CF Montreal hosts DC United on Wednesday looking to advance in the Leagues Cup and secure a favourable Round of 32 matchup in the process.
Montreal must beat United either in regulation or through penalties to finish top of its group.
That will allow the Major League Soccer club to play its next game at home and likely avoid a meeting with the Philadelphia Union, one of the tournament's favourites.
CF Montreal gained two of a possible three points in its opening Leagues Cup match when it defeated Mexican side Pumas UNAM on penalties. United is playing its first game in the tournament
"This changes absolutely nothing, we still need to win the gam," Montreal head coach head coach Hernan Losada said. "If we had lost (against Pumas) we would still be playing this game the same way.
"It's impossible to guess or predict how DC are going to line up or what system they'll play, so the most important thing is to just focus our energy on ourselves."
The last time United visited Montreal on April 15 things did not go well for the hosts, who held almost two thirds of possession but struggled to create chances against DC head coach Wayne Rooney's defensive low block.
The resulting 1-0 loss served a s a wakeup call for Montreal who proceeded to fight their way back into the Major League Soccer Easter Conference playoff picture, just one point out of the final spot occupied by United
Playing against that defensive setup has been one of Montreal's most problematic issues this season. Losada's direct and vertical style of play has thrived in an open game like the one against Pumas but has seen the attack stall when long stints of possession without much progress take place.
"We can't come out and be complacent or just bank on the atmosphere of the crowd to carry us through this, we need to focus on our own game," said captain Samuel Piette, who missed the first group stage game due to a virus. "We all have tasks and responsibilities that need to get done during a game and we just need to make sure that our games and our tactics do the work instead of just the emotion of a competition like this."
Montreal's match against Pumas on Saturday, like most battles between MLS and Liga MX sides which see thousands of Mexican fans travel to support their side, had a raucous and contentious atmosphere in stark contrast to most games between MLS sides.
With the game against United being played in the midweek -- often tempering the atmosphere as well as attendance numbers -- the crowd may not be as electric as Saturday's gathering.
"We prepare every game the same way and I hope our fans will bring the same energy even if there are no Mexican fans," said Losada. "On the field, his game will have the same intensity and we won't change our approach, we're going into this game to win it."
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2023.
