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CF Montreal has been handed a glorious opportunity for for returning to continental football, with a 21 November home tie against Toronto FC in the final of the 2021 Canadian Championship.
A coin toss was held to determine which of the bitter rivals would host, and the flip fell on the side of the Quebecers.
Unusually and against tradition, in these special times the final will not be decided over two legs.
The last final to be played at Stade Saputo was in 2019, the first leg in which a brilliant Nacho Piatti goal gave Montreal a slender 1-0 advantage. This was defended successfully a couple of weeks later, the title being secured after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at BMO Field.
Montreal are the most recent winners of the Voyageurs Cup. Despite elimination in 2020, the final between Toronto FC and Forge was never played, so with another success it will close the gap on the Ontarians who have 7 titles to Montreal’s 4. Vancouver Whitecaps are the only other winner with a solitary success.
Montreal’s spot in the final was assured by squeezing past Forge FC on penalties in a tight semi-final while Toronto FC accounted for Pacific FC to the tune of 2-1.
Montreal’s four final successes arrived in 2008 (inaugural winner), 2013, 2014 and 2019. The success in 2014 provided the launch-pad for that incredible run to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League eventually succumbing to Mexico’s Club America in the final.
The final will take place on Sunday, November 21 at 1pm, at Stade Saputo (One Soccer, 91.9 Sports, TSN 690).