Atlanta United and CF Montreal both face playoff elimination Wednesday. Both clubs sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and need wins to keep their seasons alive. A single loss or a draw for either side likely ends their postseason hopes.
The stakes are high for both sides as the regular season nears its end. Field Level Media reports that Atlanta United holds 27 points and sits in 14th place. CF Montreal is in even worse shape, sitting in last place with 24 points. With only six matches left in the season, there is almost no room for error.
The fight for the postseason
Montreal is currently 12 points away from a playoff spot. Their recent form has been very poor. The club has a record of 1-6-1 in their last eight matches. This includes a tough 2-1 loss to Toronto this past Saturday. Montreal actually held a 1-0 lead late in that game, but they conceded two goals in stoppage time.
Montreal interim coach Philippe Eullaffroy knows the pressure is on. “Each game that we still have to play to the end of the season will be a very, very important game for us,” Eullaffroy said. He also noted that the team wants to show their fans they can compete, saying, “Either if we qualify for the playoffs or not, this is for us a good opportunity to win, to compete and to show … the fans that we’re a good team.”
Atlanta United is also struggling to find consistency. This includes a 3-1 loss to FC Cincinnati on Saturday night, as reported by Spectrum News. Atlanta currently sits nine points behind ninth-place FC Cincinnati.
Roster changes and team chemistry
Atlanta has added new talent, but the group is still finding its rhythm. Midfielder Giuliano Galoppo noted that the group has been together for a month at most, which means new players are still learning to play together. He believes these connections will improve over time.
The talent on the field is certainly there. According to Yahoo Sports, FC Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan believes Atlanta’s new attack makes them a “different team” and a “strong team.” He specifically mentioned the presence of Breel Embolo, Alexey Miranchuk, and Miguel Almiron. Atlanta leads the league in goals against with 33, but they have scored 16 of those goals in their last 11 matches.
Key players to watch include:
- Atlanta’s top scorer is Alexey Miranchuk with six goals, while he also ties for the team lead in assists at seven.
- Miguel Almiron: Also shares the team lead in assists with seven.
- Prince Owusu: Has 15 goals for Montreal, which is tied for seventh in the MLS.
Missing pieces for Wednesday
Both teams will be missing important defenders for the Wednesday match. Atlanta’s Tomas Jacob and Montreal’s Brayan Vera are both serving suspensions due to yellow-card accumulation. Losing these players makes the defensive task even harder for both clubs.
The pressure is purely on the offense to make up for the loss. Atlanta’s recent loss to Cincinnati showed how quickly a lead can disappear. In that game, Kevin Denkey scored two goals to help Cincinnati win 3-1, according to Spectrum News. If Atlanta cannot tighten up their defense, their playoff hopes will likely vanish this week.
