Recap: CF Montréal 2, Atlanta United 1

Phil West

Joaquin Torres subbed on at halftime and scored a late winner to extend CF Montréal's solid start to the season, powering a 2-1 win over Atlanta United at Stade Saputo on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts went up early thanks to a fourth-minute set-piece. Djordje Mihailovic lofted a ball to the goalmouth that Kamal Miller headed in to get the CFM supporters' North Star bell ringing. Though Atlanta came close with some chances to equalize throughout the rest of the first half, their first goal wouldn't come until after halftime.

In the 51st minute, Marcelino Moreno delivered a pinballer's delight, doinking his shot off both posts before it settled over the line. Three minutes later, Andrew Gutman preserved the scoreline by saving a Joel Waterman shot off the line to bail out his goalkeeper.

But no one could stop Miller in the 82nd minute, who took on two Atlanta defenders and cooked them en route to delivering a perfectly-weighed pass that Torres headed in to send the hosts ahead. Atlanta heaped on the offensive pressure after that, but Montréal held tough to see out the win.

Goals

4' – MTL – Kamal Miller | WATCH
51' – ATL – Marcelino Moreno | WATCH
82' – MTL – Joaquin Torres | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Montréal's 4W-3L-2D start has been tres bien for a CFM side that just missed out on an Audi MLS Cup Playoff spot last season, but has now gotten results in their last six matches after starting the season with a trio of losses. For Atlanta, meanwhile, more questions swirl as their offense appears to miss Josef Martinez, who is recovering from a knee injury, and Thiago Almada still seems to be getting acclimated to MLS play, with just a goal and no assist in 528 minutes. While there’s plenty of talent there, it’s a matter of getting all that talent to coalesce.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The decisive goal was one that Torres finished, but Miller’s work to get free for an assist is a clip that everyone (save for Atlanta players and fans) will delight in.

MAN OF THE MATCH: The Canadian international had a very good day on both sides of the ball, netting a goal and an assist while anchoring a defense that bent quite a bit and only really broke once.