New York City FC will travel north of the border this weekend for Decision Day.
They will face CF Montréal on Saturday evening.
Here are the Keys to the Match, Presented by Ford...
Decision Day
The MLS Regular Season is one step from completion.
New York City FC have already secured their place in the postseason, but the final placings are still to be decided. City could finish as high as fourth and as low as seventh.
With so much still to play for City must meet CF Montréal with intensity from the off. The Canadian outfit are guaranteed a place in the wild card round if they beat City, meaning Laurent Courtois' side will not be short of motivation come Saturday.
Montréal were on a five-game unbeaten streak prior to their loss against Charlotte FC last time out. That run saw them collect three wins at home, scoring six goals and only conceding one.
City can snap that home streak on Saturday, meaning both teams have ample things to fight for on the last day of the regular season.
Momentum
New York City FC could have been forgiven for not wanting the international break to arrive.
Three big wins against had the team flying high. A historic Hudson River Derby victory kicked things off, before big wins against FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC sent City into the break with nine points from nine.
The nature of MLS means that teams kicking into high gear at this stage of the season can be instrumental in having a memorable season. Nick Cushing has been hesitant to draw comparisons to 2021, but that was exactly how City’s season played out as they claimed a first-ever MLS Cup success.
City know that a run to the final would likely encompass some tricky road games – just as it did in 2021 – and so the chance to go to Montréal and emerge with three points is an opportunity not to be sniffed at.
Cushing’s side did just that in the 2022 playoffs, and while this is a regular season game, it could provide the blueprint for future success in the postseason.
Share The Goals
Montréal are one of the lowest-scoring teams above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
Of the teams currently above the line in the Eastern Conference, only Charlotte FC have scored fewer goals than Montréal. Leading the scoring charts for the Canadian side is Josef Martínez with 10. The team’s second-highest scorer is Sunusi Ibrahim with six. In total, sixteen players have found the net for Montréal in the league this season, meaning the team does like to share around the goals.
City should be wary of that when taking Montréal on. While Martínez will be the focus, goals can come from anywhere with Montréal.
