For the first time in nearly three years, CF Montreal will visit Toyota Stadium to battle Dallas in MLS action on Saturday.
The Toros began the regular season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes, while Le CFM played to a 0-0 draw with Orlando City.
Match preview
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It was a nightmare start to their 2024 MLS campaign, which ended in pure joy as Dallas went behind after just six minutes last Saturday but wound up winning thanks to a 94th-minute strike.
In 2023, this side came back to win just three regular season fixtures when conceding the opening goal, so to do it on matchday one is especially encouraging.
Last year, we rarely saw them remain consistent from one match to the next, but with a victory this weekend, they would equal their longest winning run from the previous regular season.
Dating back to the previous domestic campaign, this team are unbeaten in seven successive regular season fixtures at Toyota Stadium, conceding a goal or fewer on six of those occasions.
Since taking charge in 2022, Nico Estevez has always preached active pressing from his side defensively, and that approach has served them well, conceding 37 goals in back-to-back regular seasons, the second-fewest in the Western Conference each time.
They have not suffered a defeat in this competition versus a Canadian opponent since June 2022 (2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps).
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The Laurent Courtois era as manager of CF Montreal began with a fairly solid defensive performance by his team in Orlando last weekend.
We rarely saw a lot of structure or organisation from this side away from home a year ago, posting just two clean sheets in 2022 as the visiting team.
Matchday one is just the beginning of what will be a difficult stretch for this side, who play five more away matches before returning to Montreal in mid-April.
With a victory on Saturday, they would already have more points after two domestic encounters this year than they had in their opening seven MLS fixtures a season ago (three).
Le CFM enter this encounter unbeaten in their last four MLS contests against Western Conference opponents, a run that dates back to late April 2023.
Montreal have never beaten Dallas at Toyota Stadium in this competition, squandering a late 2-0 advantage in 2020, playing to a 2-2 draw.
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Team News
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Jesus Ferreira missed the opening match for Dallas with a sore left thigh, Paxton Pomykal sat out due to a left knee problem, Alan Velasco is dealing with a knee issue as well and Tsiki Ntsabeleng continues to recover from a knock.
Petar Musa is questionable because of a minor knock, Amet Korca has a left groin strain, Geovane Jesus has an issue with his right knee and Marco Farfan is unlikely to be available with lower back pain.
Asier Illarramendi scored his first MLS goal last Saturday, having joined the Toros from Real Sociedad during the summer transfer window, while Dante Sealy notched the winner in stoppage time, his first in the regular season since 2021.
Le CFM were without Joaquin Sosa for their opener due to a lower leg injury, while Nathan Saliba sat out with a bone bruise, and both will be questionable on matchday two.
Robert Thorkelsson could miss this encounter as he is still suffering from a groin strain, while Lassi Lappalainen is out because of an ankle injury.
Jonathan Sirois collected his 12th career MLS clean sheet on matchday one, stopping four Orlando efforts, while Matias Coccaro, Dominik Yankov and Ruan made their first career starts for Montreal, with Josef Martinez making his debut for the club off the substitutes bench.
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Ibeagha, Tafari, Junqua; Lletget, Illarramendi, Fraser, Sealy; Kamungo, Ansah, Arriola
CF Montreal possible starting lineup:
Sirois; Campbell, Waterman, Corbo; Ruan, Choiniere, Wanyama, Edwards; Opoku, Yankov; Coccaro
We say: Dallas 1-1 CF Montreal
Both sides looked well-disciplined and organised on matchday one, and we expect to see another solid defensive showcase from each, though they both still have work to do regarding finishing off chances.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
