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CF Montreal Routs Portland Timbers In Last Home Game
By CF Montreal won their final home game of the season, handily beating their Western Conference opponents.
It was said that CF Montreal needed four points in their final three games to keep themselves alive in the playoff picture, and they did just that Saturday night beating the Portland Timbers 4-1.
“It’s enormous and I am super happy,” Hernan Losada said when asked about putting four goals into the back of the net. “It’s never too late, and we have a big game on Decision Day in Columbus.”
Due to their poor record on the road this season , CF Montreal needed to pick up points to avoid a potential situation where they would need a result on the road against the Columbus Crew and Wilfried Nancy.
“We stay in right place and I am happy for the entire team. We put on an amazing show to our fans under tough conditions playing in the pouring rain, so we can take a few days off and get back to work.”
Under that torrential downpour at Saputo Stadium, the home team got out to a much better start than the visitors. It was Sunusi Ibrahim who opened the scoring in the 28th minute, finishing a great pass from Mahala Opoku into the back of the net.
“I am very happy for Sunusi. Tonight the hard work in training paid off and I hope this chemistry can work in the next game.”
Seven minutes later Opoko doubled Montreal’s lead when he got the ball and with his left foot sent a powerful strike from just outside the box into the back of the net.
“It’s great that tonight we talk about the forwards because we didn’t really talk about it during the season.”
Losada was asked about making a change in the formation from a 3-4-2-1 to a 3-4-3 and he admitted he prefers that latter better.
“I love the 3-4-3. We used it well tonight and we knew they had players that didn’t like running back so we exposed those areas very well and everything worked out.”
Mathieu Choiniere made it 3-0 in the 64th minute when he got a great ball and decided to go for goal, making no mistake in powering the ball past the Portland keeper into the back of the net.
“Mathieu is the example I tell all the young kids in the academy: he works hard and I like players like that.”
Mason Toye added a fourth goal in the 76th minute, coming off the bench late in the game. He was able to pick up a loose rebound off a shot from Ariel Lassiter and put the ball into the net.
“Every game I try to give my 100%,” Choiniere said in his post-match press conference. “I always try to help the team but I think today is where all the hard work paid off and I am happy with the team’s performance.”
The Timbers ruined Jonathan Sirois’s clean sheet in the 86th minute when Franck Boli was able to flick a pass from Yimmi Chara past him into the back of the net.
There was a long review after the goal due to a potential handball, but the goal was confirmed after a VAR review.
“It was a very important game to give us hope and give us a chance to make the playoffs, and we started on the right foot with the right mentality.”
“I am proud of the win and how the team fought tonight,” Opoku said in his opening remark. “To get these three points is really important and we need to stick together and fight.”
Opoku was asked about the chemistry of playing with Romell Quioto and Ibrahim.
“It was really great and we trained together and got to know each other and it was really amazing how we played today. I am really proud of them.”