CF Montreal Vs Austin FC
CF Montreal Vs Austin FC Sunday, 19 June 2022 – 00:30 (BST)
US Major League Soccer
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams to Score
Odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 17 June 2022)
Preview: The fourth best teams currently in either division will meet for the first time in MLS. Austin FC will be desperate to improve upon a record of one win in their last five matches when they pay CF Montreal, who are coming off one win in three, and their Saputo Stadium a first ever visit.
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Table of Contents
CF Montreal – Nancy’s team can thrive at Saputo Stadium?
Perched prominently in the MLS’s Eastern Conference, Montreal are already putting in the hard yards to ensure another underwhelming league finish isn’t repeated. In 2021 the Canadians would miss out on the end-of-season play-offs in their entirety, after a disappointing tenth-place finish in the same division that they currently sit fourth through 14 games. They’re only three points shy of NYCFC and the summit.
Victory last time at home to FC Cincinnati was ultimately hard-fought, eventually prevailing 4-3. Importantly, though, it meant a third straight league defeat was averted, following 2-1 reversals by Nashville and Real Salt Lake. Now, having been unbeaten in eight, with six wins, as recently as May, they should relish another home outing. Wilfried Nancy’s side are W4 D0 L1 across the last five at Saputo Stadium.
Key Stat: A league-high 86% of CF Montreal MLS matches in 2022 have produced both teams scoring, with only Toronto – who are without a clean sheet all season long – registering fewer clean sheets than the one of Wilfried Nancy’s team.
Austin FC – Capable of beating anyone on their travels?
Another team to have witnessed a significant improvement in productivity during the early throes of the season are Josh Wolff’s Austin FC. The underlying number don’t particularly like them, suggesting they are three positions better off in fourth than where they deserve to be, but it is impossible not to be impressed with a return of seven wins through their opening 14 games (D3 L4).
Three of those wins have come on the road. Unquestionably the most impressive, however, the 2-1 triumph in Los Angeles on 19 May against in-conference leaders LAFC. Even if it was considered slightly fortunate in line with their unflattering xG (they lost the xG battle 1.95 to 0.85) and has since been followed by a stinging 4-1 loss at New York RB. The latter one of three sustained in their past five matches (W1 D1).
Key Stat: Austin FC would concede 2+ for the third game in four last time out, failing to register a clean sheet in any of six MLS matches since a 3-0 home win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on 24 April.
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CF Montreal Vs Austin FC Betting Advice
A first ever meeting is expected to be anything but dull. Both sit fourth in their respective conferences. Both are enjoying significantly better seasons than their last, and both are prepared to get on the front foot and play attacking football even if that means conceding one or two. Or, in the case of Austin, four, with Josh Wolff’s team giving up four goals to the New York Red Bulls in their latest MLS involvement.
CF Montreal Vs Austin FC – Key Facts:
- Both teams sit fourth in their respective divisions. CF Montreal are W7 D2 L5 for the season, winning four of their last six (L2). Austin FC are W7 D3 L4 thus far but are enduring a dip in form, winning only two of their last six (D1 L3).
- Home advantage could play a critical role. CF Montreal are W4 L2 at Saputo Stadium so far this season, with all four league victories at this venue in 2022 achieved in spite of them conceding on at least one occasion.
- Having lost only one of their opening four away contests (W2 D1), Austin have since lost two of the last three on the road, losing recently at Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy despite opening the scoring in both encounters.
That crushing defeat in the Big Apple brought Austin’s record in their last five MLS matches to a fairly dismal W1 D1 L3. However, Montreal would barely avoid a third successive winless game when edging out Cincinnati 4-3 last time out here. Both teams are coming off high-scoring encounters, and both rank highly for Over 2.5 Goals (79% Montreal, 71% Austin) and Both Teams to Score (86% Montreal, 64% Austin).
Best Betting Odds – CF Montreal vs Austin FC
CF Montreal – 10/11 (WilliamHill)
Draw – 3/1 (BetFred)
Austin FC – 14/5 (Bet365)
