Tuesday, Sep 13, 2022. 9:30 PM
(Update : Tuesday, Sep 13, 2022. 11:20 PM)
MONTREAL – A relaxation? Kei Kamara made sure that didn’t happen.
In CF Montreal’s first game since securing its playoff berth, the veteran showed the way forward for anyone who would have been tempted to slow down for just one night. He scored two goals, set up a third, and his team survived the followingmath of his collective indiscipline to beat the Chicago Fire 3-2.
Thanks to this victory, the Montrealers have confirmed that they will begin their playoff run with a home game. They also regained their six-point lead over the New York Red Bulls for second in the East. Both teams have three games to play before the schedule concludes.
The conditions, however, lent themselves to half-measures. A few hours before the start of the game, the light showers that had fallen on Montreal during the followingnoon had turned into a veritable deluge. The flow eventually slowed down, but throughout the evening, the Stade Saputo lawn mopped up a constant fleet.
Impervious to adversity, Kamara played as if challenged by Zeus himself.
At the 21e minute, lurking in the penalty area, the third top scorer in MLS history put his heel on a shot from Ismaël Koné to redirect it behind goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.
Eight minutes later, the slender striker took advantage of some fine work from Koné and Zachary Brault-Guillard recovering the ball to accentuate the damage.
Kamara had always been considered the ultimate pet peeve of the Impact, whom he had tormented twelve times before joining its ranks. It is now the Fire which is officially his favorite victim. His two most recent goals give him 14 career goals once morest Chicago, more than any other opponent in MLS.
Kamara has now scored in each of the last four games he has started. He claims five goals in that span.
“The hardest thing regarding tonight’s game was to be present despite what we had accomplished in our last game and knowing our achievements in the standings, he admitted following the game. Historically, it’s difficult to maintain such a high level of concentration in these circumstances. If anyone was going to lead by example, it had to be someone like me who has experienced these different emotions in the past. »
Beyond Goals
We also know that the experienced number 23 can play the executioner without necessarily putting her in it. At the 45e minute, when Chicago had just cut the deficit in half, he intercepted the visitors’ counterattack and found Brault-Guillard in the right lane. The side took a few strides before crossing a shot out of Slonina’s reach.
ZBG, the goal scorer who sent CF Montreal to the playoffs last week, scored in a second game in a row.
In addition to his eight goals, Kamara now has seven assists. He is just one short of matching his career highs set in 2012 (Kansas City) and 2015 (Columbus).
“That’s what excites me the most because that was my role when I arrived here: to help. Picking up assists on the pitch, but also helping the guys around me off the pitch. I know I can score goals, it never worried me. […] What makes me most proud is how I’m able to connect with some guys and shine a light on them in the final third. »
“What interests me is his attitude,” said coach Wilfried Nancy. Whether he plays five or 95 minutes, the little one or the old one, as I call him, he is there all the time. So much the better. He is a competitor and he showed it once more today. »
Imperfections
Both Fire goals were scored from the penalty spot. Sebastian Breza was punished for hampering the work of striker Jhon Duran in the box at the 38e minute. Joel Waterman was reprimanded for bullying him near his keeper in the 57e. Each time, Zherdan Shaqiri followed by winning his duel once morest Breza.
The hosts continued to test the limits of referee Ted Unkel in the final half hour. Defender Rudy Camacho, in particular, played with fire with a sliding tackle close to his goal.
So a game that should have been out of reach much earlier for the visitors gave the hosts a few cold sweats. Nancy agreed that he would have liked to “be a little quieter,” but he saw the largesse as a learning opportunity for his men.
“We got into trouble stupidly, let’s say. We might have reacted better in all this. But it’s good. I like to give players challenges when we win a match. There I have a few. »
Whether the CFM players will have learned their lessons on Saturday will be known as they go for a tenth road win of the season at the New England Revolution.
