Western Conference front-runners Real Saltlake trek across international lines to duel with CF Montreal, now rejuvenated with their prime attackers in the arsenal.
According to their head honcho, Laurent Courtois, Montreal capitalized on a recent hiatus in MLS play to nurse key players back to health.
The team were inactive last weekend, yet are fired up to reboot their 2024 run with a confrontation against Real Saltlake come Saturday.
Courtois spilled that the pause meant crucial healing time for three of their forwards, all sidelined due to injuries.
Josef Martinez, Matias Coccaro, Kwadwo Opoku, alongside Mason Toye and Lassi Lappalainen, are back on deck after various stints on the sidelines.
“The break was chiefly for mending bodies and bolstering squad spirit,” Courtois observed. “It’s been markedly fruitful, knitting the team closer.”
“Everyone’s hungry to claim their spot,” he added, underlining the revived team spirit.
Montreal, although 12th in the Eastern Conference, entered the break on a high, staying unbeaten in three outings. They bested D.C. United 4-2, nestled between draws with Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC.
They now face a stiff challenge against RSL, the leading pack in the Western Conference, boasting 33 points from 17 games and riding a 13-game unbeaten MLS streak.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim
Scored in under a minute on June 1, Sunusi Ibrahim contributed to Montreal’s record of six first-minute goals in MLS, more than any other squad since 2012.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
With 16 goals and 10 assists this season, Arango is on the brink of setting new single-season club records in these categories.
MATCH PREDICTION: RSL WIN
RSL are just one game short of their 14-game unbeaten stretch back in 2010, the longest in their annals. Montreal, while unbeaten in their last three, faces a formidable adversary in RSL.
Their last match-up saw RSL clinch a 2-1 victory in Montreal, marking their initial success on Canadian turf against this squad.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal stands a 30.1% chance of an upset, while RSL is favored at 45.1%, leaving a 24.9% likelihood for a stalemate.
