The Impact will host Vancouver this Friday at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex (8 pm, RDS, FSW, CJAD, XM-172). Then, on Sunday July 16, it will be the Whitecaps' turn to host Montreal (10 pm).
These games are always played at a lively pace, as each club strives to prove it is the best in the country. Friday’s match-up will also feature Caps coach Bob Lilley’s return to Montreal, where he coached the Impact during two seasons. But above all, the two games will be a face-off between two teams that are presently vying for the top spots in USL D1 standings.
Both organizations have been among the league’s elite for the past several seasons. In their case, losing records have been the exception rather than the rule.
“It’s important for Canadian teams in the league to do well,” says Montreal defender Adam Braz, a regular member of the Canadian national team. “It shows that we have solid Canadian talent. Vancouver and Montreal always have playoff-calibre teams, they’re always championship contenders. And both clubs have a solid organization. They have great ownership, with people who want to help Canadian soccer, as does the Saputo family.”
“Like us, Vancouver is a club that aspires to be among the best, and works things out in a way that allows them to have a big enough budget to bring in the best players available. When you do that on a regular basis, it’s only normal you end up fighting for first place,” points out Impact head coach Nick De Santis.
Montreal and Vancouver’s success has been built on a large contingent of Canadian players, more than half the roster in both cases. Even though this year American players are no longer considered foreigners for the USL’s Canadian teams, both organizations will continue to build their nucleus around “Canadian content”.
“Bob (Lilley) is an American, he knows American players who are coming up, so it’s only normal that he goes out and brings some in to try and make his club better,” says De Santis. “But it’s also normal to try and promote local talent.”
Young Quebec and B.C. amateur soccer players strongly identify with local players. These players bring long-term stability to the team, help establish a sense of belonging within the club, and create strong ties with the community.
“When you play soccer in front of your friends and family, in the city where you grew up and learned how to play soccer, you want to put on a good show,” says Impact captain Mauro Biello. “You want to do well, and you want to celebrate your achievements with the fans.”
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