CF Montreal will attempt to advance to their first federation final since 2016 on Sunday at the Stade Saputo. Nothing in advance for Wilfried Nancy’s men, who will face New York City FC.
Third rank holder in the East, Nick Cushing’s troop counts on several players who could cause headaches to the Montreal eleven. Here are five of them:
Sean Johnson (goalkeeper)
We might be surprised to find a goalkeeper at the top of the list, but Johnson is one of the crème de la crème of Garber circuit goalkeepers alongside Andre Blake of the Philadelphia Union. Not only did he play all minutes for the New York club, but Johnson was second in Major League Soccer (MLS) for shutouts (14). Demystifying the American goalkeeper will be a big challenge for the Montreal attack, which was the fifth most productive of the league in 2022.
Santiago Rodriguez (midfielder)
In the 3-0 win over Inter Miami in the first round, NYCFC could count on a Rodriguez in full possession of his means. True to his form of master of the New York attack, the little Uruguayan was complicit in his club’s first two successes. He led his team with 13 assists in 2022, as well as having threaded the needle four times. Rodriguez’s Achilles heel, on the other hand, is quite evident: his fiery temperament. No player has received more yellow cards during the season than Rodriguez (12).
Alexander Callens (center back)
Named on the MLS All-Star team along with Johnson, Callens is the backbone of the Big Apple team. In addition to giving stability to the defensive curtain, the Peruvian has undeniable offensive skills, as evidenced by his five goals in 2022. The 30-year-old defender is also a starter on big occasions: it is his goal in training the shots on goal that made the difference in the 2021 MLS Cup final against the Portland Timbers.
Heber (forward)
Since the departure of Valentin “Taty” Castellanos, loaned to the Spanish first division, the attack in New York has rested on the shoulders of Talles Magno and Héber. Although they lacked the ultimate talent of the Argentine rising star, the Brazilian duo shone at the end of the season. Héber had only nine appearances in 2022, but still finished second in his team by goals scored (8). Talles Magno, meanwhile, was forced to forfeit ahead of the match against Inter Miami and a doubt remains for Sunday.
Maximiliano Moralez (environment)
Despite his tiny body ー 5’3 “, 115 pounds according to the MLS website, to be exact ー, Moralez is integral to NYCFC’s success. He was complicit in nine hits in 2022, as well as being the second player tied for the most contrasts in his formation (30) At 35, Moralez is one of the leaders of his team, who in particular has played 137 matches in Italian Serie A with the Atalanta club.
