New York City Football Club are back on the road this weekend as they take on CF Montréal. Kickoff at Stade Saputo is set for 7:30pm ET.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford…
Northbound
New York City FC complete a trio of road games with a visit to CF Montréal this weekend.
Hernand Losada’s side are in good form of late, with two wins and a draw from their last three outings. Further to that, Montréal are also unbeaten in their last six MLS games at Stade Saputo.
Sharing is caring for Montréal, with the Canadian outfit registering ten different goal scorers. Leading the pack is Romell Quioto and Chinoso Offor with three each respectively. Montréal recorded a scoreless draw in their last outing, away to Charlotte FC, and they will be keen to return to winning ways on home soil this weekend.
Nick Cushing and his staff know a testing trip awaits, but a victory against an inform Montréal would be the perfect way to kickoff the month of July.
Mirroring
One of the central tenants of Hernan Losada’s approach with Montréal has been the use of a three-man defence.
The Argentine has at times tweaked his midfield and forward line formations to utilize a midfield four or five, as well as a front two or three, but the three man backline has remained consistent.
Nick Cushing has adopted a similar approach of late and that makes Saturday’s meeting an interesting tactical contest. Both teams will be keen to keep the pitch wide using their wingbacks or wide midfielders.
That, in turn, will create a significant amount of space for attacking players to inhabit, while also providing a challenge for those defending. For that reason, it promises to be a tense affair, with the finest of margins likely deciding the outcome.
Max is Back
Maxime Chanot returned to the starting lineup on Saturday evening against Portland Timbers, and his impact was quickly felt.
The veteran defender boasts significant experience both in MLS and as a defender, and that proved important in galvanizing the backline. All three players – Chanot, Tayvon Gray, and Justin Haak – helped limit Portland to only a few scoring opportunities, and it’s with that foundation that NYCFC can travel to Montréal with more confidence.
The defender has been a vocal leader both on and off the field, and his continued presence in the team will only help galvanize the group further.
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