4-1 loss | CF Montreal is no match for Nashville

We perhaps believed in new hope at the end of the match. But the empire finally counterattacked in the face of less tenacious rebels.

CF Montreal lost 4-1 to Nashville, Tennessee, Saturday evening, as part of the Star Wars evening at GEODIS Park. The extinguished stars of the CFM were completely eclipsed by those revived by the locals in this meeting.

“It’s a good lesson for us and for me,” conceded Laurent Courtois afterwards. (…) For once, it was really poor. Like many things for us. We can either be brilliant or mediocre, collectively and individually. It’s not consistent enough. We cannot have so many gaps in our individual and collective services. »

Montreal was dominated in one-on-one battles, with Nashville always more fired up and more successful, jumping on opportunities on the counterattack. In this sense, the first half was catastrophic for Courtois’ men. It was 2-0 at the break, a somewhat surprising scenario, given Nashville’s form this season: it hosted Montreal after having not tasted victory in its last five games.

“We were a little hesitant,” he explained. It’s clear that if we decide to play this way, if we hesitate or if we are approximate, it will be complicated against a team in transition. »

No response to the dry cleaner

Asphyxiated, mired in its zone, the CFM may have had majority possession of the ball, but it was sterile. And Nashville took the opportunity to win every battle. Designated player Sam Surridge opened the scoring in the 11th^e minute on a good shot in the area. At the 21^e minute, Walker Zimmerman threaded the needle from the header to the goal to make it 2-0 on a perfect shot from the excellent Hany Mukhtar taken from the corner.

Obviously, Laurent Courtois’ CF Montreal is struggling against teams with intense pressing. This was the case against DC United a few weeks ago, it was this Saturday evening in Nashville.

Upon returning from the locker room, Leia would not even have had time to register her request to Obi-Wan Kenobi that hope would die. The Tennessee team made it 3-0 in the 47th^e. A strike from Surridge, again.

For Raheem Edwards, who has one of the most successful Montrealers, this is where the problem lies. Because like during the 5-0 thaw in Seattle, Montreal conceded “naively” while a slight optimism lived within it.

“The main concern, for me, is finding a way to stop the bleeding,” said the Canadian full-back. At 2-0, it was important for us to go for the next goal, and we conceded just one minute into the second half. »

A porous defense

With nothing left to lose, Courtois made no less than four substitutions on the same change just before the hour mark: Riza Zouhir, Sunusi Ibrahim, Gabriele Corbo and Mason Toye took their places. Despite a skeletal squad in the absence of eight injured players, including three attackers, it briefly had the desired effect.

A good low cross from Ruan, on the right, found the foot… of Walker Zimmerman, in his own area. The veteran defender redirected the ball into his own net, it was 3-1 in the 65th^e minute.

This upheaval in Montreal did not last long. Nashville let the visitors play the game, but Montreal did not have the weapons to compete, especially in the final third.

Sam Surridge completed his hat trick in the 82nd^e, making the final 4-1. We are talking here about the worst attack in MLS, before this meeting. This offering made CF Montreal the worst defense on the Garber circuit, with 20 goals conceded.

The head coach has taken his players’ defense, and more importantly the blame, during previous difficult moments this season. On Saturday, he shared it somewhat with his flock.

“It’s not possible for us to concede so much just because we’re not having a good day,” he said.

Through this tough defeat, it should be noted that Mathieu Choinière was the fairest player among his team. The Quebecer, who requested to be traded from the CFM due to stalled contract negotiations, completed 95% of his 79 passes, in addition to winning half of his 8 duels.

“He was on the same momentum as his previous matches,” Courtois said of him. It also has a versatility that is really interesting. He performed at his level, as he promised he would. »