The Montreal Impact landed in Mexico Sunday to continue its training camp in preparation for its Champions League quarterfinal series against Pachuca.
Only eight teams in the whole CONCACAF region are still alive in the tournament, and the Bleu-blanc-noir is one of them.
Now even if the Impact is playing in the North American first division – having played second division when it faced Santos Laguna in 2009 - the Impact will look to do what very few MLS teams have done in the Champions League… win in Mexico.
The Bleu-blanc-noir will also try to become the first Canadian club to find victory on Mexican soil when it plays its opening match in Pachuca at Estadio Hidalgo on February 24, at 10pm (TVA Sports).
Since the tournament took on its current Champions League format in 2008 (originally founded in 1962 as the Champions Cup), only two MLS clubs have ever won across the southern U.S. border.
Following 24 failed attempts, FC Dallas finally broke through for MLS in 2011, topping Puma UNAM 1-0 in the opening game of group play that year.
A few teams have also managed to get draws in the knockout rounds, but none have ever won. The most recent example came last year when quarterfinalists San Jose Earthquakes managed to play Toluca to a 1-1 draw at Estadio Nemesio Díez. Previously, Real Salt Lake had tied Monterrey 2-2 in the final in 2011 in Nuevo León.
The Impact will look to draw inspiration from its 2014 group stage opponents from California. A draw in the first leg could be a very good result, with the deciding match set for a raucous Olympic Stadium on March 3 at 8pm.
