CF Montreal Knots up the Champs

PRESEASON MATCH REPORT : CF MONTRÉAL 2-2 NEW YORK CITY FC

ORLANDO, Florida – CF Montréal opened its preseason camp with a 2-2 draw (halftime 0-1) against New York City FC, in Orlando, Florida. New York took a 2-0 lead before Joaquín Torres and Sunusi Ibrahim scored in the second half. Montreal will continue its training camp preparation in Orlando through Thursday before travelling to Fort Lauderdale for its second preseason fixture against Inter Miami CF at 5pm.

Match highlights and post-game comments from head coach Wilfried Nancy and Rida Zouhir are available here.

WILFRIED NANCY

“We wanted shorter options when we were in possession and to work on defensive transitions. I also didn’t want us to overly focus on the different system of play we employed but rather on the right moment to attack the ball. There were some good moments and some areas to improve. I liked that the players didn’t give up which allowed us to score the equalizer in the final moments of the match. We struggled playing against the wind in the first half, but we managed to find solutions in the second. Collectively we were aligned with what we had done in training. I wanted a mix of veteran and younger players today, while developing the chemistry between certain player groups. The idea was to have a balanced team in terms of player profiles and playing time.”

RIDA ZOUHIR

“I played 45 minutes in the second half and it went well. There were some good plays and some less so. It is still too early to say I’m developing affinities with specific players but that will come with time. I played as an 8 on the right and the coach gave me the freedom to roam within the spaces available to me, either higher up or lower down the pitch depending on the situation.”