CARSON, California – The Montreal Impact will play, on Wednesday, the first of three preseason games in California against Major League Soccer clubs. The Impact will meet the Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, at 1:30pm (ET).
“This game will be a different style of play from what we’ve seen so far in training camp,” said Marsch. “It will be more of a measuring stick to see where we’re at right now. I know that we have worked really hard in the first three weeks and I think that everybody is pleased with the work they’ve put in. Now it’s time to put the team to the test and see how we measure up.”
The Impact will try to remain unbeaten in preseason action, after registering two wins and two ties in its recent trip to Guadalajara, Mexico.
Impact forward Brian Ching will play his first game against his former team, after joining the Impact via the 2012 Expansion Draft. The Dynamo, which played in the 2011 MLS Cup final, has won its three preseason games. However, this will be the first matchup against MLS competition for them as well.
“Our team will need to move as a unit and be on the same page. It will be important to defend as a group. I want to see how we will be able to compete against Houston,” added Marsch.
The club announced earlier today on twitter (@impactmontreal) that young Mexican forward Martin Galvan and midfielder Tom Mellor are currently on trial with the team in Los Angeles.
Galvan, 18, has played with Mexican club CD Cruz Azul over the last five years. Mellor is coming from Notre Dame College and was part of the Manchester United Youth Academy from 1999 to 2006.
Colombian midfielder Juan José Pena, who was on trial with the team in Mexico, also joined the team in California.
The Impact’s 13-day stay in Southern California includes two other exhibition games, against the Portland Timbers on February 10, and the 2011 MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy on February 14.
The Impact will kickoff its historical inaugural game in North America’s first division in just 32 days, on March 10 against Canadian rivals the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at 6pm ET, at BC Place. The club will then play its home opener at Olympic Stadium on March 17, against the Chicago Fire, at 2pm.
Season tickets are available online at impactmontreal.com or by calling 514-328-3668 while individual tickets for the five games presented at Olympic Stadium are available through Admission.
