The action in MLS simply refuses to stop, and this week is no different as CF Montréal hosts the Chicago Fire at the Stade Saputo on Tuesday night.
Montréal has been incredibly impressive this season, and they picked up another big result this past weekend despite not winning at home. Against the Columbus Crew, they went down 2-0 midway through the second half after conceding two goals in the span of three minutes. The clock just kept ticking and ticking, and even though Columbus went down a man, it was looking like Montréal was set for a pretty disappointing night. However, Victor Wanyama pulled one back in the 89th minute, and then Zachary Brault-Guillard’s 93rd-minute strike deflected before finding the back of the net. Just like that the Canadian outfit had stolen a point at the death, and that point could prove to be crucial come the end of the season.
Speaking of big results, Chicago picked up a big victory in their most recent game as they beat Inter Miami 3-1. It was a win that their performance deserved since they were the better team throughout, and they made the most of their promising play on the night, which hasn’t always been the case this campaign. The three points also just about kept the Fire in the playoff picture, and another win here could make the end of the season a very interesting one.
Team news
Montréal will be without a few key players for the contest, like Tomas Giraldo, Ahmed Hamdi, and Lassi Lappalainen.
Things have gone from bad to worse for Chicago on the injury front. Brian Gutiérrez and Mauricio Pineda are both now doubts for the contest, while the likes of Gastón Giménez, Fabian Herbers, Stanislav Ivanov, Wyatt Omsberg, Kacper Przybyłko, Chris Mueller, Federico Navarro, and Jairo Torres are all unavailable for selection.
Predicted lineups
CF Montréal: Pantemis, Waterman, Camacho, Miller, Johnston, Piette, Wanyama, Mihailović, Choinière, Quioto, Kamara
Chicago Fire: Slonina, Sekulić, Terán, Czichos, M. Navarro, Pineda, Bornstein, Reynolds, Shaqiri, Gutiérrez, Durán
Ones to watch
Djordje Mihailović
What a fitting end to the season this could be for Chicago.
Everyone already knows the tale of Djordje Mihailović by now. Signed by the Fire as a homegrown player, he made a brilliant start to his professional career, and it looked like he was a potential star of the future. Europe came calling, and Chicago’s front office responded by nearly ruining the midfield’s entire career.
After a pretty rough span, the club eventually decided to trade him to another MLS side, that being CF Montréal. The Canadian outfit and Mihailović haven’t looked back since. He was tied for the most assists in the league last season, and he was a legitimate MVP candidate at the start of this campaign thanks to his electric play.
That has all led to the American finally getting his move abroad. AZ Alkmaar of the Dutch Eredivisie secured his signature at the end of August, although the player was then loaned back to Montréal so he could finish this year with them. That was a big deal for all involved, but for now, his focus is on the rest of this MLS campaign.
Mihailović will obviously be more concerned with the playoff picture and getting Montréal in the best position possible, but it’s also clear that he’ll have plenty of motivation for this particular game.
See, Chicago absolutely has to win this game if they want any hope of sneaking into the postseason themselves. They’re a bit behind the chasing pack as is, so a loss or even a draw would all but mathematically eliminate them from contention. The problem is they now have to face off against Mihailović.
The former player will want nothing more than to deal the killer blow to the Fire, and considering how well he’s been playing this season, there’s a good chance that he’ll do exactly that.
Jhon Durán
Turning away from the past and towards the future for Chicago, Jhon Durán has also become a key man for the present.
Brought in at the start of the campaign as an 18-year-old, the plan was likely to slowly implement him in the side. That was the case early on, with the youngster usually settling for brief cameos off the bench.
However, the circumstances changed. Fellow offseason acquisition Kacper Przybyłko really struggled going forward, which gave Durán the chance to lead the line. That change helped the Fire in the final third, as they just looked more dangerous, and the striker chipped in with a few goals and assists himself.
Just as everything was coming up peach, the youngster reminded everyone of his age. He said some stupid things on social media, and he was punished by the coaching staff as a result, losing his starting spot in the lineup. It took him a while to regain his place, and even when he did, he didn’t play as well.
That was until this past weekend. Durán was the matchwinner for Chicago, scoring twice on the night in two different ways. The first was an instinctive finish, as he headed home a cross from close range with power and precision. Then came his second near the very end of the contest, and that goal came after he carried the ball all the way up the pitch on the counter before confidently slotting it past an onrushing goalkeeper.
It was a promising performance from the Colombian, and showings like that one has assured the club that the player is one for the future. However, the Fire need wins now, and they might need Durán to step up once again on this occasion in order to secure another victory.
Whether or not he’s up for the challenge remains to be seen, but another quality outing from him would be absolutely huge.
Last time out
It’s only been a few weeks since these two sides last faced off.
Taking place at Soldier Field, all of the action happened during the first half. Following a very hot start to proceedings, Montréal took the lead in the 19th minute. Ismaël Koné was given too much space on the edge of the area, and he made the opposition pay by settling the ball before curling it past the outstretched arms of Gabriel Slonina.
It was 2-0 moments later. The away side were given a free-kick in a decent spot, and Romell Quioto decided to have a go despite the distance. It’s a good thing he did, as he absolutely unleashed a strike that flew into the top corner.
Chicago had a lifeline when Koné was harshly sent off before the break. They failed to make the most of it, though, and they didn’t really create many chances before the contest was over. They certainly didn’t convert any of the ones they did make, which meant that Montréal were the ones who ended the night with all three points.
How to watch
The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and it will air live on TVA Sports, TSN.ca, and the TSN App for fans in Montréal and on WGN TV and chicagofirefc.com for fans in Chicago. Anyone else in the United States will be able to watch the action unfold on ESPN+.