Preview: CF Montreal vs Austin FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Needing a win to keep their slim MLS Cup playoff hopes intact, CF Montreal will host Austin FC on Saturday afternoon at Saputo Stadium.

A 1-1 draw versus DC United vaulted Le CFM out of last place in the Eastern Conference, while Austin are eighth in the West after collecting that same result at home to Dallas.

Match preview

Time is short for Montreal to make the playoffs for a second successive campaign, but at the very least, they are showing signs of improvement.

Marco Donadel’s men have points in three straight league contests, putting them above DC United in the table on goal difference, while only three points separate them from Toronto in 12th.

It would take a miracle for them to get back into the post-season, as they are 19 points below that line, must win their remaining seven games and hope that the teams above them slip up countless times.

Saturday will mark the end of their three-game homestand, as they seek to end a four-match domestic winless run at Saputo Stadium.

At the same time, they have points in three of their previous five regular-season affairs in Montreal, netting a goal or fewer in seven consecutive league fixtures at home.

Montreal have won their last two matches played against MLS teams from Texas but have not won a home game against that state since November 2021 (2-0 over the Houston Dynamo).

With nine matches remaining, Austin are in position to make the post-season for only the second time since entering the league in 2021.

The Verde and Black are currently four points above the playoff line, going unbeaten in their previous six matches played across all competitions.

This team have done just enough to get by in recent outings, earning a single point in their last two MLS affairs, both of which took place at Q2 Stadium.

Nico Estevez's men have netted the fewest goals in the Western Conference this year (24) but have also conceded fewer than anyone (29).

They have won their last three away matches across all competitions, including two in a row domestically, giving them five road victories on the year, one more than in 2024.

Austin have never lost a regular-season game against Le CFM, winning those two meetings by a 1-0 score, including their only prior visit to Montreal in 2022.

CF Montreal Major League Soccer form:

CF Montreal form (all competitions):

Austin FC Major League Soccer form:

Austin FC form (all competitions):

Team News

Lower body injuries kept Giacomo Vrioni, Samuel Piette and Fabian Herbers out of the Montreal lineup against DC last week, while the club traded Joel Waterman on Wednesday to the Chicago Fire for General Allocation Money (GAM).

Luca Petrasso found the back of the net in the latter stages of the opening half to cancel out the opening goal scored by the Black and Red’s Jackson Hopkins.

Meanwhile, Brandon Vazquez missed another match for Austin, with the American still recovering from a knee issue, while Daniel Pereira will be suspended for this clash due to yellow card accumulation.

Owen Wolff scored the equalising goal for them versus the Toros, drawing even with Myrto Uzuni and Guilherme Biro for second on the team with three.

CF Montreal possible starting lineup:

Gillier; Craig, Guboglo, Petrasso; Bugaj, Loturi; Sealy, Synchuk, Duke, Clark; Owusu

Austin FC possible starting lineup:

Stuver; Desler, Svatok, Hines-Ike, Biro; Sanchez, Sabovic; Obrian, Rubio, Wolff; Uzuni

We say: CF Montreal 0-0 Austin FC

Both sides have been in their share of close games of late, each taking few chances going forward, and we anticipate the visitors will be able to slow down Montreal but also not create much themselves.

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