For the first time this decade, CF Montreal and Los Angeles FC will square off in an Major League Soccer fixture on Saturday at Saputo Stadium.
Le CFM suffered a crushing 6-1 defeat in the Canadian Classique last weekend against Toronto, while the Black and Gold had to settle for a 2-2 draw in El Trafico versus the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Match preview
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Just when it looked like they were generating a little momentum, Montreal were given a hard dose of reality at home to their arch-rivals last Saturday.
Marco Donadel had seen his side go unbeaten in three of their previous four competitive fixtures before that debacle, conceding more goals last weekend than they had in their previous six league contests combined (five).
Montreal have lost their only two MLS games this year versus Western Conference opposition but have points in their last six domestic home fixtures against the West.
Only two of their league-low eight goals scored in the competition this year have come in the opening 45 minutes, with one occurring at Saputo Stadium.
Since a 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew in August 2022, Le CFM have only gone on to win one regular-season contest when behind after 45 minutes.
Montreal have won their last two regular-season games against California-based clubs, failing to concede a single goal in both of those triumphs.
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For the second time in their last three league fixtures, Los Angeles FC failed to hold onto a second-half advantage last week away from home.
Steve Cherundolo's team have now dropped points in five successive matches away from home in this competition but are unbeaten in their last three games as the visitors.
The Black and Gold have points in their last seven league fixtures, putting them within a victory of second-place Minnesota United in the West.
LAFC have netted 25 times in league play this season, the joint second-most in the Western Conference alongside San Diego.
Their draw on Sunday equalled their longest regular season winless run away from home in 2024 (five games), though they have not dropped points in six or more league games on the road since 2023 (seven matches).
They have a 100% record all-time against Le CFM, winning their only prior visit to Saputo Stadium, 5-3 in 2018, in what was their inaugural MLS campaign.
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Team News
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Lower-body injuries kept Hennadiy Synchuk and Bryce Duke off the field for Montreal this past weekend, while Dominik Yankov sat out with a groin strain.
They were also missing Fabian Herbers, who had a sore ankle, George Campbell sat out with a thigh strain and Joel Waterman will miss this match after being red carded in the 21st-minute against Toronto.
Giacomo Vrioni scored his second goal of the MLS campaign last week, which is one fewer than Prince Owusu for the team lead.
A head injury meant that experienced Los Angeles FC defender Maxime Chanot would miss yet another match for them last weekend.
Cherundolo made five changes to his starting 11 against the Galaxy, inserting Aaron Long, Ryan Hollingshead, Mark Delgado, David Martinez and Nathan Ordaz into the opening lineup.
Denis Bouanga scored their opener on Sunday drawing even with former teammate Diego Rossi for second in all-time goal contributions for this club (69) with Ordaz netting the other one.
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Bugaj, Alvarez, Neal, Petrasso; Saliba, Piette; Loturi, Clark, Owusu; Vrioni
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Palencia, Marlon, Smolyakov, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Amaya; Martinez, Ebobisse, Bouanga
We say: CF Montreal 1-3 Los Angeles FC
Outside of Vrioni, Montreal are not all that deep in the attacking third, and though LA have left some points on the table, we believe they have enough firepower to outlast a side reeling after an embarrassing outing last Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
