Toronto FC Hosts CF Montreal in Crucial 401 Derby

Toronto FC welcomed Canadian rival CF Montreal to BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, on Saturday, October 10, for the latest edition of the 401 Derby, a Major League Soccer regular-season clash with significant implications for both teams' playoff ambitions. Toronto entered the Matchday 29 fixture with 29 points, while Montreal had 24, leaving both sides under pressure to improve their Eastern Conference positions.

According to Toronto FC's pregame report, the hosts had recorded six wins, 11 draws and 10 losses in 27 matches, placing them 13th in the Eastern Conference standings. Montreal occupied 15th place with six wins, six draws and 15 losses. A report from Waking The Red noted that Toronto was four points below the playoff line, while Montreal trailed by nine points with seven games remaining.

The match also offered Toronto an opportunity to extend its unbeaten run against Montreal to six consecutive MLS meetings and secure its first home victory over its rivals since May 18, 2024. Toronto FC's historical record stood at 17 wins, 14 losses and seven draws across 38 regular-season meetings, according to the club's preview.

Toronto head coach Robin Fraser emphasized the importance supporters attached to the rivalry ahead of the match.

"Recently I heard a fan say to someone that they don’t care about anything but the Montreal game, and I think that tells you pretty much what the feeling is going into this," said Robin Fraser, Toronto FC's head coach.

Toronto's recent form added urgency to the encounter. The team had gone unbeaten across seven matches from July 16 to September 9, recording four wins and three draws, before suffering three consecutive road defeats. According to Toronto FC, those losses included a 3-1 defeat to St. Louis CITY SC on September 19 and a 2-0 loss to Nashville SC the following week.

Against St. Louis, Theo Corbeanu scored in the 97th minute, bringing his season tally to two goals and three assists. Alonso Coello provided the assist, his eighth of the season. In the subsequent match against Nashville, goalkeeper Luka Gavran made nine saves despite the defeat, earning a place on the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 28.

Djordje Mihailovic's availability was another major consideration for Toronto. The midfielder, formerly of Montreal, had missed four consecutive matches with a hamstring injury. According to Waking The Red, he had registered two goals and five assists in 12 appearances during the 2026 season.

Mihailovic spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Montreal, recording 16 goals and 24 assists, before joining Toronto. His return to the lineup would offer the hosts another option as they sought to improve their attacking output after scoring just once across their previous three matches.

Toronto was expected to be close to full strength, although Walker Zimmerman remained unavailable with an ankle injury. Nelson Palacio was also sidelined, according to Waking The Red. Montreal entered the derby without Brayan Ceballos, Bode Hidalgo and Thomas Gillier, who were listed with undisclosed injuries affecting their upper or lower bodies.

Montreal also had experienced international forward Alexis Sanchez available. The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester United player had yet to record a goal contribution in 10 appearances for the club, according to Waking The Red.

Toronto's previous meeting with Montreal, played on July 16 after the FIFA World Cup 26 break, ended in a goalless draw. The hosts' last home win in the rivalry came on May 18, 2024, when Federico Bernardeschi scored a hat trick in a 5-1 victory that also featured goals from Matty Longstaff and Prince Owusu.

Toronto FC's schedule included a home match against Orlando City SC on Wednesday before an away fixture against New York Red Bulls the following Saturday. Montreal was scheduled to host Atlanta United midweek before traveling to face Seattle Sounders, with a Canadian Championship match against Forge FC set for October 21.