CF Montreal’s playoff hopes took another significant hit with a 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC on Wednesday night at Stade Saputo. This was a script that has felt all too familiar for Montreal. They have the unfortunate habit of opening the scoring at home, but poor game management results in dropped points — so many that a post-season berth is increasingly unlikely with every matchday. Montreal is eight points back of New York City FC for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Daniel Rios opened the scoring for Montreal (5-13-6), while Liel Abada equalized and Idan Toklomati bagged the late winner for Charlotte (11-7-6), who continued their climb up the East standings. “It’s like you’re about to get a dangling carrot, and you lose it at the last second. That’s an analogy often reserved for donkeys, so I don’t love it, but I’m starting to understand the donkey’s perspective,” said head coach Philippe Eullaffroy. “The good thing is that when the carrot moves, so does the donkey, so we have to follow its example with the belief that we’re going to get that carrot and thoroughly appreciate it.” Even with significant additions in the summer transfer window and crucial players returning from injury, Montreal has not managed to pull itself out of a horrible run of results dating back to the return from the World Cup break. Currently sitting in the Eastern Conference’s basement, Montreal has won just one of its last 11 games in all competitions, including a home record that does not feature a Major League Soccer win since May 9. “Effort doesn’t really cut it. We have to be ruthless in their box, and we have to be more organized if we want to win games of football; it’s that simple,” said midfielder Matty Longstaff. “We struggle to understand parts of the game as a group. We aren’t really performing in terms of goals, assists, and keeping the ball out of the net.” Under a torrential rainstorm, Montreal immediately took the game to Charlotte in the opening stages of the game and controlled the majority of the ball in dangerous areas on the pitch. In the 34th minute, Montreal found the back of the net. After several consecutive waves of attacks, Luca Petrasso’s cross found the head of Rios, who sent a powerful header into the bottom corner, giving the hosts the lead. Charlotte took three minutes to respond. Allan Saint-Maximin was sprung in behind the defence on a counterattack and found Abada, who made no mistake by firing a powerful shot off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. “I wouldn’t say it’s bad emotional management; it’s bad management of the overall game story, which is surely a focus and mental discipline problem. We could’ve easily gone into halftime with the lead, but we didn’t,” said Eulaffroy. “There are teams that we play against with a higher quality offensive output, and too often that is the deciding factor in games.” Charlotte undertook the second half in a manner more befitting of a team that has lost just one of its last ten MLS games and forced Montreal into a defensive block early. With the rain marginally dying down and fatigue beginning to set in, the game opened up drastically. Montreal was first to create a golden opportunity when Rios’ pressure in the Charlotte penalty area led to a point-blank shot from Alexis Sanchez that he sent flying over the net. In the 81st minute, Charlotte punished Montreal’s lack of finish. In a rare venture forward, David Schnegg found a wide-open Toklomati alone in the penalty area, who secured the three points for the visitors. “You have to feel frustrated; if the emotions aren’t hitting you, you shouldn’t be playing for this club,” said Longstaff. “For the next couple of days, it has to hurt. It can’t become a culture where people get used to it; it’s got to hurt, and it’s got to sting.” Up next Charlotte: Head to FC Cincinnati on Saturday. Montreal: Travel to Colorado to face the Rapids on Saturday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026.
