It's still very early in the regular season, but a positive atmosphere emanates from CF Montreal. Wednesday night's great victory no doubt helped, but there is also a feeling of unity that can transport a group.
Wilfried Nancy's men moved up to number one in the Eastern Conference standings with a 2-0 win over Inter Miami CF on Wednesday night in a game that ended shortly before midnight due to strong bad weather that rocked the Fort Lauderdale area shortly after the start of the second half.
In a context where the head coach of CF Montreal was deprived of a few key players and must manage a staff at the heart of a grueling week, with three games in eight days, Wednesday's victory tends to confirm that the he team can count on a good range of resources within the formation.
"We have a lot of depth, it's no secret," said Thursday afternoon Samuel Piette, who delivered a solid performance after watching the two previous games from the sidelines.
A lot of rotations were made yesterday (Wednesday) and we saw that the level of the team has not dropped. It's been a bit like that since the start of the year, whether it's changes to the starting line-up or the players entering the game as substitutes.
Samuel Piette, CF Montreal midfielder
The mood of CF Montreal players was all the more positive as the team ended a worrying 228-minute streak without finding the back of the net.
This is Bjorn Johnsen who stopped the meter by touching the target at the 14 th minute. He did it again 11 minutes later and it was enough to lead the CF Montreal to a second win in five games in 2021.
“Yesterday's victory did a lot of good because it's been a long time since we've scored goals. On the other hand, we created opportunities that we had not succeeded in converting, ”Piette recalled.
“The odds are there, it's just the last move. Yesterday (Wednesday), we were good on two stocks. It was enough to give us the victory. Offensively, we are not too worried, we know that we are able to create chances. We have to continue like this because, obviously, it takes a certain heaviness off the shoulders of the slightly more defensive players. "
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
Samuel Piette
Piette is not shy to say that the Montreal team is superior to the analysis that several of the MLS observers were able to make before the start of the season.
Piette does not hold it against analysts and journalists, because he knows that it is always more difficult to assess a team with as many new faces as those who arrived in the environment of the Montreal training in 2021.
“Internally, we see it every day, we see the qualities of the players, we see how we work as a team, how we play as a team. What made the difference yesterday was the collective effort and the team play. Everyone was on the same page. It's been like that since the start of the year, ”added Piette.
“Just because we don't have big names, or world champions, doesn't mean we're not a good team. On the contrary, I think that's what makes our strength, to have lots of players who are humble, who want to work, who want to prove what they are capable of doing to bring results to the team ”, he concluded.
