Montreal in good position to qualify to the next round
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will play the return leg of the Canadian Championship quarterfinal, this Wednesday, at 7:30pm, at Stade Saputo, against York9 FC. In the first leg at York Lions Stadium, Montreal managed a 2-2 draw. As a reminder, this home and away series will be decided by the total number of goals scored, with away goals scored serving as the first tiebreaker; the Impact will therefore qualify for the semifinal with a win, or a 0-0 or 1-1 draw. Excellent tickets are still available on impactmontreal.com.
“We need to bounce back. That’s how it is in high-level sports,” said head coach Rémi Garde. “It’s a game we have to win. That being said, we’re going to face a team that plays good football, like we saw in the first leg. We have to respect them, but we’ll be playing at home and we need to get the result.”
Stade Saputo's gates will at 5:30pm, allowing you to take advantage of the summer. From 5:30pm to 6:30pm, the 2-for-1 special on all drinks will be in place. A new pregame ritual, during which supporters will be able to welcome players in the stadium's North stand, will take place as of 6pm, 90 minutes before kickoff. Please note as well that our new IMFC grilled cheeses made by chef Danny Smiles will henceforth be on the concessions' menu at Stade Saputo, starting as low as $2.83 (plus tax).
The usual bag policy will be in place for this game. Backpacks, camera bags, and big tote bags, as well as any bag larger than 35cm x 35cm x 15cm will not be accepted inside the stadium.
Also, please note that more traffic than usual is to be expected in the Sherbrooke/Pie-IX/Pierre-de-Coubertin/Viau area, as well as to access the different parking lots around Stade Saputo due to roadwork.
The Viau metro station is undergoing an important renovation project. Construction on the new bus rapid transit corridor (BRT) on Pie-IX Boulevard has begun, and as such, traffic on Pie-IX between the A40 and Pierre-de-Coubertin Street will be impeded, while bus routes may be diverted. The P1, P2, P3, P4 parking lots are available. The P5 parking lot is reserved for Members with a parking pass.
Canadian Championship expanding
With the arrival of the Canadian Premier League, the Canadian Championship’s format was revisited and expanded this year. 13 clubs stemming from five different leagues now compete through five different rounds for the Voyageurs Cup and a chance to qualify to the Concacaf Champions League. The Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC enter the fray in the third round, while TFC, winners of the 2018 edition, have a bye until the semifinal.
With nine Voyageurs Cups to its name, Montreal is the team that’s most often lifted the Canadian trophy. Its last championship, in 2014, propelled the Impact all the way to the Champions League final, in 2015.
Advantage Impact for second leg
With two away goals under their belts, Rémi Garde’s men are in good position for this second leg at home, despite suffering four consecutive losses in MLS. The Impact is still unbeaten at Stade Saputo in this competition since joining MLS, with a record of six wins and four draws.
The good news doesn’t stop there for the Montreal club. Designated Player Nacho Piatti trained this week and could return as soon as this Wednesday. However, Homegrown player Daniel Kinumbe, who started in Toronto two weeks ago, will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
“The standings are very tight in MLS, and Saturday we have a game that’s a must-win,” said midfielder Saphir Taïder. “But right now, we’re solely focused on our cup game. We want to use this game to gain confidence and rediscover certain aspects that worked for us in the beginning of the season, in order to perform well on Saturday.”
Travel wary visitors
Since it faced the Impact, York9 FC has won two of its last three games, both at home. The Torontonians did, however, lose in Calgary this weekend, and they’ve collected just one win in seven away games this season. Toronto FC player on loan Ryan Telfer has been vital for York9 FC, with already two goals in five Canadian Championship games thus far.
“We want to win the cup,” said midfielder Shamit Shome. “We haven’t done well the past few years, and this team has a wonderful history in this competition, going all the way to the Champions League final. We want to compete and qualify for the next round. If we get this win, it’ll be a good boost of confidence for our MLS matches coming up. I think we can do something really good on Wednesday.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will bring a busy week of three games in eight days to a close by hosting the leaders in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Union, this Saturday, July 27, at 8pm at Stade Saputo (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98,5, TSN 690). Montreal will then fly to the Rockies to take on the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, August 3, at 9pm EDT (TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690).
