Montreal lose to Tormenta FC

Details from this morning’s 1100am kick-off, scheduled for Orlando are not so readily available.

What we do know is that Wilfried Nancy elected to play with two completely different teams, one in the first-half, the other after the interval. Something not unusual in pre-season and a concept we’ve seen before. Clearly the head coach wants to get a look at as many players as possible in as short a time as possible with the beginning of the season closing in.

The problem is it’s only ten days before the league opener against bitter rivals Toronto FC and you’d have hoped preparations to be much further on at this point.

But it’s not normal times we are living in and with the raft of international commitments Montreals’ players were forced to adhere to, it is what it is... as a famous, former Montreal Impact coach might say.

Clement Diop was beaten twice in the first-half as Curtis Thorn converted after a ball rebounded from the upright and Luca Mayr grabbed the second. From the little footage available the game appeared to be played on a park pitch, albeit one with excellent surface, but an open field it was, apparently devoid of any form of spectating facilities.

The Tormenta club were rightly happy about defeating MLS opposition and now look forward to their season opener against Fort Lauderdale (Inter Miami’s reserve side) in nine days time.

From reports Montreal’s best chances fell to Luis Binks who had his goal-bound effort following a corner saved by Pablo Jara, and Sunusi Ibrahim who headed over in the second-half.

Of course at this time of the year performances and how players gel together trumps results, even if it’s never nice to lose. That said it must be a concern heading into the opener with only two games played. By the time 17 April comes around Toronto will have played two friendlies and as many Concacaf Champions League games, the Impact two friendlies, including today’s which looked for all the world like a scrimmage.

For Saturday evening’s encounter with Tampa Bay at Al Lang Stadium, Wilfried Nancy is expected to treat the game almost like a dress-rehearsal for the big kick-off. The Rowdies always provide challenging pre-season opposition for Montreal and this year should be no different.

The head coach remarked after today’s game, “I liked the connection in the back line and how they tried to stay high on the pitch. I also like that we were brave on the ball. But I didn’t like that we couldn’t recognize the moment to get in behind them. So we have to find a better balance. We have work to do on this.”




Check out the latest, The Ball Is Round Podcast (Episode 23). Recorded last evening (7 April), the TBIR team discusses CFM’s Florida rendezvous, the goalkeeping situation, the new MLS schedule, opening game v Toronto FC and the MLS pundits’ unflattering CF Montreal predictions... Plus all the usual favourite features... including, Eve’s Time Machine... Don’t miss it!

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