“I mean, with the form we're in now and it's a home game… I think it's fair to call us favorites,” the 21-year-old US youth international said.

However, Clark – whose 4g/4a is just nine appearances since arriving from Minnesota United FC in late summer – isn't getting carried away with the 5W-1L-1D record that takes Montreal into the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

“We don't go into this game thinking that it will be easy. Just show up and perform well,” he said. “We take it very seriously and try to keep the underdog mentality because it seems to be working for us.”

This “us against the world” mentality has brought Atlanta to this point, too – perhaps even more so. With a reported 10 percent chance of making the playoffs on Decision Day, the Five Stripes earned a gutsy 2-1 win at Orlando City SC and got help from Charlotte FC as The Crown beat DC United 3-0 at Audi Field .

“If we listened to everyone what they said, the probability would be 10 percent – why play the game?” said interim coach Rob Valentino. “Just let the data play, the simulation, and then it’s game over.”

“I think this is the point where we can look at ourselves and say, 'You know what? We have this.' You say that? No problem. But in here we actually have a faith.

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For goaltender Brad Guzan, Atlanta's Decision Day heroics may have come at just the right time for a team riding a two-game winning streak for just the second time all season.

“As much as we want to say, 'Okay, it's a fresh start,' we also want to carry the momentum from Saturday night,” the veteran said.

“And to be in a difficult environment against a good team and say, 'Right, we got a big win and now we have to do it again.' To remember the feeling of what was needed.”

Montreal, for its part, is certainly at its peak. With Laurent Courtois' side finishing their season on life support, they turned things around from September onwards, winning five of their last seven games – including a decisive 2-0 playoff victory over New York City FC on Decision Day.

“I think we proved a lot of people wrong, so it doesn’t make sense to stop now,” midfielder Bryce Duke said. “The playoffs are just around the corner, we’re just focused on what we can do and we believe in what we can do.”

Montreal's renewed belief has also been buoyed by the recent play of Josef Martínez, who scored six of his 11 goals of the season in the club's last five games – including a brace in a 2-1 win at Atlanta earlier this month.

“He makes the game pretty easy for me,” Clark said of the Venezuelan striker. “We were laughing in the locker room yesterday, just about some of the things we talked about on the field and just how easy it is to make the game.”

“I think if we can stay close and just be threatening, the three of us (with Duke) on top, and just pick our moments, then I think that's the most important thing.”

Add to that Martínez's well-known connections to Atlanta, where he won the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award and the MLS Cup in a magical 2018 season.

“When you have a history with the club and stuff like that, that’s always a little bit of motivation,” said Duke. “You saw it when we played Atlanta on the road, two goals, you see how much it means to him.”

“…You have all these little things that add up and it gives the team a little confidence, it certainly gives them confidence.”

Montreal will also have their loud home fans cheering them on from the opening whistle, which Clark believes gives them an advantage.

“The fans create a special atmosphere. I feel like when you get into it and they get into it, you kind of feel the chemistry between you and the fans,” Clark said. “It’s special.”

Courtois would love nothing more than to put on a show at the Stade Saputo and set up a best-of-three first round showdown with top seeds Inter Miami CF.

“Now we are in the process of hosting a playoff game in front of our fans and in that regard we are really happy,” Courtois said. “Now we want more. That's it. There is no arrogance, not too much humility. We just do it.”

For Atlanta, the Decision Day victory in Orlando is proof that they can pull off an upset in hostile territory for the second year in a row.

“No matter what happens outside, if we are good and sharp inside, then it doesn't matter whether you play at home or away,” said Valentino. “Playing at home is great, there’s no doubt about it. But playing away and silencing an audience is great too.”