Victor Wanyama gets first start of the season as CF Montreal share spoils in cup tie

Victor Wanyama gets first start of the season as CF Montreal share spoils in cup tie

Joel Omotto 09:00 - 08.05.2024

Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama got a rare start at his club as he made the starting X1 in CF Montreal’s Canadian Cup quarter-final first leg match on Tuesday.

Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama started his first game of the season when he made the starting X1 in CF Montreal’s 1-1 draw against Forge in the Canadian Cup quarter-final on Tuesday.

Wanyama, who has endured another difficult spell at the club, got a rare start as coach Laurent Courtois run the changes in the Cup game which was played away in what was the first of the two-legged quarter-final.

The Kenyan international played in a two-man midfield alongside Canadian Mathieu Choiniere as Courtois kept faith with his three-man defence and managed to play 90 minutes for the first time this season.

It was the home side who broke the deadlock when Canadian winger David Choiniere scored a 31st minute goal but Montreal replied through substitute Bryce Duke’s 52nd minute equaliser.

Efforts by Montreal to find the winner proved futile as their hosts stayed firm and Wanyama and Co will hope to complete the job at home in the second leg.

Montreal are looking to get their first piece of silverware after a trophy less 2022-23 campaign that claimed the job of former coach Hernand Losada and the Canadian Cup presents the best possible opportunity.

Wanyama will hope that he impressed his coach on Tuesday to hand him an extended stay into the team after making five substitute appearances in 10 matches prior.

The 32-year-old has become a bench warmer at the club just like it was in the second half of last season and even after assurances of a change in fortune from Courtois, it has not materialised yet.

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