CF Montreal could be deprived of key players on Saturday against Austin FC

In a press scrum on Thursday afternoon at Center Nutrilait, head coach Wilfried Nancy announced that defender Kamal Miller and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic are likely out of the game for the duel against Austin FC at Stade Saputo.

Lassi Lappalainen will definitely be missing because his name is included in the COVID protocol.

The three players started the game on May 28, CF Montreal’s last game before the international break, against FC Cincinnati at Stade Saputo. They also played in the club’s first 14 games this season.

We will go there quietly with (Djordje). We take some precautions. For now, it’s on. Let’s see how it happens tomorrow (Friday)Nancy explained before adding that there was very little chance that she would be able to play on Saturday.

Mihailovic injured his left ankle in the 3rd minute of the duel against Cincinnati. After staying on the ground for a few minutes, Mihailovic got up and remained on the ground. But in less than 15 minutes, he resigned, in great frustration.

No doubt he already knew, at the time, that this injury would prevent him from joining the United States national team in anticipation of the first games of the Concacaf Nations League tournament, which have been shown in the last two weeks.

It was an invitation that Mihailovic looked forward to wholeheartedly and that he fully deserved thanks to an accumulation of solid performances since the start of the season that led him to become a candidate for the title of most important player in his career. .MLS team.

For Miller, it looks like he injured his right foot in the clash between Canada and Honduras, in a Nations League tournament match played on a poor pitch, Monday.

In Kamal’s case, we are waiting officially to find out if he needs to stop for a long time or not. For the weekend game, chances are he won’t be theresaid Nancy.

Given the high probability that Miller will not be on the defensive line, and that Lappalainen has been confirmed as the side piston, CF Montreal’s left side will be eliminated by two players who have started 14 and 13 games, respectively, since the start of the season. season.

Still, and as is her habit, Nancy tries to roll over when it comes to the injured.

I was comfortable with the group. You know me, I don’t feel sorry for the wounds. It’s part of life, it’s part of our work. I know there may be some issues about that, but the players who will play, I’m confident.

A strong opponent

Regardless of the identity of its incumbents on Saturday, CF Montreal (7-5-2-23 points), 3rd in the Eastern Association, will not be easy against Austin FC (7-4-3-24 points), 4th to the west.

In the second year of its existence in MLS, this team has found the back of the opposing net with regularity, as its tally of 28 goals shows, the Montreal team’s total number since the start of the season.

Here, we can add that Austin FC scored eight goals fewer than the Montreal troupe (18 against 26) in 2022.

CF Montreal players will have to keep an eye on the two Argentinian forwards. One of them is Sebastian Driussi, who leads his club with eight goals. One is quite well known in Montreal because it is Maximiliano Urruti, who is ranked 2nd on the Texas team with four goals in 14 games.

If he hadn’t been hurt then, Urruti would therefore have played his first game against CF Montreal since being traded to Dynamo from Houston in place of central defender Kiki Struna in January 2021.

This is also the first time CF Montreal has fought a sword with Austin FC.

It’s a great team, they play great football. A team that invested in two, three, very good players. Together, it’s clean. They are a team that loves to play, loves to have the ball, loves to cause trouble to the opponent. They have weaknesses like everyone else, but they are a great team. The coach is doing wellNancy’s review.