CF Montreal vs Orlando City SC: Facts & Trends
- Montreal finished third in the combined MLS table this season.
- Impact have won four on the bounce.
- The Canadian club lost just one of their last 15 MLS games.
- Orlando beat Montreal right at the beginning of this season.
- The away team has suffered four defeats from their past six fixtures.
Montreal and Orlando City go head-to-head in an Eastern Conference playoff game at Saputo Stadium this weekend. The home side finished runners-up to Philadelphia Union in the Eastern section, while the visiting team nicked the final playoff berth.
The winners of this first-round playoff tie will face either New York City or Inter Miami in the Conference playoff semifinals. Who will come out on top in Quebec?
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Orlando City SC at CF Montreal: Game Info & Odds
- Montreal vs Orlando City
- Eastern Conference MLS playoffs
- Saputo Stadium
- 8:00pm ET
- Montreal Odds: -133
- Draw: +275
- Orlando City Odds: +350
Orlando City SC at CF Montreal: Betting Previews
Betting on CF Montreal
Montreal had a fine 2022 MLS season in the Eastern Conference under the popular Wilfried Nancy. Impact finished runners-up to Philadelphia after 20 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses. Only Union and Los Angeles picked up more points (both 67) than the Canadians (65).
Montreal are the form side in America’s top tier right now, as they have lost just one of their last 15 league fixtures. Since suffering back-to-back defeats to LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City in July, Nancy’s troops have gone on to win 11, draw 3 and lose just 1.
The club from Quebec head into the playoffs on a four-game winning run. After drawing 2-2 at home with Columbus Crew, Montreal have picked up successive wins over Chicago Fire, New England Revolution, DC United and Inter Miami.
Montreal were beaten in Orlando way back in February, but they got their revenge when the duo clashed at Saputo Stadium in May. Impact ran riot on their own patch, with Joel Waterman, Djordje Mihailovic, Joaquin Torres and Zachary Brault-Guillard on target in a 4-1 home win. That was Montreal’s first success over the Florida outfit in four attempts.
They have picked up more points away from home (35) than they have at Saputo Stadium (30) this term, but Impact have lost just one of their previous eight home matches and have won two on the bounce. The hosts are the clear favorites to get the victory on their patch this weekend.
Betting on Orlando City SC
Orlando City took the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. It was a topsy-turvy campaign for Oscar Pareja and his side, but they got the job done in the end. Overall, the Lions secured 14 wins from 34 matches, drawing 6, and losing 14 of the other 20. They netted 44 and shipped 53 in the process.
Orlando’s form, going into the final-day crunch match with Columbus, was poor. Pareja’s side had lost 4 of 5 and were on the cusp of dropping out of the playoffs at the death. However, to their credit, City put in a brave performance against Crew at Exploria Stadium, picking up the three points they so desperately needed.
They fell behind, but Junior Urso’s goal ten minutes after the break drew them level. Facundo Torres then hit the all-important winner from the penalty spot, just six minutes from time.
Orlando’s recent form away from Exploria Stadium has been dreadful in recent months. The Florida club has claimed just two away victories from their past 11.
After successive wins over New York Red Bulls and Charlotte, City have suffered three away losses on the bounce, with Philadelphia, New York and Inter Miami all getting the better of them. During that run, Orlando conceded a whopping 11 goals.
On the opening weekend of the 2022 MLS season, Orlando picked up a 2-0 home victory over Montreal. Alexandre Pato gave City the lead just after half time, and Benji Michel doubled their advantage shortly after – both teams ended the game with ten men. However, the reverse fixture went Montreal’s way.
As expected, Orlando are on their way to Quebec as the big underdogs. The playoffs are renowned for throwing up crazy results, though, and the Lions will fancy their chances of toppling this season’s Eastern Conference runner-up.
Injury Report
Montreal are still without forward Bjorn Johnsen, who underwent surgery on a foot injury at the start of the season.
Veteran striker Alex Pato will miss out for Orlando, as the Brazilian needs surgery on a knee injury. Gaston Gonzalez is also out for the away team with a cruciate-ligament injury.
Orlando City SC at CF Montreal: Picks & Predictions
Orlando have caused Montreal problems in recent times, but getting anything from this playoff tie in Quebec will be a tall order for the away side. Pareja’s troops have struggled on their travels lately, picking up just two away wins since May.
Montreal have the best away record in the entire MLS this season, and their form at home has not been bad either. Nancy’s side will be looking to make home advantage count, and to book their spot in the Conference semifinals.
The Pick
Monreal go into this playoff campaign in red-hot form. They may have finished behind Philadelphia and New York in the combined table, but they are our team to watch out for in the playoffs.
Impact should be too hot to handle here, and we are backing the home side to win by a margin. You can get the top price of +188 for the hosts to win by a -1 handicap scoreline.
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