CF Montreal forward Josef Martinez scores against Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady during first half MLS soccer action in Montreal, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
Josef Martinez and Caden Clark scored as CF Montreal defeated Chicago Fire FC 2-0 for a crucial Major League Soccer win on Saturday.
Martinez opened the scoring in the 21st minute to put Montreal ahead before Clark buried the insurance-marker in the 74th before an announced 19,619 spectators at Saputo Stadium.
Nathan Saliba, Kwadwo Opoku and captain Samuel Piette added assists as Montreal (8-12-10) extended its unbeaten run to three games (2-0-1) amid a late push to reach the MLS playoffs.
Montreal entered the match 13th in the Eastern Conference standings with 31 points, but only two behind Philadelphia Union, which occupied the second wild-card spot in ninth. Laurent Courtois’ squad has four games remaining in the regular season.
Chicago (7-16-8) began the day in 14th with 29 points and one more game played than Montreal, but failed to threaten goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois until late in the match.
Meanwhile, Montreal created offence with long passes in behind Chicago’s back line throughout the match.
In the second minute, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty broke in down the right wing before playing a dangerous ball into the box for Martinez, who swung and missed on his attempt.
Martinez later just barely stayed onside to score his team-leading seventh of the season. The veteran striker corralled a long ball from Nathan Saliba into the box before slicing a half-volley past Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady.
In the 37th minute, Bryce Duke went on the counter-attack with numbers, but kept the ball instead of laying a through ball to Martinez and ultimately sailed his outside shot over the crossbar.
Chicago played cautiously, content holding the ball without pushing forward through 45 minutes. Montreal led the shot attempts five to one.
Montreal was back on the attack early in the second half as Piette found Caden Clark on the left side of the box. Clark danced around a sliding Chicago defender Arnaud Souquet, but kicked his Grade A opportunity over the net.
Clark later got on the board with his second goal in three games. Opoku, who entered in the 72nd minute as a substitute, took a pass from Piette before finding Clark in alone. Clark showed poise with a cheeky chip over Brady to give Montreal the comfortable lead.
Substitute Matias Coccaro nearly made it 3-0 in the 85th when he was sent on a breakaway, but Brady came out to challenge and stopped his attempt.
Sirois had a busy end to the match as Chicago pressed for a goal in the final minutes. He turned away a header from Thomas Barlow at the centre of the box, a dangerous shot by Souquet streaking down the right wing and a header by Tobias Salquist in the dying minutes.