CF Montreal eliminated from playoff contention with 2-0 loss to MLS-best Nashville SC

MONTREAL — CF Montreal has officially been eliminated from playoff contention after a 2-0 loss to Nashville SC at Stade Saputo on Saturday afternoon.

Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar scored for Nashville (21-3-7).

The visitors secured their first Supporters’ Shield in franchise history, which is awarded to Major League Soccer’s best team at the end of the regular season.

The loss comes three days after Montreal fell to Canadian Premier League side Forge FC in the Canadian Championship final. It was the first time a CPL team won the Canadian Championship.

Montreal (6-18-7) entered the game with a heavily rotated squad from the final, including the return of Dante Sealy from injury and the debut of 17-year-old Samsy Keita in goal.

As such, the hosts opened the game with a renewed energy not normally seen by teams fighting at the bottom of the table.

Nearing the half-hour mark, Montreal had not only grown into the game, but were the main drivers of play against Major League Soccer’s top-ranked side. However, they were unable to find any kind of breakthrough in the open 45 minutes as the best defence in the league held the fort.

Nashville came out of the break a completely different team. They pressed higher up the pitch and forced Montreal into poor clearances.

Nashville took advantage of one of those clearances to take the lead just seven minutes after the restart. Reed Baker-Whiting’s deflected cross found an unmarked Surridge, who made no mistake with a header.

While Montreal showed signs of life following the goal, little of that generated concrete scoring opportunities, and the hosts always seemed a split second disconnected from one another.

On the other hand, Nashville’s press continued to work effectively and generated a second goal with ten minutes left.

Following a giveaway from Bryan Vera while building out from the back, Mukhtar was able to get in alone against the keeper and slide the ball past Keita, putting the final nail in the coffin.

UP NEXT

Montreal: Travel to Charlotte on Oct. 28.

Nashville: Host the Philadelphia Union on Oct. 28.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.

Elias Grigoriadis, The Canadian Press