CF Montreal is still searching for its first win four games into the Major League Soccer season.
For that to happen, head coach Laurent Courtois’s squad needs to start scoring.
Montreal (0-3-1) is mired in a three-game drought ahead of Saturday’s road matchup against Nashville SC. The team hasn't hit the back of the net since a season-opening 3-2 loss to Atlanta United on Feb. 22.
“You can't panic in these situations,” said attacking midfielder Caden Clark during a video conference Friday. “We know we have to be better, but it's also new players, some new tactics, and all the games have been away.
“Take it game by game, and hopefully pick up more points here and get a win, ultimately. But just keep improving. It's going to take a little bit of time, but no need to panic.”
Montreal played D.C. United to a 0-0 draw last week to pick up its first point of the 2025 campaign, which begins with seven road games before the club’s home opener on April 12 against Charlotte FC.
The injuries aren’t helping.
Designated player Giacomo Vrioni, who scored nine goals last season, is out with a calf injury and is still waiting to make his first appearance. He’ll remain sidelined Saturday along with defender Jalen Neal (knee), midfielders Hennadii Synchuk (lower body) and Fabian Herbers (thigh), and striker Jules-Anthony Vilsaint (thigh).
Centre back Joel Waterman is with the Canadian national team for Nations League play in Los Angeles, adding to the long list of absences. Defender Fernando Alvarez (back) and midfielder Dominic Iankov (lower body) are also questionable.
Montreal captain Samuel Piette could return to the squad after missing three games, but Courtois has been forced to shuffle his lineup due to the mix of injuries and poor results.
"It is certain that it's not easy to have to deal with,” Courtois said of changing the team sheet from game to game. “At times performance dictates that, tactic dictates, and a lot of time player availabilities dictate it.
“When a player is not in the position to compete during the whole week, it puts the coach in not the best conditions.”
Despite the injuries, Clark has been used as a substitute in the last two matches rather than featuring in Courtois’s starting eleven.
The 21-year-old from Minnesota played a key role in Montreal’s playoff push last season, contributing four goals and four assists in the final seven regular-season games.
He developed strong chemistry with since-departed striker Josef Martinez, a connection he has yet to replicate with off-season addition Prince Owusu.
“I haven't been necessarily getting a ton of minutes as well, so I feel like I'm still getting used to him,” Clark said of Owusu. “In training sometimes I'm with him, sometimes I'm not. This is kind of the struggle right now, finding that chemistry between us and just me understanding his profile, his positioning.”
Clark wasn’t sure why his minutes had diminished.
"It's no issue with me. Two weeks ago I had a little hamstring thing, but I was good to go for the whole week,” he said. “Maybe tactical, we play with two strikers as of now, so kind of seems like my position isn't in the pitch right now.”
"We're not winning games right now, so I feel like we're flipping the page every game and trying to find what works,” he added. “Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. So sometimes it's a little bit of a struggle being in and out so much, trying to create a rhythm.”
Left back Tom Pearce is another player whose minutes have reduced. Courtois said his performances haven’t met the club’s expectations.
“There’s no conflict,” he said. “I have the right to make my choices from time to time."
For all the offensive woes, Montreal seems to have turned a corner defensively after holding star D.C. striker Christian Benteke off the scoresheet last weekend.
Montreal will face another test against Nashville (2-1-1) and 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar.
“He's one of the top players in the league, that's someone that we have to be worried about,” said left back Luca Petrasso. “Him and (Sam Surridge), who are the two main guys up front. But I think we've dealt pretty well with a lot of the front players that we've played with so far, especially last game with Benteke.
“We're going to have to be up for it and deal with it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
