Contents
Guide
Page List
Inside MLS
CF
MONTREAL
BY BRIAN TRUSDELL
SportsZone
An Imprint of Abdo Publishing
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Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55439. Copyright 2022 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International
copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
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Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
052021
092021
Cover Photo: David Kirouac/Cal Sport Media/Zuma Wire/AP Images
Interior Photos: Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press/AP Images, 5, 6, 89; Ryan Remiorz/
The Canadian Press/AP Images, 10, 13, 41; Denis Brodeur/NHLI/National Hockey League/
Getty Images, 15; Ray Stubblebine/AP Images, 16; Andre Pichette/AP Images, 19; Graham
Hughes/The Canadian Press/AP Images, 20, 23, 24, 33, 39; Aaron Doster/AP Images, 26;
David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire/AP Images, 29; Aaron Doster/Cal Sport Media/AP Images,
30; Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press/AP Images, 34; J. P. Moczulski/The Canadian Press/
AP Images, 37; Chris Young/The Canadian Press/AP Images, 42
Editor: Patrick Donnelly
Series Designer: Dan Peluso
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020948217
Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Trusdell, Brian, author.
Title: CF Montreal/ by Brian Trusdell
Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Abdo Publishing, 2022 | Series: Inside MLS |
Includes online resources and index.
Identifiers: ISBN 9781532194764 (lib. bdg.) | ISBN 9781098214425 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: National Professional Soccer League--Juvenile literature. | Soccer--
Juvenile literature. | Soccer teams--Juvenile literature. | Professional sports
franchises--Juvenile literature. | Sports Teams--Juvenile literature.
Classification: DDC 796.334--dc23
CHAPTER 1
MAKING AN
IMPACT
The situation looked bleak for the Montreal Impact. It was
March 3, 2015. The Major League Soccer (MLS) club was
facing Mexican team Pachuca. It was the second leg of their
Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal. A week earlier, the
teams had tied 22 in Mexico.
That alone was quite an accomplishment for the Impact,
who are now called Club de Foot (CF) Montreal. Canadian
and US clubs have not fared well in the tournament against
their more established competition from across the region.
Only two MLS teams had ever won a Champions League
game in Mexico. Only four others had managed a draw in
26 tries. And only one MLS team had ever beaten a Mexican
team in a knockout series in the Champions League.
Montreal's Ignacio Piatti, right, and Pachuca's
Jorge Hernandez race to the ball.
Bakary Soumar (5) and Calum Mallace celebrate the Impacts late
comeback against Pachuca.
A first-leg draw on the road was a promising result for
the Impact.
However, in Montreal for the rematch, Pachucas Germn
Cano converted a penalty kick in the 80th minute. That lead
stood as the game entered stoppage time. The 38,104 fans in
Montreals Olympic Stadium were desperate for a goal. At any
moment, the referee might blow his whistle to end the game.
But then Montreal midfielder Calum Mallace took possession in
his teams defensive end.
He saw 21-year-old Cameron Porter streaking down the left
side of the field. Mallace lobbed a long ball over the defense.
Porter managed to stay onside and settled the ball off his
chest at a full sprint just outside the penalty area. He brushed
off a defender and shot the ball between the legs of the
Pachuca goalkeeper.
Olympic Stadium erupted. Porter was buried under his
ecstatic teammates. The Impact had tied the score. When the
referee ended the game moments later, the crowd set off
smoke bombs. Blue and white flags waved. The noise inside the
stadium was deafening.
It was only a 11 draw. But that was good enough for
Montreal to advance. The teams had tied 33 on aggregate, or
total goals in their two games. However, the tiebreaker fell in
Montreals favor. The Impact had scored twice in their game in
Mexico, and Pachuca had only scored once in Canada. Montreal
was the winner on away goals.
ON TO THE FINAL FOUR
The victory sent the Impact to the semifinals of the
tournament, which featured the top clubs in North America,
Central America, and the Caribbean. Montreal was only the
Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush makes a diving save in the first match
against Alajuelense.
fifth MLS team to get that far. Not bad for a club with the worst
record in MLS a year earlier.
In 2014 the Impact won only six of 34 games. They were
outscored 5838. So Montreal was certainly not considered one
of the top MLS teams. Yet here it was in 2015, two steps from
going to the Club World Cup.
Two weeks later, the Impact hosted Alajuelense of Costa
Rica in the first leg of the semifinals. Once again the game was
at Olympic Stadium, which held more fans than the Impacts
usual home field nearby. The crowd of 33,675 was in for a treat.
Ignacio Piatti and Victor Cabrera scored first-half goals and
Montreal won comfortably 20.
Impact fans came out in full force to cheer their team on to victory.
Three weeks later, the teams met in Costa Rica for the
second leg. It was the beginning of April, and while the
weather was still chilly in Canada, it was hot and humid in
Costa Rica. But the weather didnt affect the Impact early.
Jack McInerny managed to score a goal three minutes before
halftime to put the Impact ahead 10. Up 30 on aggregate,
surely Montreal could feel safe.
However, the Impacts advantage took a major hit early
in the second half. Pablo Gabas scored twice in a 13-minute
span to rally Alajuelense to a 21 lead. Montreal fans began to
have flashbacks to 2009, when it had blown a similar lead in a
Champions League series against a team from Mexico.
Instead, the Impact responded as Andres Romero scored in
the 72nd minute to tie the game 22. Montreal had restored its
two-goal aggregate lead with 18 minutes to go.
But the drama was far from over. Allen Guevara put
Alajuelense back in front 32 in the 79th minute. Montreal still
led 43 on aggregate. Even if Alajuelense scored another goal
to tie the aggregate, Montreal had already scored twice in
Costa Rica and would win again on away goals.
Alajuelense did score again in stoppage time. But Montreal
was able to run out the clock. Alajuelense won the match 42
to tie the aggregate score, but the away goals tiebreaker sent
the Impact through to the finals. They were only the second
team from MLS and the first team from Canada ever to reach
