Our club battled for 180 minutes and eliminated a team that scored more goals than any other club this season. Once again, we showed how well our team is playing collectively and how close we are as a group.
We knew that the two matches would be very different because of the playing surface and field dimensions in Austin, but we adapted very well to the difficult conditions.
In Austin on Saturday, we had to change our style of play to have success on their field. Normally, we like to use our midfielders to move the ball around, but we opted for a more direct style of play in order to minimize turnovers. We didn’t want to allow the Aztex to get any scoring chances on quick transitions.
I’m really proud of the collective effort demonstrated by all 24 players on this team. Every player knows his role. It’s understandable that everyone wants to play, but there are only 11 starters and five substitutions every match. Despite that, the intensity at practice is always very high, even from the guys playing less. That kind of attitude brings a lot of energy to the rest of the team. I hope that collective effort continues because it really is our strong suit.
Within this group, there are a few individual examples that help to explain our recent success.
Since his arrival with the Impact, Ali (Gerba) has been carrying himself as a true professional. He came to Montreal with a humble attitude and a strong desire to help the Montreal Impact win. In my opinion, he’s the best centre-forward in Canada and he’s been proving that for the last few weeks.
The oldest player on the team is Eduardo Sebrango and he’s one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of someone who goes above and beyond. His professionalism and the way he works hard in training have led to very positive results as of late.
Our midfield showed a lot of control in the last few matches. We have a lot of depth and all players at this position have proved that they bring something to this club.
And behind a very solid defense, our goalkeepers played a big game on Saturday. Matt Jordan made some key saves in the first half and Srdjan Djekanovic kept the team in the game after taking over for Matt.
I’m expecting a very tight semifinal. Like us, the RailHawks have a style of play based on ball possession. The two matches will be played at a high level, but this time, the fields at both stadiums have an excellent pitch.
Once again, we’ll have the opportunity to start the series at home, in front of our fans. We’re hoping for a good result that’ll put pressure on the RailHawks’ shoulders.
Since the club started playing at Saputo Stadium in 2008, we’ve always wanted it to be very difficult for visiting clubs to play here. With our fans behind us, I think we’re making that happen more and more. The players really appreciate the support of the fans and truly love playing at home.
We’re very lucky to be playing at Saputo Stadium with the support of the 12th player. Fans in Vancouver and Puerto Rico are behind their clubs, but not like in Montreal. I would like to thank all the supporters who came out to watch our match versus Austin on October 6, despite the cold and rainy weather. We felt the fans behind us the entire time and it really made a difference. We hope to see even more people on Thursday night and would love for it to be even louder and more intimidating for the RailHawks players.
In conclusion, when we look at the four teams that have qualified for the semifinals, I feel the clubs with the greatest identities have emerged. Despite the highs and lows of the regular season, it’s the hard work, stability and identity that make a difference at the end of the day.
Until next time,
Marc Dos Santos
Head coach
Montreal Impact
