Toronto FC at CF Montreal Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 10/23/21

CF Montreal will try to hang onto its playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings when it travels to Toronto on Saturday night. Montreal is unbeaten in its last three matches and is currently in sixth place in the table. Toronto has lost its last two contests by a combined score of 5-0 and is already eliminated from the playoff race.

CF Montreal needs a win

CF Montreal needs to pick up three points in this match. It has gone unbeaten in its three matches following a 4-1 loss to New England on Sept. 29. Montreal bounced back with a 2-1 win over Atlanta United and has played to draws against Philadelphia and Orlando City in its last two matches. Orlando jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the first half, but Montreal answered with the equalizer six minutes after intermission. Rudy Camacho scored on a corner kick from his defender position to give his team a point and extend the unbeaten streak to three matches.

Orlando had eight shot attempts in the first half, while Montreal had zero. The visitors responded with two shots on goal in the second half, turning one of them into a goal. Montreal has only tallied five points in its last five matches. Sunusi Ibrahim scored 95 minutes into the match to pick up a draw against Philadelphia two contests ago. Montreal is in sixth place in the table, leading D.C. United and NYCFC by one point. It is trailing Atlanta United by one point for fifth place. Montreal has been slightly above average offensively, recording 43 goals this season. Its defense has been in a similar position, allowing 40 goals.

Toronto is looking to score goals

Toronto FC has been one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference this season. It has only recorded 25 points, putting it ahead of Cincinnati at the bottom of the table. The club picked up rare wins over Cincinnati and Chicago three weeks ago, but they have been outscored 5-0 in their two matches since then. Atlanta notched a 2-0 win last Saturday and Miami picked up a 3-0 victory on Wednesday. The clubs split the possession battle, but Miami was able to convert on three of its six shots on goal.

Toronto has scored the fourth-fewest goals of any team in the MLS this season (34). Its defense has been the worst in the league, allowing 59 goals in 30 matches. Toronto picked up just 15 points from its first 24 games of the season, but it did record 10 points from four MLS matches at the end of September. It is missing several players due to injury, as Ifunanyachi Achara, Dom Dwyer, Ayo Akinola, Omar Gonzalez and Tsubasa Endoh are all sidelined. Auro Jr. and Marco Delgado are both returning from suspensions, though.

Spread (Montreal +190)

There is not a larger motivational mismatch this weekend than this contest. Montreal is desperately clinging to its spot in the Eastern Conference, while Toronto is out of the playoff hunt. I expect that to play a large role in the outcome of this match. Montreal is also coming into

this contest in good form, having gone unbeaten in its last three outings. Toronto has been shut out in its last two matches and I do not expect them to fare well in this contest.

Total (Under 3)

Toronto might have the worst defense in the MLS, but its offense is not much better. It has been shut out in its last two contests and is facing a decent defense on Saturday night. Montreal has not scored more than two goals in any of its last six matches, so I feel good about this one staying under four goals. The visitors are also dealing with an injury to their top scorer, which makes the under an even better wager. Toronto is also down several players—I am not expecting many fireworks on Saturday night.

Teaser

Montreal is in a must-win situation when it travels to Toronto on Saturday night

Author Profile
Blake Von Hagen

Blake is a lifelong sports fan and hoops junkie. Prior to joining our team at Winners & Whiners and StatSalt, Blake worked for several newspapers and websites. He enjoys combining his beat writing expertise with the knack for finding the winning edge in a matchup. Blake is also an avid sports being expert and you would not be disappointed in following him on a daily basis. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.


Follow on Twitter @Blake_Vonhagen