Defending MLS Cup champion New York City FC hit the road for the second game of their title defense when they visit CF Montreal on Sunday afternoon in an Eastern Conference semifinal.
Third-seeded NYCFC had to play three away playoff games en route to winning the 2021 MLS Cup, including a final decided on penalties against the Portland Timbers.
At times this season, NYCFC looked unlikely to contend for another title, losing seven out of nine in a stretch that began in early August and ran through early September.
That span followed manager Ronny Deila departing for Belgium’s Standard Liege in June and top scorer Valentin Castellanos earning a move to Girona in Spain a month later.
But New York City FC have won four in a row, including their impressive 3-0 victory over Inter Miami last weekend. Six different players have scored NYCFC’s nine goals during the streak, with Gabriel Pereira, Heber and Alex Callens each scoring twice.
Now they face a CF Montreal side that mirrors their own success, with the home side riding a six-game unbeaten run.
“It’s one of the toughest opponents we faced this year — maybe the toughest one,” NYCFC midfielder Anton Tinnerholm said. “When you play the same style as the opponent, it can be a fantastic game that goes back and forth — or you play each other in their other hands, and it can be 0-0.”
Second-seeded Montreal has been the hottest team in the league since the beginning of April, compiling a 12-1-3 record in their last 16 matches.
Romell Quioto has a career-best 15 goals, and Kei Kamara and Djordje Mihailovic each have nine. Quioto did not play in a 2-0 playoff opening win over Orlando but was available off the bench while nursing a minor thigh injury.
The Canadian club has yet to win in two previous meetings against NYCFC, losing 4-1 at Yankee Stadium in March and drawing 0-0 at home in July. Montreal created the overwhelming majority of chances in the latter affair.
“The last time we played against them, they played a little more defensive,” Montreal coach Wilfried Nancy said. “It’ll be a different game for sure, but nothing we’ve never seen before. For the moment, we know what to expect and what we want to try to put into place. We’ll see after that.”
–Field Level Media