Although the team still has three games left in the regular season, which ends this Sunday, the Montreal players want to collect the title as quickly as possible.
"There’s no doubt we want to seal the outcome of the season on our first try," said midfielder Patrick Leduc, who is one game shy of his 100th career A-League game. "Especially that we’ll be at home, we’ll be in front of our crowd that supported us all season long, so it would be nice to give this to them as a gift."
After playing games in Quebec City and Sherbrooke, head coach Nick DeSantis’ squad will be at Claude Robillard Sports Complex for the first time since August 6. Since then, the club has clinched a playoff berth.
Although DeSantis plans to give certain veterans some time off, Wednesday, he doesn’t expect his players to take their opponents lightly, although Edmonton, which has been taken over by the A-League, is last in the Western Conference (4-16-6).
"We have three games over the next five days, and then it’ll be the playoffs, so it’s only normal that some guys will get some rest," said DeSantis. "But there’s no doubt that we want to win this game, just like we want to win every time we play at home."
According to the Impact coach, the Alberta-based team, which held the Impact to a 1-1 tie last June 15 in Edmonton and has picked up two of its four victories over the last month, will have things to prove against his squad.
"Playing a first-place team is always a motivation for players," said DeSantis. "And any team that comes into Montreal and sees the big crowds will not want to sit on their heels. There’s also the fact that their Canadian players, given the club’s situation, will want to showcase what they can do."
A win or a tie against Edmonton, Wednesday, would also allow the Impact to win the Voyageurs Cup, which is awarded to the top Canadian team in the A-League, for the third straight season.
FIRST PLAYOFF HOME GAME: SEPT. 5
Although the Impact’s opponent in the playoffs is still unknown, Montreal is sure to have home-field advantage in the first round and the date for the first post-season home game has been set: it will be Sunday, September 5 at 7:00 pm, a match-up that will be broadcast live on Fox Sports World.
Tickets for the playoffs are currently on sale at the Impact office (514-328-3668) or via the Admission Network. Prices are the same than in the regular season: $15 for reserved seating, $10 (adults) and $5 (kids) in general admission.
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SOURCE:
bcomm
INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
