Tools to the Match: How Atlanta United advances past CF Montréal in Eastern Conference Wild Card game 

The Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off on Tuesday night with the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Wild Card game at Stade Saputo where Atlanta United is looking to advance past the hosts CF Montréal. This will be the third meeting between the two sides this season. Montréal has won the first two matchups this year, although both matches were tightly contested and each resulted in one-goal losses for the 5-Stripes. Atlanta is coming off a road win at Orlando City SC on Decision Day to leapfrog a couple of teams and secure the final playoff spot. Montréal meanwhile earned a comfortable 2-0 victory against NYCFC to finish in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Wild Card match must produce a winner, meaning if the score is tied after the full 90 minutes, it will go straight to penalties. Tuesday night’s match will be broadcast for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Let’s take a look at the Tools to the Match presented by Home Depot against CF Montréal.

Ride the positive momentum wave

Saturday night’s victory at Orlando was one of the more impressive wins for the team this season. In a must-win situation, Atlanta came out firing and scored inside the first 15 minutes for just the third time this season. The 5-Stripes added a second goal in the 16th minute and rode that early momentum all the way to the end of the match in the 2-1 victory. The win gave Atlanta a two-match winning streak heading into this Wild Card match. It will look to ride that positive momentum to secure another road victory and advance to the Round One Best-of-3 series.

Saba Lobjanidze scored his ninth goal of the season in the win at Orlando, which leads the team and set a new single-season career high mark in league play for the Georgian winger. If he can stay hot and Atlanta’s defense can contain Montreal’s dangerous attack, the 5-Stripes will have a good chance to advance.

Close down space in the box and don’t concede early

CF Montréal is coming into Tuesday’s match having won four of its last five matches to close out the regular season, including a 2-1 win on the road at Atlanta to begin October. The offense has come to life thanks to striker Josef Martinez and the other supporting cast. Caden Clark has been in good scoring form of late, netting three goals in the last five matches. In fact, Martinez and Clark combined for all nine goals during this five-match stretch. Atlanta’s defense will need to be alert of those two and the rest of Montréal’s attack. They do a lot of their damage inside the box, with 33 of 48 goals coming from inside the penalty area.

One of the other keys to the match will be to not concede early. Both teams have struggled when it comes to getting wins after conceding the first goal. Atlanta has to be solid defensively and keep Montréal off the scoreboard early to take have a chance to win on Tuesday night.

Take advantage of attacking set pieces

One of the ways to beat this Montréal side will be to take advantage of set pieces. The Canadian side has conceded 22 set piece goals during the regular season. Nine of those 22 have come from corner kicks, while they have also conceded five penalty goals during league play. Atlanta has to take advantage of the attacking set pieces that present themselves during this match on Tuesday night. Jamal Thiaré scored off a corner kick in the win at Orlando on the weekend. It was just the third goal from a corner for Atlanta, although they have looked dangerous on other occasions. Playoff matches often come down to one play, one moment of brilliance on a set piece that can decide the outcome. Atlanta needs to stay alert and take advantage when that opportunity presents itself.

Fans can tune in on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm ET when the action kicks off at Stade Saputo in Montréal, Quebec. To hear the action on radio, tune into Sports Radio 92.9 The Game (English) or La Mejor – AM 1600 (Spanish).