Two teams within striking distance of an MLS playoff berth will tussle on Saturday as CF Montreal host Atlanta United at Saputo Stadium.
Le CFM began this month by scoring a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps, moving to within a point of a post-season spot in the Eastern Conference, a point behind the Five Stripes, who were beaten 5-2 by Real Salt Lake and are narrowly below that playoff line.
Match preview
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Down a goal with only 11 minutes remaining, it appeared as though Montreal were doomed to a fate all too familiar last weekend.
To their credit, though, they fought back and equalised in the latter stages, claiming four points when behind at the interval in their last two matches played at Saputo Stadium.
Three points have been hard to come by for Laurent Courtois's men of late, winning just two of their previous 17 matches across all competitions.
On the other hand, they have stayed in the playoff race by avoiding defeat numerous times, only going pointless in one of their last nine domestic encounters (a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids).
Montreal have only suffered two defeats at Saputo Stadium this year, going unbeaten in their last six league games played there, equalling their longest such run from 2023.
With 46 goals conceded after 22 MLS matchdays, Le CFM have allowed the second-most in the Eastern Conference this year, one fewer than DC United.
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It has been another disappointing month for Atlanta United thus far, losing three consecutive matches across all competitions.
On Tuesday, they exited the US Open Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Indy Eleven from the United Soccer League (USL), conceding multiple strikes in each of their three losses this month.
While they are only below the playoff line on account of having fewer wins than Toronto, Atlanta have still been busy selling three key attacking pieces, picking up nearly £31m on those three deals alone.
Rob Valentino's men are winless in their last three away matches in this competition, conceding seven combined goals in their previous two defeats as the visitors.
Atlanta have not suffered three consecutive away defeats in MLS since the 2022 campaign, when they lost four of their first five games played outside Atlanta.
They won their only two regular season fixtures with Montreal in 2023, ending a three-match winless run at Saputo Stadium thanks to a 1-0 triumph last July.
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Team News
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Last weekend, Montreal were without Mason Toye as the veteran American midfielder was dealing with a lower-body injury.
Mathieu Choiniere, Samuel Piette and Joel Waterman will all be away for one more match as Canada battle Uruguay in the Copa America third-place match on Saturday.
Matias Coccaro came on for Ariel Lassiter after an hour last weekend and netted their lone goal against the Caps, his fourth of the campaign and the ninth by a Montreal substitute this season, setting a new MLS franchise record.
In their defeat versus RSL, Atlanta were without Stian Gregersen because of a yellow card suspension, while Jamal Thiare and Edwin Mosquera were sidelined with shoulder and knee injuries respectively.
After selling their top goalscorer from 2023, Giorgos Giakoumakis, to Cruz Azul earlier this year and recently moving Caleb Wiley to Chelsea, the club agreed to transfer Thiago Almada to Botafogo in Brazil for an MLS record transfer fee of over £16m.
Saba Lobzhanidze and Daniel Rios were the only Five Stripes to score a goal last weekend, the fifth for both players in the 2024 regular season.
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Corbo, Alvarez, Sosa; Ruan, Wanyama, Saliba, Edwards; Yankov, Duke; Coccaro
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Hernandez, Williams, Abram; Lennon, Slisz, Gregersen, Firmino; Lobzhanidze, Silva; Rios
We say: CF Montreal 0-0 Atlanta United
Neither side are at full strength right now because of the transfer market or international competitions, so we expect to see a dull contest between two sides that, more than anything, want to stay alive in the playoff race for now.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
