MONTREAL – In the little darkness represented by the winless streak that CF Montreal is going through, the draw snatched from Columbus at the end of April was considered a ray of sunshine. A reason to believe, perhaps, that the team could revive itself by surprising the reigning MLS Cup champions during their visit to Stade Saputo.
That didn’t happen.
Against much stronger opposition on paper, the Impact fought well, but too costly mistakes led to a 3-1 defeat. Mathieu Choinière was their only scorer, scoring a penalty in stoppage time in the first half.
The decisive goal struck the locals like a dagger in the 59th minute, just after a triple change prepared by Laurent Courtois. After a fiery descent from defender Steven Moreira towards the Montreal area, Diego Rossi slipped behind the defense and completed the job without being disturbed.
“Very disappointed with the way we conceded this second goal,” Courtois made no secret after the match. We lacked discipline, humility, desire. I look back on the cascade of individual behavior and clearly, I failed to find the words at half-time to maintain an intensity of concentration and discipline that would allow us to stay in the match. »
Samuel Piette, who had just taken Victor Wanyama’s place in midfield at the time, saw in the early action – a loss of the ball resulting from a bad pass from Ariel Lassiter deep in Crew territory – the symptom of the evil that afflicts CF Montreal in these difficult times.
“That’s what shocks me the most because it’s 1-1, we push to get that goal, we send players forward, we want to apply pressure. We really felt that the momentum was on our side. But we stupidly lose the ball and in one or two passes, it ends up behind us. »
“I find that these are actions that happen a little too often,” continued the captain after recognizing that he himself had perhaps sinned at the end of the game. “We make technical errors in crucial moments when , if we were able to keep the ball a little longer, the opposing team defended a little more and that made us settle in a little more. But when you make these mistakes one after another, it takes a toll on morale. »
Stripped of its main offensive weapons, Montreal did not find the resources to close the gap, even being knocked out under the foot of Marino Hinestroza in the 89th minute. Here he is now without success in his last six matches, since the opening of his local season a month ago.
He has allowed ten goals in three games since going 0-0 in Ohio.
“We couldn’t wait to get home, but in the end, if it’s to get home and not accumulate points, it’s not worth much. In terms of accounting, it’s not great,” lamented Piette.
The Crew, whose power no longer needs to be proven, was still a viable opponent on this beautiful May evening. His victory on Wednesday was his first in MLS since March 16.
The Bleu-Blanc-Noir has still not managed to beat Columbus since its former coach Wilfried Nancy moved there before the 2023 season.
“They have a collective mastery of the game that is really impressive,” said Courtois, who managed the Crew’s reserve team for two years. Still, I found that the guys, in fits and starts, managed to cause problems. »
Attacker shortage
In the defeat, rookie Alessandro Biello got his first minutes of play in MLS. The midfielder came on in the 75th minute, to the cheers of the crowd and the proud look of his father, in reaction to an injury to Mason Toye.
The latter, sent into action six minutes earlier, declared himself unable to continue after making a run behind the defense which resulted in a harmless shot on goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
Toye’s injury is only the most recent element to add to the trouble plaguing the CF Montreal attacking group. Kwadwo Opoku, Matías Cóccaro and Josef Martínez have already fallen in combat before him.
“It’s about gritting our teeth and finding solutions,” Courtois resigned himself to this massacre. It’s about managing situations so that we are less exposed to unnecessary shopping too, that wouldn’t be bad. Arrive fresher, with more discernment, in the last third. Afterwards, there is a bit of bad luck. We must make do. »
Piette believes the lack of internal competition at the position was affecting the performance of those who have so far been spared. “When you have a lot of injuries, it means that certain players, without saying that they take their position for granted, know that they are going to play next. There is physical and mental fatigue too. You question what you’re doing when you’re a little less successful. It also plays, I think, in the somewhat more hollow moment we have at the moment. »
Nothing to help, Montreal could not count on the services of Jules-Anthony Vilsaint on Wednesday. The author of a goal and an assist last weekend against Inter Miami. Courtois clarified that his absence was justified by “a personal element that happened” and the details of which the club will not disclose.
The coach added that he “very much” hoped Vilsaint could accompany the team to Toronto for next Saturday’s game.
2024-05-16 03:24:00
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