Welcome back to the Canadian MLS Roundup for week thirteen, as we take a look across the three Canadian MLS teams, assessing their form and any relevant story-lines from the week.

Vancouver vs. Austin (0-0)

Hopes were high for Vancouver, after the absolute trashing the they had handed out in their last meeting with Austin, but such hopes do not often materialise twice in a row. 

The Whitecaps struggled to hold their own in the midfield, forcing them to fend off what felt, at times, like a barrage of shots while producing very few chances of their own. The stats showed Austin with three times as many shots as Vancouver, and the usual powerhouse of Brian White, Emmanuel Sabbi, and Ali Ahmed in front felt like it was having trouble performing cohesively.

Some have suggested that the result was due to exhaustion from travel and the busy schedule or the abominable heat the match was played in, but those are concerns that will be twice as present in the CONCACAF final. Jesper Sørensen opined in his post match interview that it was the worst game of the season so far.

If there are positives to be had, it is that ultimately the defence did hold. It takes a lot to get past the Vancouver Whitecaps final fortress, unless you are Valour FC, so a point is a point.

Montreal vs. Columbus (1-1)

A struggling squad facing one of the best teams in North America, the fans were elated when defender Luca Petrasso was able to get a goal in the first half, and spirits were high opening the second half.

However, the hard push of Columbus would tell in the long run. Montreal had difficulty getting more shots (with their goal being 1 of only 4 shots) and they were heavily pressed for much of the second half. Over 90 minutes, skill tells unless you are lucky. As it was, Montreal claimed a 1-1 tie and another point.

There is no shame in a tie against a much stronger team, but it is hard to not feel gutted that they were unable to claim a win here. As Ted Lasso says “It’s the hope that kills you”.

Toronto vs. Cincinnati (0-1)

Robert Fraser had opined after their match against DC that Toronto had played their best 45 minutes of the season to date, so expectations have been increased in Toronto.

Cincinnati is a very different kettle of fish, however, being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, as the two faced off for a Wednesday game on the 14th.

Cincinnati is a strong team, though often not a high scoring one, and they were able to establish themselves quite quickly with a 1 goal lead at 18 minutes. From there, they were able to control much of the game, edging out Toronto in both possession and managing far more shots (15 total, 7 on target).

It’s easy to assume the defence did not hold up since the game was, after all, a loss for TFC. Yet, in the end, only one went in for Cincy. The real problem felt like it was in the midfield, where Cincinnati had a clear advantage over the boys in red.

Toronto vs. Montreal (6-1)

Rivalry week saw the two other Canadian sides face each other once again, having done so in April in the Canadian Championship. There, Montreal got the upper hand on penalties, after a tense 2-2 match. Between the past performance, beating New York City, and squaring off against Columbus, hopes were there that MTL could deliver a satisfying performance against a hated rival.

If there was any hope that this would be easy, that was dispelled immediately, as Toronto took an early lead and shortly thereafter Joel Waterman was sent off for a red card. Being a man down when you are barely through a quarter hour is a tough challenge, and Toronto took advantage immediately, finishing the half 3-0.

The second half saw Federico Bernadeschi bring the score to 4-0. A bit of handy footwork would get at least one goal for Montreal, but when the final whistle blew, the count was 6-1 to the visitors, representing over a third of Toronto’s goals all season in MLS play.

What’s Next

Vancouver gains a point from their outing against Austin, allowing them to remain 3 points ahead of Minnesota in the West, but allowing both Philadelphia and Cincinnati to get a point ahead in the Supporters Shield. Adding to the concerns about recent form, the Canadian Championship match against Valour FC resulted in a 2-2 draw. Getting ties instead of losses is still getting points, but some fans are starting to wonder if this is indicative of a slump setting in. The weekend will see them against Salt Lake for another away trip. Salt Lake has had a mixed start to their campaign with only 4 wins, giving Vancouver a chance to come back in full swing. I am fully optimistic about Jesper-ball, but it will be telling if exhaustion from the schedule is starting to factor.

For Toronto, picking up 3 more points in their rivalry week gets them to a total of 13 points, keeping them ahead of Atlanta and well ahead of Montreal. In the Supporters Shield, it gets them up to 25th and with two teams in striking range. This Saturday sees them against Nashville, current 4th best in the Conference. The two teams are not dramatically different in their statistical performance but with Toronto still struggling on the offensive coordination, they will have to fight as hard as they can to make gains here.

Montreal picked up a point, and is no doubt smarting after the bludgeoning they received from Toronto. Luckily, having won anything at all puts them ahead of LA Galaxy, but it is looking grim. They will square against LAFC next. LAFC is a high scoring team, though their defence has been somewhat lacking. Good passing accuracy and a high rate of shots on target will spell difficulties for the Quebec side.

Adding to the struggle, Montreal also suffered a first leg loss against Forge FC in the Canadian Championship, meaning they must perform stronger in the second leg to not get routed from the cup.