Daily Archives: May 25, 2024

Nashville SC (3-4-6, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. CF Montreal (3-7-3, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Montreal +151, Nashville SC +173, Draw +222; over/under is 2.5 goals

BOTTOM LINE: Nashville visits CF Montreal aiming to break a three-game road slide.

Montreal is 1-2-1 at home. Montreal has scored 17 goals while allowing 31 for a -14 goal differential.

Nashville is 0-3-1 on the road. Nashville has a 1-2 record in matches decided by one goal.

Saturday's game is the second time these teams meet this season. Nashville won the last meeting 4-1.

TOP PERFORMERS: Matias Coccaro has three goals and one assist for Montreal. Ariel Lassiter has two goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

Sam Surridge has scored five goals for Nashville. Jacob Shaffelburg has three assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Montreal: 1-7-2, averaging 1.2 goals, 3.6 shots on goal and 4.4 corner kicks per game while allowing 2.8 goals per game.

Nashville: 3-4-3, averaging 1.4 goals, 3.9 shots on goal and 5.0 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.7 goals per game.

NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Montreal: Ousman Jabang (injured), Nathan-Dylan Saliba (injured), Kwadwo Opoku (injured), Matias Coccaro (injured), Raheem Edwards (injured), Lassi Lappalainen (injured), Josef Martinez (injured).

Nashville: Lukas MacNaughton (injured), Randall Leal (injured).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Associated Press

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Nashville tries to end road losing streak against CF Montreal - Yahoo Canada Sports

MONTREAL CF Montreal fans have had enough and captain Samuel Piette understands why. Montreal is struggling, winless in its last eight games.

MONTREAL CF Montreal fans have had enough and captain Samuel Piette understands why.

Montreal is struggling, winless in its last eight games. In the last week, the club lost 5-1 in a derby match at Toronto FC before falling 2-1 to lower-tier Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League to drop out of the Canadian Championship quarterfinals.

The supporters' sections performed a silent protest during the first half against Forge. By the end of the match, they were booing and exchanging words with Piette with one set of fans holding a white tarp with "INACCEPTABLE" written across it.

"They expressed their displeasure about the desire, the commitment," Piette said Friday, calling the interaction a good discussion. "For them, results are important, but secondary. It's more about the effort, and theyre right."

Montreal (3-7-3) will try to get back on track Saturday when it hosts Nashville SC (3-4-6) at Saputo Stadium.

Piette said he tried to remind the fans that as difficult as it is for them, the players are taking it just as hard.

"We're not proud of ourselves we want to try to turn things around," he said. Its difficult because our confidence is not at its highest.

"We feel like we're walking on eggshells because our confidence is so fragile right now."

Montreal last won a match at its home opener on April 25 and has been outscored 20-9 in all competitions since.

Injuries have taken a toll on a club with the second-lowest payroll in MLS. Eight players are out, including top forwards Matias Coccaro and Josef Martinez.

Piette wouldn't use that as an excuse and said some players arent giving enough effort.

The 29-year-old said the team is giving opponents too much space and offering up easy chances that Montreal hasnt in turn been able to generate for itself. Hes also sensed that his squad lets itself down after conceding a first goal, allowing opponents to quickly get a second and third.

"I dont think its all 11 players, Piette said. There are some who have love for this club, who sweat for the shirt no matter how we play performance-wise. There are some right now honestly who are performing less well, there are players who are less consistent.

"Theres a lack of intensity, in pressing, in challenges, in aggressiveness towards the ball carrier," he added. "We're missing a bit of putting on our work boots, our helmets, doing the dirty work. Lately thats what's missing, and we need to get that back."

Amid the run of bad form, the club is also in turmoil off the pitch.

Montreal parted ways with sporting officer Olivier Renard on May 9, less than two weeks after news surfaced that team MVP Mathieu Choiniere reportedly requested a trade amid a contract dispute, raising questions about the clubs chain of command. Renard said last week the two sides were no longer on the same page.

Piette said he feels especially bad for first-year head coach Laurent Courtois amid the difficult time at the club.

The top coaching job in Montreal has been a revolving door with Courtois becoming the 10th head coach appointed since the team entered MLS in 2012.

After a strong start to the season, the 45-year-old from France is suddenly managing a sinking ship thats conceded the second-most goals in MLS, but he's trying to stay positive.

"The experience I have here coaching this group, in this club, for the people who support us, is a privilege every day even if the last few weeks have been complicated, Im living a dream, Courtois said. But it hurts, it hurts for the supporters."

Courtois has repeatedly taken the blame for Montreals shortcomings.

"Its my job to find a way to make these lows less low," he said. "But Im also sure of what these guys are capable of doing well.

"I'm sure there will be a reaction and in the coming weeks we will be able to rebuild on positive things."

Meanwhile, Nashville (3-4-6) has lost three straight on the road and fired head coach Gary Smith last week, albeit after a 2-0 home victory over Toronto. Nashville also contributed to Montreals misery with a 4-1 win on May 4.

On Saturday night, Montreal hopes to have the fans behind the team as it seeks revenge.

"We need them, but at the same time we understand that weve disappointed them a lot," Piette said. "Its up to us to earn their trust."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2024.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press

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'Fragile' CF Montreal hopes to break out of slump against Nashville SC - Moose Jaw Today

Nashville SC interim head coach Rumbani Munthali aims to get a more recognizable look about the team as he prepares for his second game in charge against CF Montreal.

Gary Smith, who led Nashville for seven years, made a shock exit following their 2-0 win over Toronto FC on May 16, with Munthali stepping up from player development coach to take his place.

Nashvilles first game under him ended in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta United on Saturday, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.

With little time to put his stamp on the team, Munthali believes being able to welcome back injured players will help to get them back on track.

"I think as you see players come back into the team [from injury], you see that we're starting to be a little more recognizable as a team that went on a 10-game undefeated streak last season," Munthali said.

"What I would hope is you get a team that represents what the club is: hard-working, forward-thinking and positive, and I hope that's a team we can put onto the field that will compete from start to finish.

"I think those are the cornerstones of who we are as a club."

Montreal are on a four-game losing streak that started with a 4-1 defeat to Nashville, and head coach Laurent Courtois accepts they need to do more to get back to winning ways.

"Doing my 'job' is not enough. We have to be ready to offer a little 'extra' and help each other out. For the moment, in fits and starts, I have the impression that we are just doing our job.

"Now, we are doing our mea culpa, we are coming back to things that we thought we had figured out."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Montreal Sunusi Ibrahim

In the absence of top-scorer Matias Coccaro, Ibrahim netted Montreals lone goal in their defeat to Toronto last week. Montreal have scored in all four games during their current losing run, with the Nigerian extending that run.

Nashville Hany Mukhtar

Mukhtar attempted five shots, including scoring Nashvilles lone goal from the penalty spot, against Atlanta United on Saturday, taking him to 404 career shot attempts in regular-season MLS play. No other player has attempted 300 shots since Mukhtar joined the league in 2020.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Montreals lone win in eight all-time meetings with Nashville SC came in their last home match against them, a 1-0 win in June 2023. Nashville has won five of the other seven meetings (D2), including a 4-1 victory on May 4.

However, Nashville have won only one of their last 15 MLS away matches (D5 L9 incl. playoffs) dating back to early June 2023. Nashville scored three goals in the lone win in that time (3-0 at Kansas City) but have totaled just five goals in the other 14 matches.

Meanwhile, Montreal have lost four straight matches within a single regular season for the first time since September 2020. They havent lost five in a row in a single regular season since a five-match losing run to end the 2017 campaign.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Montreal 39%

Draw 27.8%

Nashville 33.2%

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CF Montreal v Nashville SC: Munthali aiming to get Coyotes back on track - sportsmax.tv