‘Don’t have any excuse not to win this game’: CF Montréal eye strong home opener

MONTREAL – After six consecutive games on the road, CF Montréal is limping back to Stade Saputo for their home opener on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union with just three points in tow.

A single win from their first six matches is the worst start in the Major League Soccer club’s history, following what was their worst-ever season in 2025. 

Despite improved performances towards the end of the road trip, a similar script has emerged: promising play does not translate into corresponding results.

“I think at home, we’ll have a bit more energy and be clinical in decisive moments. Small things can change the game (…) there have been very balanced games with one or two small moments,” said head coach Marco Donadel. 

“I think a lot of the players have brought in a new energy. I might feel a bit (of pressure to win at home), but I don’t think the players feel that way.”

Home-field advantage in MLS is still very potent and is how teams win the majority of their points, despite this disparity gradually decreasing over the years. In Montréal’s case, however, they were one of the eight teams to find more success away from home, winning just two of 21 games in all competitions at Stade Saputo.

This time around, the Union’s arrival could be a blessing in disguise on multiple fronts. The 2025 Supporters’ Shield winners have yet to earn a single point through six games and have only scored four goals in that span. 

Montréal has the chance to open its home account on the right foot and win a second game against Philadelphia in their last seven tries.

“We don’t have any excuse not to win this game,” said goalkeeper Thomas Gillier. “We can talk about expected goals, we can talk about whatever you want, but games are won with goals. We have to stop talking now and show it on the pitch.”

Montréal has found significantly more attacking success this season than in the opening stages of 2025, more than doubling last year’s output at the same point. However, there have still been many moments when the lack of a final product has either altered a game’s momentum or cost them points outright.

The addition of Wiki Carmona and the return of Ivan Jaime have made Montréal’s attack more varied and harder to plan for. It has also taken pressure off of last year’s leading goal-scorer and team MVP, Prince Owusu, to be the sole driving force in attack. The Ghanaian international has, nevertheless, continued his strong form with four goals and one assist.

“I know that if I do my job, there’s a pretty high chance that we win games, so I have huge expectations of myself,” said Owusu, who has already become one of the more prominent leaders at the club. “I’m the first person up top, so I have to step up.”

The home opener will also be the first game that the newly acquired Frankie Amaya will be available for selection. On loan from Mexican club Deportivo Toluca F.C., the midfielder will bring a much-needed technical component to the area on the pitch that has arguably struggled the most this season.

“We’ve seen a lot of him through scouting and the fact that he played against us last season. If he’s the kind of player he was at Red Bull (New York) and last season (with Los Angeles FC), he’ll be very important for us,” said Donadel, who added that he will be physically ready for the game. 

“It may be difficult for a new player to enter a team and be ready for the next game, but he’s physically ready to enter the game.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2026.