Montreal Impact – Toronto FC
Amway Canadian Championship
Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 8pm (ET)
Olympic Stadium, Montreal
TV Broadcast: Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Also available on: illico Mobile, illico Web
MONTREAL, Quebec –The Montreal Impact is set to face Toronto FC in the first leg of the 2012 Amway Canadian Championships this Wednesday at Olympic Stadium, 8pm ET. The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports and is also available on illico Mobile, and illico Web.
Season tickets are still available online at impactmontreal.com or by calling 514-328-3668 while individual for all games presented at the Olympic Stadium are also available through the Admission network or at the ticketing office.
News and comments
“These are the kind of games that you remember as a player in your career,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “In derbies, knockouts or games with more on the line, the best players play their best in these moments. I think we have a lot of quality players who are ready for this challenge. We are in good state of mind and we have a full belief in who we are and what we are about. Now we have to continue to put the foot down on the pedal every day.”
The Impact, 2-5-2 in regular season play, beat the Portland Timbers 2-0 last Saturday to remain undefeated at home (2-0-1). Bernardo Corradi and Sinisa Ubiparipovic scored while Donovan Ricketts earned his first shutout this season.
Toronto, which has lost its seven games so far this season, is coming off a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on the weekend in stoppage time. Defender Doneil Henry and midfielder Eric Avila, whose marker is up for MLS Goal of the Week honours, scored in the loss.
“Toronto is a much better team than their results show this season,” said Impact midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic. “This Canadian title is important for all clubs participating, so I think we’ll need to put forth our best effort against them on Wednesday.”
The Impact has never beaten TFC in Canadian Championship play, going 0-5-1 in six total matches, despite winning the first ever title in 2008, and making it past the group stage into the quarterfinals of the CONCACF Champions League against Santos Laguna.
TFC has taken the last three titles and were semi-finalists this year, losing to Santos Laguna. On April 4, Toronto FC lost to Mexican first division side in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals by a score of 6-2.
“We talked a bit about how important this game is,” said forward Eduardo Sebrango, who scored three goals against Santos Laguna. “We are taking the game very seriously. Toronto has been in a tough spot recently, so we expect them to come out hard. Any time we can beat Toronto is good for our fans.”
Former German international Torsten Frings has played in the last two games for TFC following a thigh injury that sidelined the midfielder for five games. Defender and Thornhill native Adrian Cann has played in TFC’s last three matches, all starts, after missing almost a year of action due to an injury and sub sequential surgery. He played with the Impact in 2004 and 2005, making 22 appearances and winning a championship in 2004.
About the Canadian Championship
The four-team tournament, which includes the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and FC Edmonton (NASL), will determine which club will lift the Voyageurs Cup and earn the right to represent Canada in the 2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League.
The Whitecaps will be playing FC Edmonton on Wednesday, May 2 at 10pm (ET) at the Commonwealth Stadium, in the first leg of the other semi-final. The return leg will be played next Wednesday, May 9, at 11pm (ET), at BC Place.
The winner of each semi-final will face off on May 16 and 23. The team with the better record will decide which of the two games will be played at home.
Next games
The Impact will then travel to Kansas City to face Sporting KC on Saturday, May 5, at 8:30 pm ET.
The Impact plays the second leg of the Canadian Championship next Wednesday, May 9, at 8pm in Toronto before returning to Montreal to meet David Beckham and the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 12, at 4pm at Olympic Stadium.
Game Notes
- Three Impact players have played all 830 minutes since the start of the season: goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, defender Matteo Ferrari and midfielder Felipe.
- Goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who hails from Hamilton, Ontario, played for TFC from 2007-2009 making 34 appearances, going 9-15-8 and recording seven shutouts.
- Impact forward Eduardo Sebrango, 39, became the oldest player to see game action this season in MLS with his debut last Saturday versus Portland, coming on as a late sub for Bernardo Corradi.
- Defender Zarek Valentin and midfielder Justin Mapp will not play Wednesday after suffering injuries during last game against the Portland Timbers.
- The BMO reds will face the BMO blues for the first time in the Canadian Championship.
- Injury Report: OUT: D Zarek Valentin (right calf contusion); DOUBTFUL: M Justin Mapp (left hamstring strain); PROBABLE: D Gienir Garcia (left knee contusion), D Nelson Rivas (left hamstring strain), M Davy Arnaud (left hamstring train)
