CD Heredia – Montreal Impact
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 – 10pm (ET)
Stadium: Estadio Cementos Progreso
TV: Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Viewing party: Rodizio Brasil (160 Notre-Dame East)
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – The Montreal Impact (1-0-0) heads to Guatemala to take on CD Heredia (0-0-0) in its second game of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage this Wednesday at 10 pm (ET) at Estadio CementosProgreso, in Guatemala City. The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
This will be the first game on the road, after earning a 1-0 shutout victory over the San Jose Earthquakes at Stade Saputo back on August 7. In that win, defender Hassoun Camara scoreda header off of a set piece free-kick taken by newcomer Hernán Bernardello in his first game with his new club.
CONCACAF Champions League
Following a 0-0 tie in the first leg in Montreal and a 2-2 tie in the return leg in Vancouver, the Impact won the Voyageurs Cup against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and punched its ticket for the CONCACAF Champions League as Amway Canadian Champions.
In the group phase, the Impact faces the San Jose Earthquakes, winners of the 2012 MLS Supporters Shield, and Guatemaleanclub CD Heredia, finalists in the Clausura championship afterCommunicaciones already qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League, over two legs.
The Impact won the first edition of the Canadian championship in 2008 and went on to reach the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, winning the home leg against Mexican first division club Santos Laguna in front of 55,571 spectators at Olympic Stadium, on February 25, 2009.
The remaining two games of the group stage are set for September.
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Impact news
The Impact will be playing the second of three matches in just eight days, hosting the Houston Dynamo in an Eastern Conference clash, next Saturday at Stade Saputo.
The Impact is undefeated in five straight home games over all competitions after last Saturday’s matchup, topping the visiting D.C. United 2-1 thanks to a brace by Impact Designated Player Marco Di Vaio in front of its second sellout of the season at Stade Saputo.
However, the Impact has struggled on the road as of late, winless in its last five contests (0-4-1), including a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire in its latest road matchup. Felipe scored a highlight reel goal in the second half after entering the game as a sub.
Patrice Bernier, Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta did not travel with the team to Guatemala due to light injuries.
CD Heredia news
Heredia has played three games in its 2013-2014 campaign. The Jaguars fell to powerhouse Communicaciones at home by a 2-0 score in its opening game on August 4 but triumphed over Universidad 3-0 on August 10 on the road.
Like the Impact, Heredia also has two league games that bookend the CCL matchup, including its 1-0 victory in its most recent matchup last Saturday versus Marquense.
Heredia now sits in 5th place in the league standings, just three points behind its arch rivals from Guatemala City, Communicaciones, who currently hold first place.
CD Heredia is participating in its first ever CONCACAF Champions League. The club normally plays its home games at Estadio Del Monte, but the stadium does not respect the standards of CONCACAF.
Striker Osmar Lopez is leading his team with three goals in two games played this season. The other goal was scored by Brazilian forward Anderson Andrade.
National team players forward Enrique Miranda and midfielder Wilfred Velasquez are also on the CD Heredia roster.
CD Heredia’s roster
GK – J. Calderon; D. Mendez
D – R. Arias, Rodolfo Gonzalez, H. Medina, V. Hernandez, D. Campos, W. Garcia, F. Garcia;
M – E. Cotto, S. de Matta, W. Garcia, R. Gonzalez, M. Raquec, W. Velazquez, D. Espinoza, F. Garcia, S. Guevara, H. Pereira;
F - A. Andrade, R. De Leon, O. Lopez, E. Miranda, A. Ruana
Upcoming games
The Impact will return home to face off against the Houston Dynamo in MLS regular season play on Saturday, at 7pm (ET), at Stade Saputo.
The team will play its third of four CONCACAF Champions League matches on September 17, at 10pm ET, versus the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium.
