CF Montreal vs. Columbus Crew – MLS, May 1, 2021

The Crew will be looking to build on an impressive result against Mexican giant Monterrey when they face off against CF Montreal in Florida on Saturday, May 1.

Against the odds, Caleb Porter’s men secured a 2-2 draw in the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.

On the flip side, Montreal is sitting pretty at the Eastern Conference summit, having taken four points from a possible six this season.

If you’re here for my CF Montreal vs. Columbus Crew prediction and betting pick – keep reading!

First off, it is worth noting that Montreal’s temporary home is Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium – meaning neither of the teams will benefit from true home-field advantage on Saturday.

With that in mind, the high price for the Columbus win stands out at first glance.

Montreal has made a strong start to life under Wilfried Nancy, but there is no denying that Columbus should claim all three points this weekend.

It’s safe to say that Nancy could not have asked for much more from his players on the opening weekend of the 2021 MLS season.

Mason Toye, Romell Quioto, Victor Wanyama, and Dorde Mihailovic all got on the scoresheet as Montreal claimed a 4-2 victory a fortnight ago. Oh, and the thrashing was handed out to bitter rivals Toronto FC.

Last time out, Montreal raced into a 2-0 lead against Nashville, with Toye netting in successive matches. Nashville scored two second-half goals to snatch a draw, but importantly, Montreal remained unbeaten.

Few could argue that Nancy hasn’t had a big impact on the team since replacing Thierry Henry.

Nancy’s men must now maintain their intensity against the 2020 MLS Cup champions.

Columbus has only played one MLS game so far this term, securing a hard-fought goalless draw with reining Supporters’’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union.

If their recent performances in the CONCACAF Champions League are anything to go by, Porter’s men look set for another successful campaign.

Having clinched a 5-0 aggregate victory over Real Esteli, the Crew was drawn against Monterrey in the quarter-finals. Heading into Wednesday’s first leg as the underdog, Columbus managed to come away with a spirited 2-2 draw.

In fact, the reigning MLS Cup champions dominated the Mexicans for large spells of the match – enjoying 62% possession. Lucas Zelarayan appeared to have sealed an unexpected victory on 87 minutes, only for Monterrey to net a stoppage-time equalizer.

If Porter’s men can carry their momentum into Saturday’s clash, they should be too strong for Montreal.

Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been super impressed with Montreal this season. The Canadians haven’t been afraid to attack their opponents, so I can see them picking up plenty of positive results in the coming months.

That said, the manner with which Columbus battled against Monterrey in midweek was hugely impressive. The defending MLS Cup champs proved they could compete with Mexico’s top teams, so they should be able to get the better of Montreal without any issues.

The away win is my CF Montreal vs. Columbus Crew prediction.