After earning a valuable point on the road Saturday night, FC Cincinnati will again turn around quickly for a midweek matchup and head north to Quebec, Canada, for a game with CF Montréal.
The two clubs meet under similar circumstances with key distinctions. Both clubs are fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference, with FC Cincinnati looking to secure their top spot and Supporters’ Shield claim while CF Montréal battle for position in the playoffs. With 36 points, Montréal sits in eighth place but is three points from falling out of the playoff picture entirely.
With games only increasing in importance with every day and match that passes, FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan expects a similar atmosphere and intensity from their opponents as any team at the top of the table.
“I think the game will look like what we saw in Philadelphia and (against) Orlando, teams are vying for spots. They’re trying to climb the table,” Noonan said at Monday’s pre-match press conference. “Every game from here on out is going to have that intensity, in my opinion, because there’s nine playoff spots and everybody we’re playing is vying for something.”
Montréal have been known this season for their strong play at home. With nine home wins this season, they are tied for fifth in home victories across all MLS. Noonan attributes their success to their relentlessness and consistency.
“I think they look to make it uncomfortable for their opponents, regardless of who they’re playing,” the FCC head coach said. “The different ideas they have looking to break opponents down and attack the goal has allowed them to have success.”
With six games remaining in the regular season, FC Cincinnati is looking to achieve its goal of winning trophies this season, but also to make sure they are entering the postseason the right way. Playing their best soccer as the season comes to a close.
“This is when you want to be at your best,” Noonan said. “The reality is we are trying to hold top position. So we’re going to need to be at our best under these circumstances.”
FC CINCINNATI at CF Montréal – WEDNESDAY, September 20, 2023 – 7:30 p.m. ET – Stade Saputo
HOW TO WATCH
Stream: Free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
TV Talent (English): Ed Cohen (PXP) & Greg Sutton (Analysis)
TV Talent (Spanish): Moises Linares (PXP) & Pable Marino (Analysis)
TV Talent (Spanish): Frederic Lord (PXP) & Vincent Desouches (Analysis)
Radio: FOX Sports 1360
Radio Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Jeff Larentowicz (analyst)
ALL-TIME SERIES
FC Cincinnati broke the deadlock between The Orange and Blue and Le CFM in their meeting at TQL Stadium earlier this season, earning the 3-0 win on May 17 and improving their record against the French Canadian club to 4-3-1. Montréal is one of just three clubs FCC has an all-time winning record against when playing that team three or more times.
In the first matchup of the season FCC jumped out to an early lead with an own goal in the second minute of the match created from an Álvaro Barreal free kick. Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez also netted goals to secure the 3-0 win.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
Une perte - Wednesday will be the 19th midweek match for FCC under head coach Pat Noonan. Over that span, The Orange and Blue are an impressive 11-1-6 when playing on a Tuesday or Wednesday across all competitions. In MLS play, FCC are 6-0-4 in the midweek.
Frappes Rapides - In MLS play, FCC have scored 29 times in the first 15 minutes of the match. Seven of the 29 goals have come against CF Montréal across the eight all-time meetings between the clubs.
Une deuxième mi-temps solide - FC Cincinnati have been dominant in the second half of matches this season, conceding just nine times in 28 regular season matches. No other club has conceded fewer than 14 goals in the final 45 this season.
Out of action - FC Cincinnati will be without defender Yerson Mosquera due to red card suspension after picking up two yellows in Saturday’s match with Philadelphia.
Looking for a “Balayage” - With a win, FC Cincinnati would earn their third series sweep of the season. The club has never swept three teams in a season and have swept five clubs in its MLS history.
Le Capitanie est de retour – After serving his one game suspension for yellow card accumulation, FCC captain Luciano Acosta will be available for selection again for The Orange and Blue. FCC earned their first point without the captain Saturday night against Philadelphia Union in the 2-2 draw.
Acosta is a leading candidate for the Audi MLS MVP, scoring 13 goals and registering 11 assists in league play this season.
SCOUTING Montréal (11-14-3, 46 PTS., 8TH EASTERN CONFERENCE)
In the thick of a battle for one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, CF Montréal sits in eighth place with 36 points but has a three-point gap between eighth and in, or 10th and out.
Winless in their last three matches, CF Montréal is coming off a 0-0 draw with Chicago Fire. Le CFM owns one of the best home records in the league with a 9-4-1 record at Stade Saputo, but in their last five home matches, Montréal is 2-2-1.
Head coach Hernán Losada took the reigns of the club at the beginning of 2023 after Wilfried Nancy departed for the role at Columbus Crew. Before his time in French Canada, Losada was the head coach with DC United and Belgian second-division club K Beerschot VA. All-time, the Argentine head coach owns a 32-35-8 record.
CF Montréal has one of the most balanced attacks in MLS this season, with 14 players scoring a goal. Midfielder, Quebec native, and CF Montréal academy product Mathieu Choinière leads the club with four finishes this season while adding four assists. Supersub Chinonso Offer has made 27 appearances and has been subbed 14 times, scoring four times.
Forward Romell Quioto returned to the pitch after missing over four months of play due to a hamstring injury suffered on May 25. The Honduran attacker subbed on for 13 minutes in their draw with Chicago Fire FC on Saturday night. Despite minimal playing time this season, he has cashed three goals, the third most on the club.
Goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois is tied for the lead in clean sheets this season with 11, most recently blanking the Chicago Fire in a 0-0 draw. With 76 saves this season, the Canadian national ranks eighth in MLS, tied with FCC’s Roman Celentano.
