MONTREAL – Death, taxes and CF Montreal players who miss their mother at Mercedes Benz Stadium. These are three certainties that life offers us on an annual basis since Atlanta joined the Impact in MLS.
For the first two items on the list, nothing to do. The other could become obsolete Wednesday evening. Or not.
In a context where it is fighting to extend its relevance in the fight for a place in the playoffs, the Bleu-Blanc-Noir will attempt a number that it has never been able to perform in its entire history: winning a match in the intimidating home of the Atlanta United Football Club.
Since 2017, Montreal has suffered five defeats in six visits there. It was only in 2022 that he was able to avoid failure, and then again! With a 3-1 lead with six minutes left in regulation time, and with the benefit of an extra player on the field, the team led by Wilfried Nancy had conceded twice before the final whistle and had to accept a bitter loser.
No matter how much we go there with all the hope in the world, we rarely return from Georgia with the feeling of duty accomplished.
It’s a reality that’s not so overwhelming, when you think about it. Taking the 2020 “COVID” season out of the equation, our calculations lead us to the conclusion that between 2017 and 2023, Atlanta has drawn a result in 83% of its home games (61-17-24). Whether she was one of the powers of the league or hidden in the middle of the pack, nothing changed. Before this year, Josef Martinez’s former team had never suffered more than four home defeats in a 34-game schedule.
But this year, there may be a chance. Stripped of its best elements during the summer transfer window, the Five Stripes are struggling in front of their supporters, to whom they have only offered four victories in sixteen demonstrations. A few weeks before the conclusion of the calendar, their overall performance earns them 11th place in the Eastern Association standings, three points behind their next visitors.
There will therefore be much more than old frustrations to heal this time for CF Montreal.
“It’s high time to change our history in Atlanta,” admitted Joel Waterman before Tuesday’s training. But we don’t dwell on the past. It’s another season, another year. The context is ideal to go there and bring back a result. »
Interim coach Rob Valentino’s men may be struggling, with only one victory in their last six outings, but they are never easy prey. In their last three games, three draws, they have overcome a one-goal deficit four times to tie the game.
One such display of resilience came against MLS overall leader Inter Miami. Another against the New York Red Bulls, a team assured of its qualification in the East.
We will therefore have to avoid getting carried away even if the fiery attack of CF Montreal, which has now produced nine goals in four games, should cause the first sparks.
“We know they are going to fight, but we are going to fight too,” promises Waterman. For us, the important thing will be to stay calm, whatever the scenario. I think it’s one of the things we managed to do in our last 4-5 matches. We keep our cool no matter the circumstances. And if we take the lead, the idea will be to keep our foot on the accelerator. »
“It’s a very good team with a context where it’s not easy to play at home,” continued Laurent Courtois. Clearly great individuals, especially with the last two acquisitions they made. But I always say the same thing: if we are at our level, we should be able to do great things too. »
Surface dure
After its match in Atlanta, CF Montreal will head directly to Charlotte where it will be in action on Saturday. Two matches in four days, therefore, and both on a synthetic surface. It’s a sequence that had been approached with a certain apprehension in the last few days, but a few hours before the start, no one wanted to make a big deal out of it.
“Natural grass is obviously less harsh on the body and better for the pace of the match, but that’s the reality of our league,” notes Waterman. I don’t dwell on it much. We may have talked about it among ourselves for 30 seconds, but that’s not what’s going to make the difference between a victory and a defeat. »
Courtois agreed in the same direction, conceding that it is a factor that he will have to “take into account” in the management of his workforce, but “it is also not the most determining factor in one sense as in the other,” he said.
Lassi Lappalainen (thigh) is the only one whose presence on the plane for this crucial journey has been ruled out by the coach. “All others are eligible,” says Courtois.
It would not be surprising if the strategist returned with the same group that signed the last three victories in a row at Stade Saputo. But for the final midweek match, Courtois opted for a rotation by inserting five pairs of fresh legs on his scoresheet.
“We have a small idea of what we want to do, but we never know how it will react today [à l’entraînement] and on top of that with travel, he said Tuesday. We have a little idea, we are also ready to adjust. But the guys are ready. »
All the teams competing with CF Montreal for the last tickets to punch in the East are also in action on Wednesday. Toronto (8th) receives a visit from the Red Bulls and Philadelphia (9th) is visiting Orlando. DC United (12th) and Nashville (13th) will undoubtedly play for their survival in Tennessee while Charlotte (7th) will try to stay comfortably above the fray against the weak Chicago Fire.
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