HOT CFM BEATS FIRE
Moves up in MLS table
All it took was one shot for CF Montréal to prove victorious on Sunday afternoon.
Romell Quioto's goal in the 60th minute, on CFM'S first shot of the match, was all the home side required in its 2-0 victory over the struggling Chicago Fire on a sunsplashed late-summer day at Saputo Stadium.
CF Montréal added an insurance score in the 80th minute with an own-goal by Carlos Teran.
The victory moved CFM into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, its record improving to 10-87. The club has lost only one of its past seven games.
Goalie James Pantemis withstood some early pressure from the Fire to produce his third clean sheet this season and seventh overall for his teammates.
Chicago, which won't qualify for post-season play, saw its record drop to 6-14-5. It was the 11th time this season the Fire has failed to score and its road record is now a horrid 1-10-1. It also marked the third consecutive loss in which Chicago failed to score.
Although the Fire was completing a six-game road excursion, the visitors controlled play over the opening half and enjoyed an obvious advantage in opportunities.
In the 19th minute, Pantemis, the Kirkland native, made a diving save on Mauricio Pineda's header. Seconds later, Luka Stojanovic — Chicago's leading scorer with seven goals — set a rising shot on target. Pantemis leaped and punched the thrust away.
CFM'S best opportunity was in the 22nd minute. Mihailovic fed Joaquin Torres, who was in alone but couldn't deke 17-yearold American goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.
In the 27th, Fabian Herbers drilled a shot at Pantemis that appeared dangerous given its proximity. But it was blocked by Stojanovic, his teammate.
Through the half-hour, the Fire had a 5-1 advantage in shots, including three on target. And the visitors came close again in the 33rd when Pineda's header for the far corner was cleared by defender Rudy Camacho.
CF Montréal manager Wilfried Nancy made one substitution to begin the second half, replacing midfielder Samuel Piette with Ahmad Hamdi. But it was the Fire that came close again in the 53rd. Miguel Navarro's curling shot from a sharp angle was directed away and over the net by Pantemis.
In the 58th, Mathieu Choinière sent a short cross to Quioto. It would have been a difficult finish with his back heel for the Honduran, who was in alone, but it proved to be a harbinger.
Two minutes later, Mihailovic fed Quioto. In alone, Quioto buried the opportunity with panache for his fifth goal this season and third in four games. For Mihailovic, it marked his 11th assist of the year.
Quioto had a goal and two assists in last Wednesday's 4-2 victory at Orlando City.
Chicago believed it tied the match in the 77th on a goal by second-half substitute Alvaro Medran, but the play was ruled offside.
Carlos Teran's own goal — Mathieu Choinière was attempting to set up Hamdi — sealed the Fire's fate.