2024 – Montreal 2 – FC Cincinnati 1

If it's a Montreal club led by Laurent Courtois, it's going to be a hot summer at Saputo Stadium… and not just because of the temperature.

The Bleu-blanc-noir defeated FC Cincinnati 2-1 on Saturday evening in front of a packed house at Saputo Stadium. The mercury that warmed the crowd was not a little above 0 Celsius.

No, it was the heroics of Joseph Martinez, Ariel Lassiter – both scorers – and the rest of Montreal's eleven that took care of him in favor of an efficient and quick passing game.

Entrepreneurship

CF Montreal was alone on the field in the first half. From the first whistle, we knew that he would be much more motivated than in recent matches abroad.

In fact, Laurent Courtois' men were so dominant that Cincinnati almost didn't touch the ball. Ariel Lassiter, used on the wing in a more attacking role, was particularly successful with Raheem Edwards to provide back-up on the left. Right-back Rouen spared no effort in the other lane. The Brazilian was excellent, although his crosses still lacked accuracy.

All of these players were served brilliantly by Bryce Duke in complete control of his No.10 role. This match and the possession-oriented style of play smiled on him. Finally, some say, including the author of these lines.

This constant presence in the attacking third led to intense duels, sometimes too many. Matias Coccaro had to leave with an injury in the 26th^e ; he tried to play despite the pain, but he eventually gave way to Josef Martinez.

However, it was the Venezuelan leg that served Montreal best in the first half. The artilleryman, who had been invisible since his entry, needed only one clear opportunity to lead his team. In stoppage time, Edwards' right-footed shot from a pass in the area sent the Saputo Stadium crowd into a frenzy.

The second half started at the same pace. But against the play, Cincinnati found fault. In 58 on the fast pass chain^eYuya Kubo was able to thwart the hitherto underutilized Jonathan Siruis.

But soon Martinez smelled a good deal again. At 62^e, he handed the leather to Lassiter, who was flying on the axis. The man, who developed as a forward before switching to a full-back position in Montreal, showed his know-how by threading the needle to lead his team again.

FC Cincinnati is still one of the league's powerhouses and showed a more interesting side at the end of the match. Montreal's defense was loose but unflinching.

Montreal thus finds a way to win after losing three in a row.

More details will follow.