A new chapter to be written in the rivalry
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will play the first leg of the Canadian Championship final against Toronto FC, this Wednesday at 7:30pm at Stade Saputo (RDS [pregame show at 7pm], TSN, 98,5fm [pregame show at 7:15pm], TSN Radio 690 [pregame show at 7pm]). Excellent tickets for this rivalry game are available on impactmontreal.com.
“We know Toronto is a great rival,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “We remember how it unfolded last year. At the moment, they are the best team in the league and we face them in the Canadian Championship final. Sometimes, few words need to be said in games like these. We now have to show what we can do on the pitch.”
“The rivalry with Toronto is intense, even more so with what happened at the end of the season last year,” mentioned captain and midfielder Patrice Bernier. “The league even considered it to be the most exciting rivalry in MLS. We remember this past season and we are back in a home-and-away format. We now have the opportunity to become Canadian champions. We will do everything to have a good performance and to take the lead at home, before going to Toronto.”
The Impact recommends that supporters use public transit and get to the stadium early – doors open at 6pm. Due to transformation work at the corner of Pie-IX Blvd. and Sherbrooke St., traffic delays may occur in the Olympic Park area, notably on Charlemagne Ave., Rachel St., and Jeanne-d’Arc St.
As usual, the Bag Policy will be in effect for this Canadian Championship game. All backpacks, camera bags and large tote bags, as well as all bags bigger than 35 cm x 35 cm x 15 cm are prohibited.
Please also note that parking entrances have changed names since last season. Entrance PB is now called P5 (orange), while entrance PA has made way for entrances P1, P2 & P4 (yellow).
Unbeaten in four games
The Bleu-blanc-noir is currently on a four-game unbeaten streak, with two wins and two draws. In his last ten games played, Nacho Piatti has scored nine goals and added two assists, while his new partner Blerim Dzemaili found the back of the net three times and set up two other goals in his first four games with Montreal.
A fiery rivalry getting even hotter
After both clubs crossed swords a staggering seven times in 2016 – three times in regular season action, twice in the Canadian Championship semifinals, and twice more in the Eastern Conference final –, a minimum of five games are scheduled this season. The Impact has never lost, and in fact never even conceded a goal, at home against Toronto FC in this competition crowning the champion with the Voyageurs Cup since the club joined MLS, with a record of three wins and two draws.
TFC, the top dog in MLS
Toronto picked up where it left off in 2016, currently holding the pole position in the North American general standings. Greg Vanney’s team has only lost three games since the start of the campaign, including the Canadian Championship semifinals first leg at Ottawa Fury FC – and all losses occurred on the road. As foretold, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco, with seven goals each in all competitions, are the primary weapons of the Reds’ attack. For his part, newcomer Víctor Vázquez feeds in a more varied manner the front two, with already 10 assists since he moved to the Queen City.
Upcoming games
The Impact will play a third consecutive MLS game on the road this Saturday, June 24, at 7:30pm, against Columbus Crew SC (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). Then, the Bleu-blanc-noir will set course for BMO Field for the second leg of the Canadian Championship final, on Tuesday, June 27, at 7:30pm (RDS, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
