CF Montreal Looking For Revenge Against NYCFC

On Saturday night at Saputo Stadium, CF Montreal will welcome NYCFC – a team that has struggled mightily on the road, not having won a single game.

The task at hand for the visitors will be to try and beat a CF Montreal side that has only lost one game at home and has six clean sheets.

“It’s a team with a lot of quality”, Losada responded on Thursday at a pregame press conference with the media. “They have good players that play well in small spaces with a lot of South American influence.”

The last time these two teams met was last year during the MLS Cup semi-final playoff, when NYCFC – with the help of Maxi Moralez and Talles Magno – stunned the home crowd and sent CF Montreal packing.

“They are very technical, that is lacking at the number nine spot and they are unbeaten in five games, but haven’t won on the road. It is always a difficult team and we will take this game very seriously.”

On the injury front, Losada confirmed that Mathieu Choiniere did indeed take a knock when he made that diving play last weekend and actually sprained his ankle.

He was also named this week to the MLS All-Star roster thanks to a nomination by the MLS commissioner Don Garber who has two nominations for the team.

Lassi Lappalainen is still dealing with his injury and with the departures of Aaron Herrera and Zachary Brault-Guillard due to the Gold Cup, it puts CF Montreal in a tight spot.

Ironically enough, Herrera will face his fellow teammate on Saturday night as Canada faces Guatemala in Houston, Texas in the Gold Cup group stage.

Samuel Piette practiced with the team on Thursday. It was his third full practice, but he still will not play on Saturday.

Ariel Lassiter spoke about the threats that NYCFC impose on them and what it’s going to take to beat them.

“New York has a lot of individual players and really good technically with the ball so we have to be careful and there a threat and a good team,” he said.

Lassiter spoke about the defensive qualities his team has and the good run of form at home, not conceding a goal in six games.

“That same energy is going through the team and we want that clean sheet and we want to get points and it is super important for our team.”