Impact approaching end of season one game at a time
It would be easy for the Impact to look ahead and get excited for what it can potentially accomplish this year. With four games left in the regular season, Montreal remains in the middle of the playoff race despite being right outside the playoff picture, with only five points separating them from D.C. United, presently in fourth.
But Wilmer Cabrera’s men are doing no such thing. Knowing that the road to the fall tournament is a long and arduous one, the Impact is approaching this end of season one game at a time, starting with the first ever visit of FC Cincinnati at Stade Saputo, this Saturday at 7:30pm (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98.5).
“We’re focused on this week and on our game against Cincinnati,” said goalkeeper Evan Bush. “We need to get ourselves back into a position where we can have some confidence moving forward. We need three points this weekend, and then we have a cup game on Wednesday. We can see where we are afterwards.”
The team’s focus will then temporarily shift to the Canadian Championship final, where the Impact will take on Toronto FC over two legs to try and get its hands on the Voyageurs Cup and a place in the Concacaf Champions League, with the first leg taking place on September 18, at Stade Saputo (TICKETS – 98.5).
The schedule has definitely been hectic for the club as the 2019 season winds down, which is why this two-week international break – which comes to a close this weekend – couldn’t have come at a better time. Most importantly, it’s allowed new head coach Wilmer Cabrera to finally catch his breath and take some time to instill his philosophy within the squad.
“We need to be open to some instructions and guidance regarding the way we want to play,” added Bush. “We haven’t had much time to discuss how we wanted to play, so I think these two weeks were a great opportunity for us to absorb all that information, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we’re going to play on Saturday.”
Montreal will play three of its final four MLS games at Stade Saputo, where the team has managed a positive record this year, but it won’t be easy by any means: after hosting FC Cincinnati, Atlanta United FC and the New York Red Bulls will visit Montreal, with the Impact travelling to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy in their only road game remaining.
“Our mentality and work rate are going to be extremely important for us until the end of the season,” said striker Maxi Urruti. “When the Montreal Impact plays well, we’re a different team, and at home we can be even stronger. We have the support of the fans and it makes us want to give our all.”
