CF Montreal can stretch its winning run to seven matches in all competitions when their MLS campaign resumes on Wednesday at TQL Stadium as they battle the joint leaders of the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati.
The Orange and Blue are a perfect 6-0 at home in the league this season, defeating DC United 2-1 in their previous domestic outing, while Le CFM climbed into a playoff position by virtue of its 2-0 victory over Toronto in the Canadian Classique last Saturday.
Match preview
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In its opening three MLS campaigns, Cincinnati could barely do anything right, but in their second season under Pat Noonan, things have changed dramatically, as they find themselves in contention for the Supporters' Shield, trailing the New England Revolution on goal difference.
When TQL Stadium opened in 2021, Cincy supporters had little to cheer about as their team failed to win a single home fixture that year, but fast forward a couple of years later and it's become a fortress for this club who are one of only two teams to hold a 100% record at home this season (Los Angeles FC is the other going 4-0).
Its six-match winning run at TQL Stadium is a new franchise record for consecutive victories at home in a single campaign, while they are only four away from equalling a club record for the longest unbeaten streak in MLS.
They have not had any problems finding the back of the net in front of their fans, scoring at least once in 22 successive regular season home fixtures, while three of its five clean sheets this year have come at TQL Stadium.
Noonan has not only transformed this franchise into a contender over a short period of time, but they have become a force around the league, tied with LAFC for the fewest defeats this year (one), while unbeaten in eight successive regular-season encounters versus the Eastern Conference.
Cincy have only conceded first in one domestic outing all season, while they have given up just one goal in the opening half of their previous three league fixtures.
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Montreal celebrated its 30th anniversary in style last weekend, beating their bitter rivals TFC for the second time in a week, having now won six straight matches in all competitions for the first time since entering MLS in 2012.
Thanks to that form, the heat is off manager Hernan Losada for now, though his side have not faced a playoff team in league play since the middle of April when Le CFM were shut out 1-0 by DC United.
That was the last time Montreal had conceded in an MLS affair, allowing just two shots on target in its previous two league matches combined.
Le CFM were one of only three teams in the league last season to win at Cincinnati in the regular season, erasing a pair of first-half deficits to win 4-3.
A big move near the end of the transfer window last month has dramatically turned their fortunes around as the additions of Bryce Duke and Ariel Lassiter have enabled them to be an effective, quick passing team with lots of interchanging and link-up play.
While they finally got their first away victory of the campaign the last time out versus Sporting Kansas City (2-0), Le CFM have often been far too easy to penetrate defensively on the road, losing five matches this season by a combined score of 14-0.
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Team News
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Cincinnati will be without Arquimides Ordonez on Wednesday after he was named to the Guatemala team who are competing at the U-20 World Cup, while Santiago Arias is dealing with a thigh injury.
In what was his 100th appearance in all competitions for Cincinnati, Brandon Vazquez ended a three-match scoring drought, netting the only goal in their US Open Cup victory at home to New York City FC last week (1-0), Luciano Acosta and Alvaro Barreal each scored in their previous MLS clash versus DC United on a night when Roman Celentano became the all-time leader in career saves for the Orange and Blue (118), making four stops to surpass Przemyslaw Tyton (115).
Nick Hagglund can collect his 100th career regular-season cap for Cincy on Wednesday, while Alvas Powell started in their last MLS encounter for first time since last October.
Mason Toye missed the previous encounter for Montreal with a sore knee, while Samuel Piette was sidelined again because of an adductor injury.
Lassi Lappalainen netted the winner for them on Saturday, his first of the campaign, with Chinonso Offor scoring for the second straight match in all competitions, while Jonathan Sirois has not conceded for this team since its loss to the Black and Red last month.
Romell Quioto scored in their previous meeting versus the Orange and Blue, and he remains one back of Marco Di Vaio for the second-most Montreal goals in the MLS regular season as he netted twice, while Joel Waterman and Mathieu Choiniere also scored in a 4-3 home victory against Cincy last May.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Hagglund, Miazga, Mosquera; Gaddis, Nwobodo, Kubo, Moreno; Acosta; Santos, Vazquez
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Corbo, Campbell, Camacho; Herrera, Wanyama, Lassiter, Choiniere; Quioto, Offor, Duke
We say: FC Cincinnati 2-0 CF Montreal
Montreal have done well to turn its dismal campaign around however, they have not faced a side as potent as Cincinnati, and we believe they will be knocked back down a peg in this encounter.
How to watch
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Joel Lefevre
