Toronto FC vs. CF Montreal MLS Preview and Prediction

As we enter MLS Matchday 29, the season is entering a turning point, with the playoffs in late October. There’s still plenty of action to witness before then, and two lower-table Eastern Conference teams, Toronto and Montreal, will duke it out for points this Saturday.

Tune in to one of this week’s bottom-of-the-table MLS battles at BMO Field, with kickoff set to start right at 7:30 PM ET.

Toronto is a +100 home favourite on the moneyline, while a draw carries +250 odds. Montreal is a +240 underdog on the MLS odds. The Over/Under is 2.5, as the Over has -140 odds, and the Under is priced at +110.

Toronto FC vs. CF Montreal MLS Odds and Betting Trends

The Canadian Classique is a significant derby between two of the three Canadian-based clubs in the MLS. Over 64 total clashes, Toronto FC comes out on top with 30 wins, with Montreal not too far behind with 22. The last time the two sides met on May 17, Toronto took home a 6-1 victory, but only after Montreal defeated them in penalties 3-2 the previous month following a 2-2 draw in regulation during the preliminary rounds of the Canadian Championship.

There appears to be no shortage of goals throughout the rivalry in recent matchups, with the last three games outside of the aforementioned ones concluding 3-2 (Montreal), 5-1 (Toronto), and 1-0 (Toronto).

CF Montreal

Montreal currently resides just below Toronto FC at 13th place in the MLS East with 23 points and a 5-8-15 record. They’ve certainly struggled to find the back of the net this season, but the team has been relatively in-form as of the last five MLS games. From July 19 to now, they have only suffered one loss to the Chicago Fire before defeating the Revolution 3-1 and drawing Atlanta United and D.C. 1-1 in back-to-back games. Their most recent match saw a crucial 3-2 victory over Austin FC.

The team looks to Prince Owusu to continue his streak of 12 goals and five assists on the season, and he could be a crucial deciding factor, along with forward Dante Sealy and his five goals and one assist so far in the season. Montreal will need to sort out its defensive line for the next 90 minutes, as their main issue with finishing out games is protecting the net, which is reflected in the team’s minus-22 goal differential.

Toronto FC

Toronto doesn’t have much to boast about this season either, as they currently sit at 12th place just above their Montreal rivals with 24 points and a 5-9-13 record, and one game in hand. Compared to Montreal, they’ve been extremely out of form in their latest five MLS matches, failing to win any and only scoring twice, with two 1-1 draws.

Toronto has recorded 27 goals throughout the season, as they lack a dedicated goalscorer. Only Theo Corbeanu (five goals and one assist) produces any real threat to the opposition. Where Toronto does have the advantage, however, is their ability to defend, as they’ve only conceded 34 goals throughout the season compared to Montreal’s 50.

MLS Prediction: Who Will Win Toronto FC vs. CF Montreal?

Both teams are lacklustre in their performances this season, but a win tonight for either side will help them secure 12th place for the time being. Toronto takes home advantage and has a much better defence, which inclines me to choose Toronto FC to win by a narrow margin in this one.

Prince Owusu may be a key player for Montreal if he hits his stride, and Toronto is certainly hurting since Bernadeschi’s contract expired; however, I still think Toronto FC may come out with a 1-0 win by the end of 90 minutes.