have had fewer shake-ups this season than CF Montreal (30).
Aside from some success here and there from Kwadwo Opoku and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint over the last month, the team’s best attacking elements are underperforming.
The most recent goals from Bryce Duke (July 22), Chinonso Offor (July 15), Mason Toye (June 10), Sunusi Ibrahim (June 7) and Ariel Lassiter (May 31) seem like a lifetime ago. It is also better not to mention the puzzling case of Romell Quioto, who has been almost invisible since his return from injury.
Fierce pursuers
Behind Montreal, two other teams have 37 points, DC United and Chicago Fire. The two clubs are in a good phase and have only been defeated once in the last four duels. The Illinois organization will also face two teams that, like them, are currently excluded from the playoffs in two of their last three games.
DC United and Fire are worth keeping an eye on, but CF can at least take solace in the knowledge that they have a game in hand against the team from the American capital. In the event of a widespread massacre, the New York Red Bulls are not far behind with 34 points and even Inter Miami CF (33 points) – if Lionel Messi returns to form – has a chance of displacing Montreal.