In 1996, when there were no ties in the league, the Impact came up with 11 straight wins in front of its fans, June 9 to September 4, from the third local game to the last of the regular schedule. This winning stretch resumed at the start of the 1997 season and was increased to 14 games.
And now, the 2006 edition of the Impact threatens to surpass that mark, which isn’t surprising, considering that since De Santis has been at the helm of the team, it has posted a cumulative record of 26-3-9 at home in regular-season match-ups.
“You want to set a mentality of winning at home, ” says the head coach. “We try to have that extra edge so that teams will wonder what it will take to beat us. And the more you win, the more this goes on.”
“Over the years, because we’ve had success, teams come into Montreal hoping for a tie and consider that a good result,” says captain Mauro Biello. “We know that, and we always come out strong to be dominant. Most teams sit back and try not to open up too much and we have taken that to our advantage.”
“At this point, it’s mostly a psychological advantage,” says midfielder Patrick Leduc. “From a technical aspect, we can’t say that we always play our best games in Montreal, but we still find ways to win.”
The home crowds are also a key asset, say De Santis, Biello and Leduc. All the more considering how large they are game after game, as demonstrated by the average of 11,628 spectators per game that has been registered so far this season — above last year’s record-setting average of 11,176.
“We have a lot of local players on the team, and you always want to do well in front of your family and friends, ” says Biello. “You are more focused because you don’t want to disappoint them.”
“The crowd plays an important part mentally,” points out Leduc. “Combined with the experience of local players, it intimidates the opponent. When opposing players know they’ll have to face players like Biello, Pizzolitto and Gervais and that 13,000 people are going to be in the stands, they know it’s going to be tough, that they’ll have a steep hill to climb. If, in addition, we start controlling the flow of the play, it plays on their minds even further.”
The crowds have been an even greater asset these last few weeks : attendance has surpassed the 13,000 mark in each of the last three home games, a first in team history for regular-season play.
“There is no doubt that you want to win in front of your crowd, ” says De Santis. “You know you have the media, the fans, the pressure — that’s the environment that every professional athlete aspires to, and it pushes you to play and perform at another level.”
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