Nashville gets road win at CF Montreal, 1-0

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:04 am

Nashville SC earned their second consecutive road win of the season, defeating CF Montreal 1-0 on Saturday.

Nashville (10-2-11, 41 points) extended its unbeaten streak to five games.

Goalkeeper Joe Willis recorded his 10th shutout of the season, setting a career high.

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The loss ended Montreal's (8-8-7, 31 points) unbeaten run at four games.

Montreal's offense struggled to get through a strong Nashville defensive side in the first half, reaching the target only once on six attempts on a Djordje Mihailovic shot that found a seam but was stopped by Willis.

The club had its best chance of the half in the 28th minute when midfielder Ahmed Hamdi fed Mathieu Choiniere on the left side of the box, but the latter ran out of real estate trying to drive to the net.

Nashville had the higher quality chances in the opening 45 minutes, getting four of their eight shot attempts on goal.

Montreal goalkeeper James Pantemis, in his first start since Aug. 4, was sharp, denying Daniel Rios from the right side and Hany Mukhtar short-side minutes apart, and getting his hands on a C.J. Sapong shot from the penalty arc in the 36th minute.

The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock in the 48th minute on a Rios centering feed for Sapong but Pantemis got the leg out for a kick save. In the 62nd minute, Pantemis denied Sapong again when he got his hands on a shot off a cross to deflect the ball over the net.

Nashville finally got one by Pantemis in the 66th minute on central defender Walker Zimmerman's header off Mukhtar's free kick to make it 1-0.

Montreal had one of its best chances for the equalizer in the 74th minute when defender Mustafa Kizza had an open look from inside the box, but Willis was quick on the save and Zimmerman blocked Sunusi Ibrahim on the rebound attempt at the goalmouth.