CF Montreal beat Orlando SC on Saturday afternoon at Saputo Stadium to extend their unbeaten streak to seven games for the first time in team history.
CF Montreal make team history extending unbeaten streak to seven with win over Orlando
Montreal takes the early lead
The first five minutes of the game went without a single shot on target as both teams were looking for openings and a minute later it was Romell Quioto with a great header that just sailed over the crossbar. Lassi Lappalainen got the first shot on target two minutes later for Montreal when he went in on Pedro Gallese but the Orlando keeper made a quick leg save.
Benji Michel tested Sebastien Breza in the 10th minute but it was the Montreal goalkeeper’s turn to make his first save of the game. In the 15th minute, there was a bit of controversy as Djordje Mihailovic was fouled hard in the box but no call was made.
Montreal earned a free kick in the 18th minute but Mihailovic’s shot went right into Gallese’s hands who was able to make the save. Joel Waterman though he scored the opening goal of the game but the offside flag went up to the dismay of the home crowd.
The match official Guido Gonzalez decided to go to VAR to have another look at the play and upon further review, the goal was deemed a good goal, and Montreal had a one-goal lead which was Waterman’s first goal of his MLS career. Mihailovic tested Gallese in the 40th minute but again was denied by the keeper.
The first half finished with Montreal up by one with 45 minutes to go.
Montreal finishes strong
Montreal earned a corner in the 47th minute but the ball was headed right into the hands of Gallese once again who made another key save. Mihailovic doubled Montreal’s lead in the 52nd minute when he received a perfect cross pass from Alistair Johnston and managed to put the ball into the back of the net.
Jake Mulraney who was traded earlier in the week from Atlanta to Orlando made his debut and in the 56th minute got his first shot on target but Breza came up with a spectacular diving save. Quioto got his first shot on target in the 69th minute but Gallese was there to make the save.
Orlando reduced Montreal’s lead to one in the 72nd minute as Joao Moutinho managed to head a ball past Breza into the back of the net and after the goal head coach Wilfred Nancy made his first change of the game bringing in Ahmed Hamdi for Mathieu Choiniere.
Three minutes later Nancy had to make another change this time taking out Johnston for Zachary Brauilt Guillard while also bringing in Kei Kamara for Quioto. Joaquin Torres restored Montreal’s two-goal lead in the 81st minute with a solid pass from Brault Guillard and beat Gallese with a quick shot that went over his shoulder and into the net.
Brault Guillard made it 4-1 three minutes later with a solid run up the pitch and beat Gallese with a powerful shot that went off the far post and into the net. Montreal made two changes in the 87th minute putting in Jojea Kwizera for Torres and Matko Miljevic for Torres and Mihailovic.
After five minutes of added time, the final whistle blew and Montreal had made team history extending their unbeaten streak to seven games.
Coach reaction
Head coach Wilfred Nancy spoke about the win in his post-game press conference and likes the way things are going after a slow start to the season.
” I can see my players try to be better every day, we had a bad moment at the beginning of the season but the players fought through it and they were able to defend and attack well and this right now is a good moment and we have to keep it going”.
Player reaction
Mathieu Choniere who made his return to the starting lineup after missing the last couple of months due to a foot injury spoke about the recovery and the unfortunate setback that delayed his return but was happy to be back with the team.
” It wasn’t easy, I was originally supposed to be out a few days and unfortunately it turned into a month and a half to two months but it felt good to be back and part of the team again”.
Joel Waterman who scored his first-ever MLS goal explained how he thinks things have changed since that rough patch at the start of the season.
“It was hard with the Champions League we were on the road for the first six weeks and now we are at home and we are a confident group and that locker room is so tight”.
CF Montreal will take its seven-game unbeaten streak on the road next week as it heads to North Carolina for its first-ever meeting with Charlotte FC next Saturday.
