Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Major League Soccer clash between CF Montreal and Real Salt Lake, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Real Salt Lake will visit Saputo Stadium for the first time since 2019 as they resume their MLS campaign on Saturday against CF Montreal.
Before the international break, Le CFM claimed a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union, while RSL thumped Austin FC by a 5-1 score.
Match preview
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It has not been a spectacular run by any means, but Montreal have at least been able to generate some positive results of late, with points in three successive domestic affairs.
Before that, Laurent Courtois had seen his side lose four consecutive league contests, and a win or draw this weekend would signal their longest unbeaten run in MLS this year.
Injuries and plenty of turnover in the front office have made it difficult for them to build up much momentum throughout the campaign, with Montreal currently three points below the Eastern Conference playoff line.
Le CFM have points in their previous two MLS encounters at Saputo Stadium but have not won consecutive home games in this competition since July-August 2023 (two).
Courtois was hired to emulate the old game model employed by former Montreal boss Wilfried Nancy, but unlike the current Columbus Crew coach, Courtois has not been as successful in developing the youngsters on this team.
Montreal boast a 100% home record all-time versus Real Salt Lake, winning the previous encounter against them at Saputo Stadium over five years ago (2-1 in 2019).
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Midway through the previous campaign, Claret and Cobalt added some strong attacking pieces to their squad in hopes of becoming a more dangerous side in the final third rather than one that simply relied on grinding out results.
Those investments have paid off handsomely for them in 2024, as they are atop the Western Conference standings, scoring 36 goals, the second-most in MLS this year.
Not only have they looked more dangerous when in possession this season, but this team have been equally as sharp behind the ball, conceding the joint-second-fewest goals in the Western Conference (19).
Consistency has been the strong suit of Pablo Mastroeni‘s men throughout the 2024 domestic campaign, with this side currently on a 13-match unbeaten run in MLS, one fewer than their longest stretch without a defeat in a single regular season (14 in 2010).
RSL have been particularly resilient away from home throughout the domestic campaign, netting an equalising or winning goal in the final 10 minutes on three occasions, including a second-half stoppage-time strike in consecutive league contests as the visitors.
While they have never won a road match versus Montreal, Claret and Cobalt have not lost a regular-season encounter in Canada since June 2022 (2-1 versus the Vancouver Whitecaps).
CF Montreal Major League Soccer form:
CF Montreal form (all competitions):
Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer form:
Team News
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Jules-Anthony Vilsaint missed the previous Montreal encounter with a knock, Ousman Jabang was sidelined due to an adductor issue, Mason Toye did not feature because of a hamstring strain and Josef Martinez is recovering from a knee issue.
Lassi Lappalainen remains questionable with a sore hip, Matias Coccaro is out due to a severe leg injury, while Kwadwo Opoku was unavailable against the Union because of an ankle ligament tear.
Ariel Lassiter, who was red-carded in their previous encounter, was called up to the Costa Rican squad for the upcoming Copa America, while Samuel Piette and Mathieu Choiniere may be named to the Canadian squad at that tournament, though they may still be available this weekend.
Piette and Sunusi Ibrahim had the only goals for Le CFM in their previous encounter, the first for the club captain in the regular season, while the Nigerian striker collected his team-leading fifth domestically this year.
Maikel Chang hopes to return from the concussion protocol that kept him out of the previous RSL match, while Bode Hidalgo, Erik Holt, and Marcelo Silva will all be question marks on Saturday because of hamstring strains.
Pablo Ruiz will not return in 2024 due to a torn ACL, Kevin Bonilla is also out for the year with a knee injury and Matt Crooks is eligible to return from his yellow card suspension.
A Chicho Arango hat-trick versus Austin vaulted the Colombian into the MLS Golden Boot lead with 13 regular season goals, while Anderson Julio collected a brace.
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Campbell, Corbo, Alvarez; Ruan, Wanyama, Saliba, Edwards; Duke, Yankov; Ibrahim
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Brody, Glad, Vera, Katranis; Eneli, Ojeda; Crooks, Arango, Luna; Julio
We say: CF Montreal 1-2 Real Salt Lake
Salt Lake have been resilient throughout the season, and the addition of Chicho has made a massive difference, while Le CFM do not have a match-winner in the same class as Arango.
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