CF Montreal miss MLS playoffs after 2-0 home loss to Orlando City FC

MONTREAL – Sebastian Mendez and Daryl Dike ended CF Montreal’s playoff aspirations on Sunday.

Mendez and Dike scored to lead Orlando City FC to CF Montreal 2-0. The Montreal team entered the competition with the need for a win to secure a place in the playoffs.

Orlando (12-9-13) will face New York City FC in the first round of the playoffs.

As Montreal (12-11-11) needed a win and Orlando only needed a point to advance to the playoffs, the game got off to a flying start. Both teams wasted no time looking for the first game and put on an offensive show.

In the 16th minute, CF Montreal’s Zachary Brault-Guillard placed Sunusi Ibrahim with an open net, but the ball got stuck between his legs. Less than five minutes later, Montrealer Djorde Mihaillovic played Joaquin Torres perfectly, forcing a superb save from Pedro Gallese.

In the 37th minute, a free kick from Robin Jansson almost gave Orlando the advantage by deflecting the post 30 yards.

Less than two minutes later, Montreal responded when Brault-Guillard played with Ibrahim who scored, but he was called up for offside.

At the start of the second, Montreal kept pushing for the game’s opening goal, but to no avail.

Just before the hour mark, Mendez found the ball to the right of the box. He fired an absolute missile in the top corner to open the scoring.

Just three minutes later, Montreal believed it had drawn even when Romell Quioto crushed Rudy Camacho’s cross. But he was also called up for offside although there were indications that he was clearly onside.

Adding more fuel to the fire, Rudy Camacho dove into a tackle on Dike with his crampons, causing Camacho to be sent off.

Orlando then put the last nail on when Dike was played on goal. He was right about going around goalkeeper Sebastian Breza and passing the ball.

Montreal will now look to the Canadian Championship final against Toronto FC.

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 7, 2021.