MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact looks to win the Voyageurs Cup title for a third consecutive time as it hosts the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship finals against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday night, at the exceptional time of 7:30pm, at Stade Saputo (Sportsnet World, TVA Sports, sportsnet.ca, 98,5fm).
Tickets for members appear in their season ticket packages as Game to be determined. Members with reserved parking must also use their parking tickets entitled Game to be determined.
“We have confidence going in and it’s another final for us,” said Impact head coach Frank Klopas. “We take every game serious, and we have had a lot of success as a club in this tournament, so we want to win it again.”
The Impact looks to return to the CONCACAF Champions League tournament in 2016/17 following its historical run to the finals earlier this year. In 2013, IMFC hoisted the Canadian trophy at BC Place in Vancouver when the two-leg series was tied 2-2, with Montreal again winning by virtue of the away goals rule (first tiebreaker).
“We want to win a third championship in a row and get back to the Champions League,” said midfielder Maxim Tissot. “The first one we won on their field in dramatic fashion, so we’ve done it before. They have a great squad and are first in the Western Conference. They are a young and fast team, but if we can hold off their midfield, we can be successful.”
Vancouver reached the final after a close battle with FC Edmonton from the NASL, when both teams played to a 1-1 draw at BC Place in the first leg, while Vancouver ultimately took the return leg 2-1 in Edmonton.
Although changes are expected to the starting XI for the midweek matchup, the ‘Caps have won three straight matches in MLS, outscoring their opponents 10-1 in the process.
Montreal advanced after beating Toronto FC on the away goals rule with the two teams tied 3-3 on aggregate. The Impact won the first leg 1-0 in Montreal, while Toronto fought back at home in the second leg to take a late 3-1 lead at BMO Field. However, former Toronto FC player Dominic Oduro scored in the 84th minute to tie the aggregate and give the bleu-blanc-noir that vital away goal to send them to the finals.
Patrice Bernier will miss the first leg with a one-game suspension following yellow card accumulation, but midfielder Justin Mapp has been cleared by doctors and will be available for selection Wednesday night.
The return and final match of this year’s Championship will air live on Wednesday, August 26, at 10pm ET on Sportsnet One, Sportsnet World and TVA Sports. But before that, the Impact will host the Philadelphia Union at Stade Saputo on August 22, at 8pm (tickets).
