Montreal Impact – Toronto FC
Saturday, April 7, 2012, 12pm (ET)
Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Television: TSN/RDS and is available on illico Mobile
MONTREAL, Quebec – Following three consecutive games on the road, the Montreal Impact (0-4-1) is back home to play its second game of the season at Olympic Stadium, this Saturday, against its Canadian rival Toronto FC (0-3-0). The game will be broadcast live on TSN/RDS and is available on illico Mobile.
Early kick-off
Kick off was changed from 1pm to 12pm (ET). The stadium doors will open at 10 am, while the ticket office and store will open at 9am.
Over 20,000 tickets have been sold for the big derby. The club invites all supporters to join La Garde to “Defend the North”, as more than 1,000 Toronto FC supporters will invade the stands for this matchup.
News and Quotes
Pregame: MTL-TOR
This will be the club’s sixth game of its inaugural season, and the second of six games at the Olympic Stadium to start the year, serving as the fourth game of the season for TFC and the second on the road.
The Impact played Real Salt Lake in its last game, Wednesday, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, losing 1-0 on a penalty shot scored by Paulo Junior in the 13th minute.
“We have to assess where we are with guys coming out of our last game” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “Everybody put a lot into the game against RSL, so we are probably going to have to put a few more new faces in the lineup, but we feel we have a really good roster. We recharge the batteries and get ready to throw it all out there again tomorrow.”
“We played a good game on Wednesday, so our mindset is positive for tomorrow,” said Italian defender Matteo Ferrari. “The most important thing is recovery following the last travel. It’s a home game, so we need to get some points. The support of our crowd will be important for us.”
“I think if we come out and play the way we did against Real Salt Lake, we’ll be successful,” said forward Justin Braun. “We feel we can compete with any team in this league and if we work hard, we’ll get some bounces.”
Toronto FC is coming off a loss to Mexican first division side Santos Laguna in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals by a score of 6-2, also on Wednesday, and is winless in three regular season games this year.
In regular season play, TFC has scored only once losing in Seattle 3-1, then 3-0 at home versus San Jose and 1-0 against Columbus, again at BMO Field. Toronto sits last in the Eastern Conference standings.
BMO Reds vs Blues
For the first time in league history, two teams with the same jersey sponsor will matchup, as the BMO Reds will face the BMO Blues.
"As a Montrealer, I will be cheering on the Impact but I'm convinced that soccer fans in Toronto and Montreal will be the ultimate winners as the natural rivalry between both cities plays out on the field in MLS,” said Jacques Ménard, President, BMO Financial Group, Quebec and Chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns
Next games
Following the home game, the Impact will play its next two games on the road, first on April 14 versus FC Dallas, at 8:30pm ET, and then on Wednesday, April 18 against D.C. United at 7:30pm ET. Both games will be broadcast live on TVA Sports.
Game Notes
- Shavar Thomas started in place of Tyson Wahl, playing all 90 minutes in his first appearance of the season for the Impact against RSL. Lamar Neagle and Collen Warner also made their first starts of the year.
- Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is currently tied for first among MLS goalkeepers with 17 saves.
- The Montreal Impact is currently second among MLS teams with 72 shots and 27 shots on goal and first in fouls committed with 80.
- Goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who hails from Hamilton, Ontario, played for TFC from 2007-2009 making 34 appearances, going 9-15-8 and recording seven shutouts.
- TFC defender and Thornhill, Ontario native Adrian Cann played with the Impact in 2004-2005, making 22 appearances and winning a championship in 2004.
- Toronto FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei has undergone surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left ankle, and will be out 4 to 6 months.
- Injury Report: OUT - D Nelson Rivas: Hamstring sprain, M Calum Mallace: Right ankle sprain. PROBABLE - D Hassoun Camara: Right quad strain, F Eduardo Sebrango: Left groin strain
