MONTREAL — CF Montreal centre back Joel Waterman is always motivated when Canadian rival Toronto FC comes to town.
But Saturday’s MLS derby match at Saputo Stadium has “a little extra something special” after TFC thrashed Montreal last time the two sides met.
Toronto handed Montreal a 5-1 loss at BMO Field on May 18. Four days later, a rattled Montreal fell 2-1 in the Canadian Championship to lower-tier Forge FC at home, culminating in a fourth-straight loss and a low point in the season.
Waterman and company are coming out hungry for revenge this weekend.
“We want to rectify that. We never want to feel that feeling again against our rivals,” Waterman said Friday. “We're going to have to do the same to them on our home pitch, and we're going to make sure that every guy's ready and make sure it's known that it's TFC, it's the derby and we're going to make sure we get three points."
This time around Toronto (8-14-4) is in a rut with eight losses in its last 10 games in all competitions, including their own 2-1 defeat to Forge in the Canadian Championship, albeit on the road. Toronto also fell 3-1 to Inter Miami CF without Argentine superstar Lionel Messi on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Montreal (6-9-9) is unbeaten in its last three games after striker Josef Martinez scored twice Wednesday in a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls.
Beyond the rivalry, Saturday’s tilt -- the last for both teams before MLS goes on a break until Aug. 24 for the Leagues Cup -- has major implications in the MLS standings. Both sides are hanging on to a playoff position, tied at 27 points each.
Toronto is eighth in the Eastern Conference while Montreal is ninth, but TFC has nine games remaining to Montreal’s 10.
TFC head coach John Herdman said his team needs to recognize that they’ll be facing a different side than the one they hardly broke a sweat to defeat two months ago.
“We know that they're in better form than when we met them last time. Their squad depth has increased, so they've been able to gain that rotation,” Herdman said. “With the form Martinez is starting to hit, that's going to help them. So coming into this one, for the fans and for the city it's an important game, and we recognize that and we'll take that on.
“And for the league and our goals, it's an important game, so throwing that in we've got enough motivation to turn around in this tight window and go out there and give it our all."
Wednesday’s draw against Red Bulls was Montreal’s first match close to full strength in months as Waterman, captain Samuel Piette and midfielder Mathieu Choinière returned from international duty with Canada at Copa America.
After making history with a fourth-place Copa finish alongside TFC captain Jonathan Osorio and winger Richie Laryea on the national team, Piette says it’s a strange feeling shifting from teammates to foes.
“For six weeks we're brothers and we're fighting on the same mission, and when we return to our clubs we have to fight each other,” Piette said. “But we know how much this rivalry is important, it means a lot for the club, for the fans, for us the players and of course we remember very well what happened when we went to visit them, so we definitely want to get our revenge tomorrow."
Piette said the adrenalin associated with playing Toronto should help counteract the loss of sleep Montreal had this week due to travel plans going awry following the match at New York.
“Our return flight to Montreal was delayed,” he said. "I arrived home at 5:30 in the morning. It complicates your sleep schedule."
Toronto will be feeling the wear and tear of playing five matches already in July. Herdman said defender Nicksoen Gomis (contusion) and midfielder Deybi Flores (ankle) are questionable, while others are fatigued.
"That's Montreal's gift and curse there, they sort of left the Canadian Championship early and gives them that little bit of grace there to get some recovery," Herdman said. "We're carrying guys now with a lot of minutes. But what we do know is we've got a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, because after Saturday, we do get those seven days to build into our next competition.
"The lads should be able to just leave it all out there. And it'll be sort of mind over matter. Real mindset push for the players."
Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said recently signed fullbacks Dawid Bugaj and Tom Pearce aren't ready to feature in his lineup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2024.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
