Montreal Impact – Toronto FC
Amway Canadian Championship
Wednesday, May 1, 7:30pm (ET)
Stade Saputo, Montreal
TV: TVA Sports, Sportsnet
Also available on: illico mobile, illico web
MONTREAL, Quebec – The Montreal Impact plays the second leg of the 2013 Amway Canadian Championship semi-final series this Wednesday at 7:30pm (ET) against Toronto FC at Stade Saputo. The game will be broadcast live on TVA Sports and Sportsnet, or you can get live updates using the Impact mobile app or by following @impactmontreal on twitter.
There are still excellent tickets available for this crucial game.
By telephone:
Admission Network: 1-855-790-1245 – 9am-8pm, except on game day (2:30pm on game day on Wednesday)
Montreal Impact: 514-328-3668 – 9am-5pm
In person:
Stade Saputo: starting at 9am.
Online:
admission.com – Until 2:30pm on the day of the match on Wednesday
Preview: Evan Bush
Head-to-Head
TFC has a 2-0 aggregate goal series lead following its home victory last Wednesday. Ahead of that game, the two teams had previously played in regular season action in 2013, with the Impact taking the first meeting 2-1 at Olympic Stadium back on March 16. Designated Player Marco Di Vaio and midfielder Patrice Bernier scored in the win.
In Canadian Championship play, the Impact has never beaten TFC, losing seven games and tying two, including a 0-0 draw in Montreal and a 2-0 loss in Toronto in last year’s edition of the tournament.
Impact news
The Impact is coming off of a 2-0 shutout victory over the visiting Chicago Fire on Saturday, at Stade Saputo. Midfielder Andres Romero (1G, 1A) and forward Marco Di Vaio (4G) scored in the 5th win of the 2013 season.
This game will mark the third match in just seven days for the Impact - part of a six-game stretch to be played in just 18 days for the team.
The Impact is unbeaten at home in four games in 2013 (3-0-1), where Designated Player Marco Di Vaio has scored all of his goals. The Impact has outscored its opponents 6-2 in Montreal.
Defender Alessandro Nesta and Andrea Pisanu re-aggravated injuries in the game versus the Fire last weekend and are expected to miss some action.
Toronto FC news
TFC lost its last game this past weekend 2-1 to the New York Red Bulls, with midfielder Tim Cahill scoring his second of the game in extra time. This marks the fifth time TFC has allowed a goal past the 75th minute, losing points in all five of those games as a result.
Preview (FR): Marco Schällibaum
Canadian defender Doneil Henry played a strong game against the Impact last Wednesday, scoring the game’s opening goal and breaking up a number of plays in TFC’s defensive third. Forward Andrew Wiedeman scored the other.
Dutch Striker and Designated Player Danny Koevermans returned to full training this week, taking part in drills with the first team, but his return to action is yet unknown.
TFC added Argentinean youth international Matias Laba as a young Designated Player from Argentinos Juniors last week. The 21-year-old saw time with the Argentine U21 National Team and depending on receipt of his International Transfer Certificate, he could be available for selection.
Amway Canadian Championship
The tournament decides Canada’s representative in the next CONCACAF Champions League. In the other semi-final series of the tournament, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC faces Edmonton FC. The home-and-away final series will then be played on May 15 and 29. Vancouver won the first leg 3-2 last Wednesday.
Through the first five editions of the Amway Canadian Championship, the Montreal Impact was the inaugural champion in 2008, with TFC winning the tournament from 2009 to 2012.
Upcoming game
MLS regular season action will resume on the road this Saturday versus the San Jose Earthquakes at 4pm (ET) and will be broadcast live on TVA Sports.
