Toronto FC hope to keep playoff hopes alive vs. CF Montreal

Toronto FC will look to extend their point streak to four matches and finish August with an unbeaten record when they host CF Montreal on Saturday night.

The Reds (5-13-9, 24 points) will look to keep their slim MLS Cup playoff hopes alive and sweep the season series against Montreal at BMO Field.

Toronto, which sits a point up on Montreal (5-15-8, 23 points) in the Eastern Conference table and 15 points back of the playoff line with seven matches remaining, thumped Montreal 6-1 back on May 17.

The Reds played Atlanta to a scoreless draw on Sunday with keeper Sean Johnson recording his seventh clean sheet of the season. With the result, Toronto has points in three straight and five of seven (1-2-4) but have just one win in that stretch - a 1-0 victory over San Diego on July 16.

"We've worked really hard to have a good team defending," Toronto coach Robin Fraser said. "We'll work on that as well. Montreal does some different and interesting things, so we have to be prepared for that.

"On the attacking end, we have to keep working and keep working on our timing and our execution and final part of the field."

Montreal travels to Toronto with points in four straight (2-0-2) and looking for back-to-back victories following a 3-2 win over Austin FC last Saturday.

Hennadii Synchuk, Dante Sealy and Prince Owusu each scored a goal in the win over Austin - just the second regular-season home victory for Montreal.

Saturday could see the MLS debut of Spanish midfielder Ivan Jaime. Montreal acquired the designated player on loan from FC Porto on Aug. 22.

"I hope he's ready to play some minutes against Toronto, even if it's difficult to integrate a new player," interim head coach Marco Donadel said.

"We are ready and happy to welcome him."

-Field Level Media