Orlando’s 2-0 home win over CF Montreal on February 27 was the fifth win in its last seven meetings with Montreal (D1 L1). But Montreal responded with a 4-1 home victory in the last meeting between the teams on May 7 in Canada, its first home win over Orlando since 2018.
American teams have won only two of 12 all-time playoff matches in Canada (D2 including 1 penalty shoot-out win, L8) with victories for Portland in Vancouver in the 2015 conference semis (advanced)and the Red Bulls at Toronto in the 2017 conference semis (eliminated). Seattle won the 2016 MLS Cup Final on penalties in Toronto as well after a scoreless draw.
Montreal enters the playoffs on a four-match winning streak, its first run of four consecutive wins since June-July 2018. Montreal hasn’t won more than four MLS games in a row since late 2015, when it ran off five straight wins late in that season into the playoffs.
Orlando City has qualified for the playoffs for the third straight season but is still looking for its first outright postseason win. Orlando did advance past New York City on penalties in 2020 but has lost its other two postseason games.
Montreal got goals from seemingly everywhere this season, as 12 players scored multiple goals this season, with eight of those scoring at least three. Montreal was one of three teams that had eight players score at least three times this season (Austin and Los Angeles Galaxy).
Ercan Kara led Orlando City with 11 goals in 2022, the only Lions player in double figures. Orlando City has had at least one 10-goal scorer in all eight MLS seasons, the only team in MLS history to have a player hit double figures in goals in each of its first eight seasons.
